Def Leppard @ Karaiskaki Stadium

\r\nWe reached Olympiakos’ F.C. ‘’temple’’(whoever is not a fan of Olympiakos should be open minded while reading this since I am a proud-to-be one. In fact the only one Olympiakos’ fan, among two AEK F.C. fans Lambros and Marina)by the time Hannibal were on stage. It was not the first time I saw Hannibal but to be honest I won’t claim that I watched them carefully since by the time we arrived we found there some good friends so I paid no attention to the band. What I surely overheard was a cover of Du Hast and a song from ACDC.I cannot say anything more since as I said,I paid no attention.
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\r\nThe professional look
\r\nWhile the truly magnificent Hannibal were finishing their set, I felt my self waiting with great agony the appearance of Whitesnake on the stage of G.Karaiskakis. On the other hand I felt trapped for not being in the arena and very bad for drinking this awful beer. So I had no choice rather than get down there, in order to enjoy better Coverdale and his gang. After some really funny events I can find at last my self in the arena listening to the first notes of ‘’Best Years’’. Next song is the all time classic ‘’Fool for your lovin’ no more’’ which was in fact for most of the people in there the song that actually started the Whitesnake show. The band seems to be in a great shape, except Coverdale, who despite his good mood and a variety of his all time classic moves, he seems to have a problem with his voice, a fact that made him use many effects and delays during all the show. Next song was another one from the band’s last album ‘’Can you hear me blow’’ and then we listened to ‘’Love ain’t o stranger’’ and then to ‘’Lay down your love’’. \r\n

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\r\nPeople seem to have fun and enjoy Coverdale’s calls for dancing and shouting, and then the time comes for some more classic songs. ‘’Is this love’’ was the beginning -and all people in the stadium sang together- evoking more mellow feelings to some and as a result you could see people giving hugs all over the place. Then Whitesnake continued with ‘’A fool in love’’ another song from their last album. ‘’Aint gonna cry no more’’ followed, and then it was the time for ‘’Aint no love’’ the best moment in the concert with all people singing the chorus(again you could see people giving hugs everywhere!) We are reaching the end of the show Coverdale seems to have lost breath, but with three songs“Give Me All Your Lovin” – “Here I Go Again” and the ultimate sexual hymn“In The Still Of The Night” Whitesnake give us the final shot. Coverdale once more reminded us how great he feels under the greek sky, reminded us that Whitesnake are now 30 year old and then he greeted us. The only negative thing might have been the set list since many of us would love to listen to more songs from their first releases, but I guess if we weren’t happy with what we finally listened, we would be at least ungrateful. I hope they will return next year!
\r\nLambros Tennes
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\r\nThe Groupie’s look
\r\nAlthough we were watching the concert together since Hannibal came out, I would never let Marina write about Whitesnake. You see, Dr.of love and passion mr.Coverdale with his moves and his look, even with the way he breaths provokes every single feminism theory and I think this is the reason that she definitely wants to crack him on the head. With the song ‘’talking about my generation’’ as an accompaniment, Whitesnake stepped over the red carpet to fill the stage of Karaiskaki stadium .It was my first time seeing Whitesnake and I admit that I was very curious about what I was going to watch. However it was also the first time after 11 years that Whitesnake had a new album to show (an album that in my opinion is nothing special).With his white shirt unbuttoned, with hair that every person of the same age would be jealous of and with bottomless sexiness David Coverdale is here to confirm that ‘’these are the..Best Years’’ presenting us a first sample of Good to be bad album. However since no one went crazy with this one, David continues with ‘’Fool for your lovin’ tonight’’. The people’s response was not something unexpected and this fact motivated David to talk more about love . He returns to the new album emphasizing that they have a new song for us after many years, the song was ‘’Can you hear the wind blow’’. Back to the past with ‘’Love ain’t no stranger’’ and back to the new album with the ‘’Lay down Your Love’’ which was the song that the Greek audience probably liked most among the ones of the new album .Things calm down with ‘’Is this love?’’..we are still wondering David! Right after we listen to ‘’A Fool In Love’’ another new track and then we travel back in time with ‘’Ain’t Gonna Cry No More’’. Another ‘’ain’t’’ follows, the torturing ‘’Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’’ a song that we actually felt it under our skin, a song that made us surrender to it’s sweet melancholy. Keeping a balance between melancholy and groove they continue with ‘’Give Me All Your Love’’, ‘’Here I Go Again’’ and then the best part comes with our favourite ‘’Still Of The Night’’.
\r\nThe King Of The Les Paul:\r\n

