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Come Taste The Snake
Whitesnake live at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts (Santa Rosa, USA 2015-06-02)
(Not sure about my title but oh well!) I must say that the venue was easily the best I have
ever watched a show at. Plush mint condition seats and as the venue website says:
” The design of the theater makes all seats no more than 75 feet/yards? from the stage”.
I used to look at the ‘Made In Europe’ LP cover and wish I could see a show at a venue like
that. This was it! Opening act Diamante was really good to look at but as the guitars were
mixed out it spoiled the sound. Diamante herself is smokin hot and looks like she modeled
herself on Lita Fords ‘Kiss me Deadly’ video. Writhing around in her black catsuit I thought
about running up there and stuffing a dollar bill somewhere. Her vocals were very one
dimensional though, no dynamics. Most memorable was the fact that the bass player actually
fell down 2 or 3 times. She was the least hot and looked very uncomfortable up there. She
tripped and: ‘Oof, BLANG!’ the bass strap came off and the guitar hit the floor along with her!
Then as Diamante introduced her during a small solo spot she tried to jump up to a platform
and fell again! As an opening act it was hard to judge them as the guitars were turned down
but, as the men whistled catcalls, nice to look at!
Setlist for the Snakes:
Burn
Slide It In
Love Ain’t No Stranger
Gypsy
Give Me All Your Love
You Keep On Moving
Forevermore
Guitar solo’s
Mistreated
You Fool No One
Drum solo
Is This Love
Stormbringer
Here I Go Again
Still Of The Night
Going off the setlist for the first show on May 28th, it is clear to see that both Burn album
tracks “Lay Down, Stay Down” and “Soldier Of Fortune” have been dropped. (Time contraints
or fans(?) lack of interest perhaps?) Burn being a great opener as we know from the DP days,
got everyone excited. But then again, I have never seen lukewarm response to a opening
song by pretty much any band as the crowd is just glad the show has started! It became quite
apparent that I was in the minority of ‘fans’ that came to this show tonight as when DP songs
were played, you could tell that 80% of the crowd was not familiar with them. I was in heaven
hearing (probably for the last time live) DP MKIII/IV tracks and my personal faves being ‘Gypsy’
and ‘You Keep On Moving’. I love what Tommy does with the latter song as he really locks into
the groove with heavier than hell quarter notes as opposed to eighth notes and really does
make the song his own. Tommy must weigh 120 pounds soaking wet (with sweat) but hits
his kit SO fucking hard consistently all night long, (being a drummer myself) you have got to
admire his stamina! David held the audiences attention well all night long and sounded really
powerful at this early point of the tour. Hopefully he can keep it up as he will be touring thru
August. I wonder how many more DP songs will be dropped by then? Hopefully none, but if he
plays to standard american audiences who just want to hear ‘Is This Love’ and ‘Here I Go
Again’ (believe me, it’s 80% of the crowd) then us long time Coverdale fan’s will get short
changed setlist wise. I had high hopes for Joel H. when I saw him on ‘That Metal Show” a few
months back as he is quite good. (anybody notice how much he looks like Tommy Bolin? the
hair, his features even). That said, he spent WAY too much time posing and making faces.
I swear he looked like he was having an orgasm. So, Reb Beach to me was the better of the
two, at least on this night. (well he’s been in the band alot longer..8 to 10 years now.)
I personally enjoyed this concert more than the last two I have seen (MSG and DP) mainly
because I have never heard these songs performed live before. How great to have seen MKIII
in their day…David was his usual charming self…(someone recently called him “The Roger
Moore of Rock”!.. not too far off LOL)! My main regret was when I picked up my will call ticket
earlier in the day there were signs everywhere and on the tickets themselves that there were
to be “Absolutely NO cameras or recording devices allowed into the theater”. I, like a dumbass
left my small handheld (but very good) camcorder in the motel room. I could have got some
really good footage! Everyone there was holding up their devices so maybe someone got some
good footage that they will post on YTube. I hope so as the lighting and sound was top notch
all night. I recommend catching the WS Purple Album show wholeheartedly!
review by Scott W.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Sounds like a great gig, Scott. I’m still himming & hawing about taking the 700 mile round trip to see ol’ Dave at the end of June.
June 6th, 2015 at 01:06As for being at a show where the crowd is limp from the get-go, I’d have to say that when I went to see Deep Purple in Chicago (24 February 2004), the audience was already starting to sit down during the opening number (Silver Tongue). I thought it was great that the group decided to begin the show with a new song, especially something where they could kick our butts right away.
There were the obvious fans in the theatre, but the majority was the ‘we want only the greatest hits’ crowd. Every time anything was played that was not a hit or from ‘Machine Head’, the people sat down (and yelled at us real fans to sit down too).
The band was great, the audience (mostly) sucked. I guess I will have to go to Europe or South America if I want to enjoy the show with fun people who know and like all of the songs.
I know it’s not always like this (I’ve been to about 15 Deep Purple concerts since 1985), but that night in Chicago still sticks in my craw.
I still kinda wish they’d do a tour of only songs from the last five albums, that would be pretty exciting.
Thanks for the review.
June 6th, 2015 at 05:51The song called ‘Lady Double Dealer’ is missing from the list. Didn’t play that?
great review by Scott W. one of this finest ever !!!!!
June 6th, 2015 at 08:11I was at that concert too! I liked Whitesnakes guitarist. Both were good but long I agree that Reb Beach played better than Joel.
June 6th, 2015 at 14:39The opening band Diamante were ok. Their sound was terrible and was a shame as they could have gotten a better sound. I don’t know anything about them but the singer chick was pretty hot looking in her black leather. She mentioned her song “There’s a party in my pants and you’re all invited” but all I noticed was something stuffed down her pants that gave an oddly shaped bulge. I’m guessing it was some kind of hairy muskrat or possible dead rat. Don’t know why she would do that but That’s Show Business!
Thanks Pat and paul and others. Nice to see you there Pat and meet your wife! Hairy Muskrat LOL! You’ve always been nuts Pat, that’s why I like you! Breisheim.. took me a second..thanks Jeff!
June 6th, 2015 at 21:20Reb is better than Joe, he’s way better than Doug as well… that should be a bleeding no-brainer.
June 7th, 2015 at 20:44@2 No they did not. Skipped Soldier Of Fortune too. Read the review as I mention that and possible reasons why DP songs were, and will possibly continue to be dropped.
June 7th, 2015 at 22:02hope they drop is this love/here i go again and include slow an easy and judgment day or wings of the storm. majority in usa mainly know ws for 87 album and have almst no clue of purple. shame. but abs awesome that the set has more dp songs, just wish those 2 overplayed ones get a rest at least once with such a great catalogue os ws songs im mean pity… yeah i also have a slight imp that joel (btw great pleayer, great dude) is doing a lot of posing grinning acting kinda stuff for no reason and no he doesnt look like bolin, he resembles vai a bit and vai was goofin in the bolin hair direction thing if anyone of snake axemen. dont care even if they r naked i just wanna hear abs brilliant playing thats all i expect
June 8th, 2015 at 18:04I hope they drop Is this Love too. That song is so overplayed and… a bit overrated too, me thinks.
June 9th, 2015 at 08:21