Whitesnake
23rd March 2008
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand.
Foreword by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters.
In what has been an unlucky year for New Zealanders with yet another notification of a concert cancellation came through this week, this time from the camp of Scorpions and Whitesnake. Sadly, due to a completely unforeseeable medical emergency, Scorpions lead vocalist Klaus Meine was hospitalised, the knock-on effect of being ‘out of action’ for a few days on doctor’s orders seeing their one and only New Zealand show cancelled.
While undoubtedly disappointing for Scorpions fans, the wounds run twice as deep for Whitesnake’s – this week’s show being their first opportunity to see the band and of course David Coverdale in action in almost twelve years. Having released their latest album Flesh & Blood in 2019, fans were looking forward to being able to savour their new music live, Coverdale himself in a recent interview with Ambient Light expressing both excitement and joy to be heading back down to the land of Cloudy Bay Oysters which upon his last visit he became quite partial to.
Indeed, it would seem that both Coverdale and Whitesnake itself are better than ever, the creation of the new album – something that Coverdale had not been expecting to do at this stage in his career – not only a gift to their fans, but ‘revitalising’ the band itself. The thirteen tracks of course centered around the topics that mean the most to Coverdale; that of love and romance, the connection and bond that two humans can make between each other that can span centuries. His work with band members such as Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra igniting a new flame that burned bright and brought forth music that connected both the past and the present of Whitesnake’s illustrious career.
But alas, New Zealand fans – for the time being – will have to console themselves with the recorded versions of tracks such as ‘Always & Forever’ and ‘When I Think of You (Colour Me Blue)’ until Whitesnake can once again make it back down to Australasia for a show that will no doubt be celebrated in more ways than one.
In the meantime, to help ease the pain somewhat Doug Peters has put together a tasty treat – this gallery of never before seen live photos from Whitesnake’s last New Zealand appearance at the ROCK2WGTN Festival way back in 2008. Enjoy!
Were you there at Westpac Stadium to see Whitesnake perform at this large scale multi-day Rock festival? Or did you have tickets to see Whitesnake perform alongside Scorpions on this ill-fated tour? Tell us about it in the comments below!
ROCK2WGTN Setlist:
- Best Years
- Fool for Your Loving
- Love Ain’t No Stranger
- Is This Love
- Here I Go Again
- Can You Hear the Wind Blow
- Give Me All Your Love
- Crying in the Rain
- Lay Down Your Love
- Still of the Night
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