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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
5:25 PM 21st May 2022
arts

The Final Countdown - Whitesnake Give A Fond Farewell

 
“You are in for one hell of a time tonight” proclaimed Joey Tempest, lead singer of Europe at the start of what was to be a night of classic rock music. The charismatic frontman was not wrong as the fans were to discover.

At the unconventional stage time of 6.45pm Europe arrived on stage at the Manchester Arena to deliver a tight set, where you could have been fooled into thinking the band were the headline act.

With the last twirl of his microphone stand Tempest playfully introduced what for many is the band's trademark song

Europe always did cross the line between heavy rock and pop which was further emphasised on tracks Rock The Night and Superstitious, where the two genres came together with ease.

With the last twirl of his microphone stand Tempest playfully introduced what for many is the band's trademark song - The Final Countdown. As the emblematic and triumphant keyboard refrain rang around the arena the song closed what had been forty five minutes of rock music perfection. “Beautiful, Manchester” he exclaimed in what was probably the understatement of the evening.

With none of the original members left in Foreigner these days, apart from guitarist Mick Jones, who was absent in Manchester, it was left to singer Kelly Hansen to rouse the audience. Mind you when you have the classic rock songs Cold as Ice, Juke Box Hero and I Want To Know What Love Is, the task is made somewhat easier.

David Coverdale of Whitesnake
David Coverdale of Whitesnake
Hansen had a stage presence very similar to Stephen Tyler from Aerosmith as he enthusiastically bounced around the stage. Revealing that he lived just outside Manchester he joked that the reception the band received was “a lot warmer than the cold wet mornings he normally wakes up to.”

The lengthy drum and keyboard solo could have been cut shorter, as it slightly lost momentum after the audience had been treated to Juke Box Hero. As Hot Blooded closed a competent set it felt like you had been watching rock royalty such was the magnitude of their performance.
It did feel that you were witnessing the end of an era as Coverdale led the band through a catalogue of rock standards

In rock music circles farewell tours can be taken with a pinch of salt: Status Quo toured their 'End of the Road Tour' back in 1984 and they are still touring now. Whether this really is the last time Whitesnake will tour only time will tell. If it is then they gave their fans an experience that will not tarnish their memory of the band.

For all the attitude and personable friendliness that lead singer David Coverdale has, he still came across as being the elder statesman of rock. Over the last fifty years his band have gone from the blues inspired Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City to the American success of Here I Go Again.

It did feel that you were witnessing the end of an era as Coverdale led the band through a catalogue of rock standards - some titles being full of sexual innuendo which you probably would have not got away with if they had been released in the twenty first century!

Drummer Tommy Aldridge whose CV must read like a Who’s Who of rock bands he has played in, performed his trademark drum solo that ended up with him playing his drum kit with his bare hands.

As Coverdale closed the evening with the bombast of Still of the Night he returned back to the start of his career in Deep Purple by singing a cover of Burn.

For over four hours the audience had witnessed an evening of classic songs, accomplished musicianship and just downright excellent entertainment.

If this really was the last goodbye from Whitesnake then tonight had been one to treasure.