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\r\nDuring all the set he is restless, going up and down, a truly incredible performer despite his age. He holds the microphone high and makes angry the feminist of our company-‘’look, look the symbol of phallus’’- and he is introducing his guitarists The crown Prince Of Porn from Pittsburg and the King of the Les Paul. I heard many things about this concert for both groups. And I heard that many people had complaints like ‘’the old guys came here just for the money, they played again the same songs, Coverdale did not sing at all leaving the other band members to do it etc etc. in my opinion anyone who has a bad mood could find many reasons that the concert was bad, on the other hand for us, that we love Whitesnake their performance was the best introduction for what would follow, the first concert in Greece of our beloved Def Leppard. Matina’s words follow..\r\n

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\r\nHelena Michailidou
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\r\nHe must have said it about 4 to 5 times…’’this is our first time in Greece, and I have no idea why we haven’t been here before in the past!’’ If there is anyone who can answer to this question please let him help us and we will offer him a sweet desert. We talk about Joe Elliot, front man of Def Leppard in the evening of July 1st at Karasikaki Stadium. The man was astonished to see a crowd (about 17000 people) thirsty containing people from all ages, shouting, applauding, singing for one hour and a half songs from yesterday and asking excited for more and more «White lights / strange city / mad music all around / midnight street / magic (ah) crazy people / crazy sound».\r\n

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\r\nIt was just before 23.00 when they launched their first rocket right after the old but always willing Coverdale passed the baton. Def Leppard in Athens on stage for the first time and.. really? How many years after the amazing Pyromania the glorious Hysteria and the extraordinary Adrenalize? Give me a break, I cannot even think about it!
\r\nThey started with ‘’Rocket’’ creating havoc and they were belauded right away by the crowd. Right after their opening Elliot realized-since he is so experienced and clever (what did you think? The man sings about 30 years!)- the audience’s mood. When the time came for the new singles (‘’C’mon C’mon’’, ‘’9 lives’’) from the new album’’Songs from the Sparkle Loung’’ he even tried to explain us in an apologizing manner that ’’we are on the road in order to promote this album but that’s ok, no big deal, let’s rooooock people’’
\r\nThen, the party begun. In ‘’Animal’’ people go crazy, in ‘’Love bites’’ just the same! In ‘’Hysteria’’ there is a prevalent hysteria among the crowd, in ‘’Pour some sugar on me’’ (in the name of love) it was like hell! The highlight of the evening was an acoustic set with ‘’2 Steps behind’’, ‘’Bringin’ on the heartbreak’’ followed by ‘’Switch 625’’, some moments that were truly written in my mind as a unique experience. The band from Sheffield played whatever contained the word rock in it, presenting a show with huge power, something even better that what we expected to see ‘’Rock on’’, ‘’Rock of ages’’ and for the end?’’Let’s get, let’s get, let’s get rocked…’’! \r\n

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\r\nThe show finished around 12.30 and they left just like they entered-belauded! I had a feeling that this was not enough, that I wanted more and more! Someone was shouting for «Too late for Love», others for «Foolin’» and “Don’t shoot shotgun” but what the hell, how many songs can a band with such a past play in a 2 hour show? -“You know, for the first time in Athens, Greece? that was pretty f*ckin’ good!”
\r\nThey promised to come back..in time.However in our hearts they are always present. And the most touching part was to see 16 and 18 year old boys and girls reminding this fact to you.
\r\n«You got the best of me /Oh can’t you see?
\r\nYou got the best of me/ Oh can’t you see?
\r\nYou’re bringin’ on the heartbreak
\r\nBringin’ on the heartache
\r\nYou’re bringin’ on the heartbreak
\r\nBringin’ on the heartache»….
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\r\nThe feeling between the band and the audience was so warm and the same feeling we carried all the way back to home. Until they have left the stage Joe and his band had thanked us many times. So had we.
\r\nMatina Kountourogianni\r\n

