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Twice postponed, once cancelled
Tonight’s (June 25) Whitesnake show at the Rock Imperium Festival in Cartagena, Spain has been cancelled due to reasons, ahem, not quite adequately explained:
Dear Whitesnake Fans,
Please know we are doing everything in our power to bring you the best high energy and exciting shows we possibly can. We always strive to deliver 100%, as Whitesnake fans always deserve that much, and never anything less.
Our desire is to complete our European tour with the same passion in which we started it!
We knew embarking on this tour could present many new obstacles and potential issues, which had been unknown to us on previous tours. Please know we are doing everything in our power to work through these unprecedented challenges. We are a close-knit band, we love each other, and we love you. We appreciate you, and as always we thank you for your support!
We sincerely apologize to our Spanish fans for unavoidably having to cancel tonight’s show.
This cancellation comes on the heels of a string of dates which their guitar player Reb Beach had to sit out, being “under the weather“:
Tonight @Whitesnake rocked @PrahaEU – Prague, Czech Republic along with our friends @europetheband ! A little last minute stress as Reb Beach was under the weather and I had to cover his solos. But, we gave you our best Prague!! The show must go on! #Whitesnake #TheFarewellTour pic.twitter.com/LQK7Rp470d
— Joel Hoekstra (@joelhoekstra13) June 14, 2022
We have no idea if these two events are connected in any way.
Whitesnake is in the middle of the twice postponed due to the pandemic European leg of the Farewell Tour.
Update: The performance was apparently cancelled due to “severe health problems” suffered by drummer Tommy Aldridge. Message from the festival organizers reads:
Just when we had all the backline and stage preparations from WHITESNAKE ready for their show today, their booking agent informed us of the sad news that Tommy Aldridge is having severe health problems today, so we regret to announce the cancellation of their show at Rock Imperium Festival. We are really sorry for any inconveniences caused, we are devastated and can only wish Tommy a quick recovery.
Update #2: The plot thickens. An unverified twitter account @tadrums purported to be from Tommy Aldridge himself vehemently denied the news of him being unwell:
This is patently untrue. I don’t know how it ever saw the light of day.
— Tommy Aldridge (@tadrums) June 25, 2022
Update #3 (June 28): The shows in Milan on June 28 and Vienna on June 30 are cancelled as well due to DC’s “infection of the sinus & trachea”. Zagreb on July 2 is under the question has been cancelled as well.
Update #4 (July 2): The rest of the European tour has been cancelled:
July 1
It is with the deepest sadness that I must announce that due to continuing health challenges, doctor’s orders, and our concern for everyone’s health and safety, Whitesnake is unable to continue its European Farewell Tour.
I extend my sincere apologies to All of Whitesnake’s Amazing Fans who have been looking forward to the remaining scheduled shows of this tour, All of our Amazing, Fabulous Snakes & tour personnel who have been working so hard to put on these shows, and All of the promoters and other professionals who have helped set up the tour…
I Appreciate & Love You All!!!
David Coverdale
Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
The Tommy Aldridge stuff turned out to be fake news. Dismissed by Tommy himself on his Twitter feed:
https://twitter.com/tadrums/status/1540770595033456642?s=21&t=CcNkPi1IP_9y69LE9OUgPQ
As for Reb, who knows. DC has been silent on this matter for going on two weeks.
June 26th, 2022 at 03:15I hope to see Tommy and guys in Zagreb Saturday 02 07 (Dino Jelusick, at home). Day 02 07 big family very close. Deep Purple plays in Milan, Dead Daisies in Rome.
June 26th, 2022 at 06:34By the way .. last Whitesnake concerts on the European tour should be on July 19 in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). With the support of the Dead Daisies. A unique opportunity to see and listen to David and Glenn together “( and Doug Aldrich of course) on stage after 2015.
This is outright weird, welcome to Pyongyang information policies at the Whitesnake camp.
David is amiably chatty, but never gets to the core of things.
June 26th, 2022 at 15:53When I worked for Whitesnake last week I heard WS crewmembers saying Reb had Covid.
June 27th, 2022 at 11:22The latest from the festival promoter:
https://www.rockimperiumfestival.es/en/statement-regarding-whitesnakes-unilateral-cancellation/
June 27th, 2022 at 11:58Let me guess. Some clash of egos over royalties, or women, or someone’s intake of mind altering stuff, spaghetti in the face etc. I say, bring it on! Give us some vintage Seventies’ stuff!
June 27th, 2022 at 17:30I await further news with bated breath. Let’s see DC talk himself out of this one.
https://image.emojisky.com/867/3767867-middle.png
Did I get lost on a Guns & Roses fan page?
June 27th, 2022 at 21:12Milano and Vienna cancelled.
June 28th, 2022 at 08:40Made me think of the unconfirmed story of someone in Dave Lee Roth’s solo band trying to shake him down for more money mid-tour, knowing a ‘replacement’ would not be available or familiar with the set-list etc. Not saying it could be the same case here, as contracts would presumably have been signed before the tour?
