Two of the most successful bands in Hard Rock music joined forces this summer for a co-headlining tour. With 30 years of amazing career, DEF LEPPARD and WHITESNAKE made their stop in Athens mainly to promote their new albums Songs From Sparkle Lounge and Good To Be Bad, respectively.

I must say that, the memories I have from Karaiskaki stadium are all printed in my heart, mainly as an Olympiakos F.C. supporter, but this time it was music that was going to do the job.

Greek rockers HANNIBAL were the first to climb on stage. I have watched the band in the 'March Metal Day' festival in March where they had some serious sound problems. This time, HANNIBAL managed to deliver a fairly improved sound along with a great performance for their Greek friends that were gathered early enough, in the stadium's arena. They managed to elevate the crowd and I think that they won their applause. With cover songs like Du Hast by RAMMSTEIN and a short AC_DC tribute with Thunderstruck and Highway To Hell, HANNIBAL gave us a great warming taste.

HANNIBAL set list:

01. Burn Me Alive
02. Let The Rain
03. My God
04. Du Hast
05. The It
06. Therapy
07. Without Your Love
08. My Girl
09. Thunderstruck
10. Highway To Hell
11. Touch Me Know

After the break, everything was ready for WHITESNAKE's third appearance in front of the Athenian crowd. David Coverdale stormed the stage screaming Come on! making the crowd and especially the ladies to go nuts. Best Years and Good To Be Bad from the new album kicked in and the band started rocking. Fool For Your Loving was next and everything felt amazing, heartbreaking lyrics along with Coverdale's cock-mic and kinky expressions, made me horny and gave me the goose bumps at the same time. When the master of love, David Coverdale is singing and you are that close, you cannot even consider to think that there is something wrong with his voice. Then David said: I haven't said this in a long time but...there is a NEW song for you! and Can You Hear The Wind Blow followed. The crowd was mainly expecting to hear some of the old songs like Is This Love? that came afterwards; but from that point David's voice started to fade. Fortunately, the rest of the band took over most of the vocals being supported by the crowd that knew all the lyrics. WHITESNAKE have changed the line-up many times over the years but now have musicians that can deliver an amazing feeling. Uriah Duffy replaced Marco Mendoza on the bass with a strong, on-stage, energy and I think he could easily be on the top bass players that ever joined WHITESNAKE like Neil Murray, or Rudy Sarzo. I have also to say that despite my deep admiration to Tommy Aldrige's performing style and skill in the drum kit Chris Frazier fits in the WHITESNAKE machine beautifully. After the show Coverdale obviously exhausted he walked from the stage to the backstage area and returned to give handshake to everyone. WHITESNAKE (I mean David Coverdale) celebrated their 30th anniversary. During these 30 years David managed to deliver many many songs about heartache, love and sex. How can anyone resist this?

WHITESNAKE set list:

01. Best Years
02. Fool For Your Loving
03. Can You Hear The Wind Blow
04. Love Ain't No Stranger
05. Lay Down Your Love
06. Is This Love
07. A Fool In Love
08. Ain't Gonna Cry No More
09. Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City
10. Give Me All Your Love
11. Here I Go Again
12. Still Of The Night

The stage was prepared to host the first DEF LEPPARD gig upon Greek soil. AC_DC's For Those About To Rock was on the P.A. system loud enough so that we can enjoy the Heavy AC/DC power. Suddenly the lights went out and Rocket kicked in. DEF LEPPARD were finally on stage and we went crazy. Every time I was listening to Hysteria in my turntable I was imagining how this moment would be like. The brand new C'mon C'mon was next followed by Hysteria-classic, Animal; I was living the dream. The sound was great and I could expect nothing more. Everybody knows the complexity of these songs due to the huge production how hard it is to deliver them songs live; but with some pre-recorded helping aids everything becomes possible. Elliot's voice was in a satisfying level and was supported by the most amazing background vocals ever (after QUEEN of course). Phil Collen was in a great shape, while Rick Savage is still the number one musician in the band. Unfortunately, we couldn't watch Rick Allen behind the drum set delivering the steady rhythm during the entire concert. Vivian Campbell was in a great mood throwing picks to the crowd until he run out of them and three little girls came on stage to give him a bunch of guitar picks in his hand, beautiful moment.

Joe Elliot made his best efforts to cheer up the 15.000 people that were in Karaiskaki stadium in that hot Tuesday night and everything was really cool. When the first notes from Love Bites kicked in, my heart started beating faster but a bunch of stupid motherfuckers that have shit for brains decided to crowd-surf during this particular song.

DEF LEPPARD did an acoustic two-song set with Two Steps Behind and Bringin' On The Heartbreak that the Greek crowd sung beautifully and received Joe Elliot's praise. Then Steve Clark's instrumental Switch 625 song came in. Hysteria and Armageddon It made us feel like we're 10 years old again jumpin' around and screamin'. DEF LEPPARD concluded their awesome set with Let's Get Rocked and promised that they are going to return (yeah definitely).

DEF LEPPARD set list:

01. Rocket
02. C'mon C'mon
03. Animal
04. Nine Lives
05. Make Love Like A Man
06. Love Bites
07. Rock On
08. Two Steps Behind
09. Bringin' on the Heartbreak
10. Switch 625
11. Hysteria
12. Armageddon It
13. Photograph
14. Pour Some Sugar on Me
15. Rock of Ages
16. Let's Get Rocked

Overall, Cultural Action's team made their best efforts to organize a beautiful Rock show for the Greek crowd. The WHITESNAKE - DEF LEPPARD collaboration gave their best to entertain us and delivered some of the best Rock songs in the history of music. Personally, now I have some beautiful music related memories in my heart from Karaiskaki, too.

(photos by Yiannis Z)

HANNIBAL

WHITESNAKE

DEF LEPPARD