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Tuesday 17 May 2022

Monday 16 May 2022. WHITESNAKE + FOREIGNER + EUROPE live at The 02 Arena. Other dates on the tour this coming week... Wed 18 May - Manchester Arena Fri 20 May - Nottingham Arena Sun 22 May - Utilita Arena, Birmingham Wed 25 May - Cardiff Arena Whitesnake swansong tour will be your last chance to see the new incarnation of Whitesnake that features Irish bassist Tanya O'Callaghan and Croatian backing singer/multi-instrumentalist Dino Jelusick. Whitesnake’s setlist will boast stone cold rock classics including ‘Here I Go Again’, ‘Still of The Night’ and ‘Is This Love’ together with other songs from the band’s 44-year back catalogue. I have seen all three bands many times over the past 40 odd years. Whitesnake were regulars at Hammersmith Odeon in their 1980s heyday. I have seen Whitesnake over 20 times, with most of them at Hammersmith Odeon. Oddly enough their 1997 tour was billed as a farewell tour , just like this tour. I saw David Coverdale fronting DEEP PURPLE in 1974 at Hammersmith Odeon. ------------------- Needless to say i was really looking forward to this classic rock package from promoters Live Nation. It is a near sell out, with just a few rows of unsold seats, and no curtained off blocks. The merch stores and the £20 Whitesnake tour programmes are doing a roaring trade. EUROPE arrived on stage at 6.45pm for their 45 mins set. The ever youthful Joey Tempest on vocals still looks like a proper rockstar. A really good set including "Rock The Night", "Carrie" and a mega "The Final Countdown". For each band, two side screens show live footage, and the central screen shows the bands logo. ---------- FOREIGNER arrived on stage at 7.50pm for their 75 mins set. Great to see these classic rock bands on this huge stage, with so much space. There is an extended stahpgevplatform of around 12 feet that all the singers use. Kelly Hansen is another excellent rock vocalist who looks like a proper rockstar. Kelly mentions that the last time they played this venue was as support to Led Zeppelin at that legendary reunion show ( I was there). Foreigner songs, one by one, are soooo damn catchy. They may a semi-tribute band these days as sole original member Mick Jones only joins them for the three song encore due to his frail health, but they play a great set. Full FOREIGNER setlist played tonight.... Double Vision Head Games Cold as Ice Dirty White Boy Feels Like the First Time Urgent (followed by solos from all band members) Juke Box Hero Encore: Long, Long Way From Home (With Mick Jones) I Want to Know What Love Is (With Mick Jones) Hot Blooded (With Mick Jones) ---------- WHITESNAKE arrived on stage at 9.35pm for their 85 mins set. Hard to believe singer David Coverdale is now aged 70. Backed by six musicians including two guitars and two keyboard players. He still has his mane of big hair, great vocals and great stage presence. Plenty of his "Here's One for Ya" song introductions. Each band member had a solo spot in the show, and the drum solo was fantastic. Loads of great songs played and Whitesnake rocked. A great show, to end a fantastic evening from three classic rock bands. Full WHITESNAKE setlist played tonight... Bad Boys (with "Children of the Night" snippet) Slide It In Love Ain't No Stranger Hey You (You Make Me Rock) Slow an' Easy Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover) Fool for Your Loving Crying in the Rain Is This Love Give Me All Your Love Here I Go Again Still of the Night Burn (Deep Purple cover) Outro Tape - We Wish You Well Outro Tape - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python song)