REVIEW: In NJ, Whitesnake rock into the ‘Still of the Night’

Photo: Whitesnake features lead singer and founder David Coverdale. Photo courtesy of Whitesnake / Provided by band PR with permission.

HOLMDEL, NEW JERSEY — Whitesnake know how to keep an audience on their feet and rocking for an hour. The hard rock band behind such hits as “Bad Boys,” “Here I Go Again” and “Still of the Night” offered a blistering, nonstop setlist in the middle slot of a joint concert that also featured Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening and Foreigner.

The PNC Bank Arts Center, packed to the musical gills, welcomed lead singer and founder David Coverdale, who still has the vocal chops to hit high notes and blast through a pulsating set list. He brought renewed energy to songs like “Is This Love” and “Give Me All Your Love.”

Coverdale, who also sang for Deep Purple, is the consummate frontman, someone who struts his dominance for the audience to lap up, gesticulating with the microphone stand, swirling his long locks into a hurricane and screaming with the best of them.

Joining him on stage were Reb Beach on guitar, Joel Hoekstra on guitar, Michael Devin on bass, Tommy Aldridge on drums and Michele Luppi on keyboards. They complemented one another perfectly throughout the concert, clearly rocking out to these songs as if they were written yesterday. Put simply, they gave the audience what they wanted: the hits, done up with pomp and flair.

They set the stage for Foreigner’s 80-minute set, but, honestly, Whitesnake made a claim as righteous headliners themselves. Coverdale is an original, and Whitesnake are here to stay.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

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