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Tuesday, 8th July 2008
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Bucharest, Romania - Media Reviews

Def Leppard & Whitesnake revived rock in Bucharest By Nine oClock

The almost three-hour marathon represented an authentic celebration of rock music that may be considered the music event of the year.

The two mythical bands performed on Tuesday evening at Romexpo for over three hours, delivering a perfectly preserved sample of the rock of the 80s, cleared of the influences of the latest decades.

More than an hour after Iris finished the opening act of the evening, the stage was entered by the Def Leppard: Joe Elliott (vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums), beside the bass player Rick Savage. After a spectacular beginning with the songs "Rocket" and "C'Mon C'Mon," Joe Elliott greeted Romanians: "Good evening, Bucharest. How are you? I am glad to meet you after all this time." The greeting was followed by the song "Nine Lives," the first single on the new Def Leppard album, named "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge," the song "Make Love Like a Man," and the famous ballad "Love Bites," sang along by approximately 8,000 Romanian fans. Intensely cheered by the audience, Def Leppard also presented an acoustic set of the song "Two Steps Behind." After "Hysteria," the song that gives the title of an album that stirred the critics' great enthusiasm during the 80s, the band performed the song that had the best sound of the evening: "Pour Some Sugar On Me." During this song, the band's sound engineers worked wonders, so that Joe Elliott's voice, Rick Savage's bass and Rick Allen's drums made the audience frantic, and they tremendously enjoyed each moment of the famous hit. The concert was followed by an encore frantically asked by the audience, a further opportunity for the band to invite their fans to rock: "Let's Get Rocked". It was also the closing song of the Def Leppard concert, followed by a few words addressed by vocalist and band leader Joe Elliott for the enthusiastic fans: "Until next time - and there will be a next time - do not forget us and we will not forget you."

After 22.00, after dark, the stage was taken over by the Master of rock, who still looks and performs impeccably at his beautiful age of 57. His name is David Coverdale, and he still a charismatic presence, doubled by a charming voice that preserved its strength and fabulous energy. Coverdale explosively entered the stage, hypnotized the audience byhis particular manner of playing with the microphone stand and luscious moves, and opened the performance with "Best Years," followed by "Fool From Your Lovin'." "Good evening, Buda...oh, shit!, Bucharest!" the musician humorously greeted the audience, acting slightly embarrassed by the well-known cliché confusion with the capital of Hungary, avoided in the last minute.

After two more songs, Whitesnake surprised everybody by performing the hit "Is This Love," without further introductions. It was followed by a guitar duel between Doug Aldrich and Reb Reach, when Coverdale withdrew and allowed his two guitarists to show the reasons why Coverdale has selected them as successors to musicians such as John Sykes and Steve Vai. After another song from the latest album of the band, "Too Good to Be Bad," Coverdale went thirty years back in time in order to perform, beside the 8,000 Romanians present in the Romexpo parking space, "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City." Then, the band performed "Give Me All Your Love," and the hit "Here I Go Again," that drove the audience wild, as it did 11 years ago.

The song "Still of the Night" was selected by musicians to close the concert, yet, Coverdale was not allowed to leave the stage as the audience screamed for encore and somebody even requested him to perform "Soldier of Fortune," the song that turned the young Coverdale, soloist of the legendary band of the 70s, "Deep Purple," into an international star. Before the encore the public sung "Happy Birthday" for the band's 30th anniversary taking the band's members aback. It was another beautiful moment of the wonderful 'British...night! "Thank you for your hearts, for your applauses, for your voices,' David Coverdale told the audience. "Take care of you, be happy and don't let anything scare you," the artist said to Romanians before closing the magical night with another Deep Purple song, "Burn," launched 34 years ago.

Yet, just before midnight, at the end of the rock marathon, the powerful riffs of the song "We Wish You Well," that seemed specially composed as a terrific final for a concert, were spread by the amplifiers, while the six musicians - David Coverdale, Doug Aldrich, Reb Beach, Uriah Duffy. Chris Frazier and Timothy Drury - thanked Romanians with an intensely cheered bow.

By Nine oClock 2008.

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