Reactivated, re-energised and ready to rock Whitesnake have been a mainstay of the hard rock scene for some –odd years. In truth when I first started to discover music it was the sleaze and drama of Guns ‘n’ Roses followed rapidly by the bleakness of Nirvana that appealed to me and so I failed to appreciate Whitesnake during their most commercial phase. The harder, blues-edged Whitesnake of recent years, in contrast, have proved to be far more appealing both sonically and lyrically, and this special live album, cheekily cribbing its title from the classic Deep Purple disc, is a fine chance to appreciate the massive power Whitesnake can wield when firing on all cylinders.
There is indeed much to appreciate on ‘Made in Japan’, a live document of the recent tour released across multiple formats (2CD / DVD, DVD, Blu ray) that combines the explosive power of a revitalised Whitesnake with the sort of set list destined to satisfy most fans of the band (although the jury’s still out on the inclusion of drum solos into live CD track lists) with its mixture of old standards (‘here I go again’, ‘Still of the night’) and newer tracks such as ‘best years’ (the opening track from ‘good to be bad’), ‘forevermore’ and ‘steal your heart away’. It is a well balanced mix of material, guaranteed to please long-term fans and newcomers alike and, as one would expect from a band of whitesnake’s stature, the quality is exemplary throughout. This review focuses on the DVD which, as you might imagine, captures the band in the best possible light, with David Coverdale miraculously looking cool, calm and collected as the band around him unleash the darker side of the band’s material. Quite how David Coverdale, now 62 years of age, manages to look quite so utterly unphased by gruelling vocal demands of his material is a mystery that will, perhaps, never be solved. His energy and on-stage manner is not only professional, but clearly powered by an enthusiasm for his band that has never waned over the years. His heartfelt dedication of ‘forevermore’ sounds utterly genuine, and when he lets out the occasional high scream it’s not so much a case of his proving he’s still got it, as a case of his iron control slipping enough for his enthusiasm to get the better of his judgement (David suffered a severe vocal injury in 2009 that led to a tour being cancelled) – it is, therefore, impossible not to become similarly absorbed in the moment as the crowd roars and the band unleash hit after hit.
It is not clear, at this time, exactly what the technical specifications of the DVD will be, but our review copy (a white label version) came encoded with a fine Dolby Digital 5.1 track that does plenty of justice to the band’s bombastic sound. The rear speakers are not overly employed, but the mix does a fine job of separating out the various vocalists and the dual guitar / keyboard front line musicians from the rhythm section, with the result that the mix is punchy and clear throughout. Visually, meanwhile, the DVD is beautifully shot and well captured, although on DVD the stage lights do cause the image to soften at times and the contrast between the bright stage and blacked-out crowd results in a small amount of grain in the picture. It’s not particularly distracting but it is not as crystal clear as, say, the new Joe Bonamassa DVD. The filming and editing itself, however, is top-notch, capturing the feel and energy of the show with aplomb, and offering plenty of decent shots of the various musicians demonstrating their proficiency.
The track-listing is, meanwhile, a well-chosen mix of the old and the new. Opening to rapturous applause and a blistering rendition of ‘Best years’, the slamming opening cut from ‘good to be bad’, it’s clear that the band in general and David Coverdale in particular are loving every minute of the lengthy show, revelling in mass sing-alongs, startlingly over-the-top solos and moments of sheer head banging glory. With both Doug Aldridge and Reb Beach on particularly blistering form on guitar throughout the lengthy show, it is (sadly now departed) drummer Brian Tichy who gives the most startling performance as he plays with chopsticks, his hands and even a pair of Sushi knives for a drum solo that has you slack-jawed with awe by the time it reaches its flying stick conclusion. It loses something in translation on the CD, technically brilliant though it is, but on DVD it truly comes alive and it is clear that Whitesnake as a band have lost none of the stage magic that has made them a favoured live act for many years now.
For fans of the commercial years there are plenty of reference points, ‘is this love?’ is delivered with admirable skill, and David Coverdale’s voice is rock solid throughout, but far better are the hard cuts that pepper the show. Just witness Reb Beach’s awesome slide intro to ‘steal your heart away’, David’s well-known love of the blues shining through on a furious track that takes no prisoners nand proves to be a highlight of the show, or the crushing groove of ‘best years’ – this is certainly a band who are at their very best when delivering primal slabs of pure rock fury, and as David works the stage his years melt away and he looks every inch the rock god he can genuinely claim to be – this is no DVD trickery just a first-rate performance form a consummate artist whose passion for the music he has created is as boundless as the love his legions of fans have for him, something that is no more obvious than when the pace slows down for a magical, heart-stopping rendition of ‘forevermore’.
Of late Whitesnake have seemingly been on a mission to assert their legendary status in no uncertain terms. Both ‘good to be bad’ and ‘forevermore’ did much to underscore this claim, but it is live where the band excel and this handsomely packaged DVD/CD set demonstrates this in a way that most rock bands can only envy. Well filmed, with paint-threatening sound, ‘Made in japan’ is a taut reminder of Whitesnake’s undiminished powers and makes the forthcoming tour dates all the more exciting. If you’re a fan, this is an essential purchase, if you’re not a fan then buy this and you’ll instantly understand the fuss – this is a hard-rock master-class that demonstrates the dynamic range, the fire and the fury and the song-writing prowess of Whitesnake in a fashion that us utterly indisputable.
Check out the trailer here:
