Double delight for classic rock fans

No-one can resist a BOGOF offer – and last night it was two for the price of one when rock giants Def Leppard and Whitesnake thundered into Birmingham on the second night of their UK tour.

The bands have joined forces as both celebrate their 30-year anniversaries – and as both have just released new albums.

But there's clearly no stopping these heavy rock stalwarts who are still storming the album charts, with Def Leppard's Songs from the Sparkle Lounge in the US top five and Whitesnake's anniversary CD Good to be Bad in the UK top 10, as frontman David Coverdale boasted at last night's sell-out gig.

Whitesnake took the stage first, after support early on from Kentucky rock band Black Stone Cherry.

Special mention was given during their set to former guitarist Mel Galley, of Cannock, who is terminally ill with cancer.

Coverdale dedicated Love Ain't No Stranger to his "dear friend".

But this was a rare serious moment for Coverdale who, from the outset, enjoyed his trademark flirting with the crowd – even getting one delighted fan a drink.

There was a taste of new material with the album track The Best Years, and a potful of favourites followed, including Fool For Your Lovin' and Is This Love.

The almost 90-minute set finished with the 80s hit Here I Go Again, and Still Of The Night, although time spent on a drum solo and a "duelling guitars" interlude could have been better used on two other songs.

A well co-ordinated set change provided the stage for Def Leppard, who launched into Rocket.

Although several crowd pleasers such as Armageddon It, David Essex's Rock On and new single Nine Lives were among the first songs in the set, singer Joe Elliot had to work hard to get some noise from the fairly staid Birmingham crowd.

But a cracking set list eventually had everyone on their feet, with such classics as Hysteria, Animal, Photograph and Rock of Ages keeping die-hard and new fans enthralled.

Leppard played the same length set as Whitesnake as they shared the bill, and there was something new and something old for the all-too-soon encore, Bad Actress and Let's Get Rocked.

Elliot promised the Leps will be back – let's hope it is sooner rather than later.

Review by Debbie Bennett. Picture copyright of Jason Sheldon.