June 28th, 2022 at 10:38I thought the tour was improving a little with DC actually doing some singing of sorts but at least I got the chance to be disappointed in Manchester. Sadly no make some F*****g noise Gasometer at the Wien gig. I think old Cov has brainwashed himself into thinking he and his band can sustain this length of tour.
June 28th, 2022 at 16:38Unfortunatly Zagreb cancelled too.. (@Ivica, we are unlucky)
June 28th, 2022 at 17:59@9
That would not be unusual. There is a story circulated by a certain Candice N and vehemently denied by a certain Doug W about how a band of musicians tried to squeeze a better paycheck from the bandleader, a certain Richard B, midway through the tour.
June 28th, 2022 at 21:24Terry D: “brainwashed himself into thinking” – that is a great description of the machinations within DC – spot on!
June 29th, 2022 at 11:1811 @
Hey, ain’t gonna cry no more today, no more….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Xc-tHyLSc
June 30th, 2022 at 04:53I m pretty sure I attended their farewell tour in 1994!
June 30th, 2022 at 19:53So was I, Rock Voorne, and I liked Warren DeMartini’s guitar playing and stage presence on that tour – more so than Adrian I must say. He was a cool cat and had a bluesy tone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XSAWwO2LGs
July 1st, 2022 at 17:17Herr Coverdale explains himself on Instagram:
“Dear Whitesnake fans around the world:
We have been rocking our way across the globe on the first part of our Farewell Tour giving all we’ve got to you, the fans.
The rigors of the road are the same for all of us and we have been trying to keep everyone healthy and safe.
Unfortunately we have been hit recently with a couple of situations that we have been dealing with, the best we can..
First our beloved band leader Reb Beach went down temporarily and he missed a couple of shows while he mended (and is much better now, by the way).
Then the rock of our band, the Legendary Tommy Aldridge went down and we unfortunately were not able to play the Rock Imperium Festival in Cartagena this past Saturday (very regrettable and all apologies to our Spanish fans and friends).
Tommy was bad enough at the time to have missed the first show ever in his career – The GOOD news is that he is feeling better and is anxious to get back out there to perform for all of you.
Unfortunately I have now been hit hard as well. I started feeling a bit under the weather two days ago, and was just diagnosed with an infection of the sinus & trachea. The doctor recommends 5 days of no singing and bed rest.
Sadly, that means that we are not going to be able to do the upcoming shows in Milan, Vienna and a decision on Zagreb is about to be made.
I’m very sorry to all the fans who had planned to come see our Farewell Tour in each of those cities – it’s my intention to get better as soon as possible and be able to pick up with the remaining shows of the European Farewell Tour. You are all in our hearts!!
xxoo
DC”
Unfortunately for those of you that wanted to see him, it doesn’t read like he has any plans for replacement dates. The band’s overall health certainly does not seem well.
July 2nd, 2022 at 09:00I think the band’s overall health is good.
July 2nd, 2022 at 16:59These are all stories for small children.
The problem is in money or….. in Tanya.
Old people sometimes know how to fall in love and fight like kids..
Ooops!
“Having cancelled dates in Zagreb, Milan and Vienna earlier this week due to ongoing health issues within the band, Whitesnake have now announced that they are unable to continue their European Tour.”
Seems like the long pandemic pause did the band no favors. Touring is an athletic sport.
July 2nd, 2022 at 22:36Pacuha, you mean David, the ole love hunter, had an affair with Tanya and Cindy wanted him back home? ; – )
I can’t believe that any musician’s money demands could have derailed the tour – the world is littered with ex-Whitesnake members he could have flown in as a quick replacement. Neil Murray, Rudy Sarzo and Marco Mendoza would have all learned the set in 24 hours.
July 3rd, 2022 at 00:26It completely stinks. Probably more ill people have made better efforts on a tour. If D Coverdale was that ill, he (assuming it isn’t a publicist) he wouldn’t be publishing crap updates every 5 seconds on his twitter about a load of rubbish.
Coverdale has had a lot of brown stuff thrown at him by those who have worked with him in the past, but what more do you need to know that somebody on their farewell tour thinks so little of the minions who go to see him that they can’t push on through what seems minor setbacks. Cancelling a gig because you have a throat infection 7 days before the actual thing? I know he is past 70 but he seems to be playing this as if he has just hit fame and is blowing off a few gigs as you do. Well you are not, your are an old bid now, at the end of your career and yet you want to end it on this note. Shows your real colours and unfortunately, proves to be true what a lot of people who worked with you said you were / are.
July 4th, 2022 at 02:45@Uwe,
July 4th, 2022 at 10:12At how many concerts did Reb not play? Maybe it was some kind of love triangle..
Maybe its a way of prolonging the farewell tour. The missing European dates postponed to next year, or the year after
Kiss farewell tour – with another 100 dates added
Deep Purple – Long Long Long Goodbye
July 4th, 2022 at 11:49Pacuha@22: Now you’re talking! “Love Triangle” – you’re giving DC ideas for new song titles. Let’s find a word that rhymes with it – dangle?
July 6th, 2022 at 01:32