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\r\nEveryone has the right to say his opinion but mine is the right one.
\r\nWell, now we are talking! What’s better than being an Olympiakos’ fan going in a lovely evening at Karaiskaki stadium, drinking your coffee you beer or whatever you are in for and at the same time watching two unique hard rock groups Def Leppard and Whitesnake playing together-two legendary group in a legendary football ground-. What else could I ask for! I was quite sure even before the concert that I would have a great time, a thing that actually happened but not in the way I expected. Read below and you will understand.\r\n

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\r\nDon’t think of course that I had a great time with Hannibal that appeared first on stage. On the contrary they tried their best to break my nerves by playing a kind of music that they don’t even know where it comes from, trying in vain to ‘’touch’’ a 40 year old in its majority audience with very different music taste than..this. I would say that the choice of this group in order to open the concert of these two old groups was quite unfortunate. Anyway, at least they did not seem to be capable of spoiling the beauty of the party that would follow. Contrariwise WHITESNAKE were quite capable of this. Like true English men they were on stage at 21.00 making most of the fans go crazy, but not me. Instead of opening their concert with the extraordinary medley of Burn – Stormbringer like they used to do lately, they preferred to play ‘’best years’’ from their last album ‘’good to be bad’’. Unfortunately they continued in the same way and many new songs replaced some others that they must never miss from the set list of EVERY whitesnake concert like my favourite ‘’Ready an’ Willing’’ or ‘’Don’t Break My Heart Again’’. Ok, it’s totally reasonable for them to promote their last album but to be honest no matter how powerful \r\n

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\r\nGood to be bad might be, people will always want to hear their old songs and this is the part where Whitesnake did wrong. Fortunately in the end of their show they saved the day by playing ‘’Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’’, ‘’Give Me All Your Love’’, ‘’Here I Go Again’’ και ‘’Still Of The Night’’, making the fans at Karaiskaki go crazy, like when Piraeus’ team was humiliating with 4 goals the useless team of Panathinaikos some months ago!!!
\r\nIt was very bad that things occurred this way since their performance was very good, a thing quite expected if you are aware of the bands current line-up. Front man of course the great David Coverdale who seemed to be in an extraordinary shape, and seemed like he was living his youth again. Coverdale a great singer and front man can nail you down with every move he makes and with his amazing voice. You cannot say much about him rather than a great \r\n

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\r\nTHANK YOU and a bow before his vastness. However it was not only him. Next to him stood worthy the magnificent Doug Aldrich, who I do not know if he is King of Les Paul like David said, but what I surely know is that when he grabs his guitar he makes sweet love to her and she purrs from joy. The man is indescribable, unstoppable and simply amazing. A good surprise for me was also the other guitarist Rob Beach who seems to have fit with the band and now he has the essential air that someone needs to have in order to be able to appear on stage with Whitesnake. A great moment of the show was when the two guitarists had something like a’’ fight’’ when Aldrich started a solo then Beach stuck like a.. bur and in the end it was like bedlam at the stage! Timothy Drury was also very good and the new bassist Uriah Duffy was quite energetic. I want say anything about the new drummer Chris Frazier, causes it is very difficult to substitute a drummer like Tommy Aldridge. If I had to express my thoughts loudly, I would say that he was one of the evening’s disappointments.\r\n

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\r\nAfter the not very good taste that the Whitesnake show left my mouth I have to admit that I was thinking of leaving the concert since I went there to see Whitesnake and not Def Leppard. Fortunately I stayed there and I say fortunately cause their performance was something unique! With their obvious experience and their freshness DEF LEPPARD managed to make people have a great time during all the concert, doing what WHITESNAKE did not do.. Playing the songs that people wanted to listen. All time classic and favourite songs from albums like Pyromania, Hysteria and Adrenalized made people dancing and singing all the time and the group seemed to have a great time too. Phil Collen was amazing with a great performance just like Rick Savage with his blond hair and his ‘’made in England’’ way of bass playing. Joe Elliot might have been a little tired by the end but his experience and his good communication with the crowd helped him a lot. Concerning Rick Allen there is nothing that anyone can say rather than a great RESPECT for his passion and his love for real life. On the other hand I could say a lot about Vivian Campbell. It is a pity watching a guitarist who in the begging of his career was a wild river now seeming to be so bored and not able of creating something on stage even in a group like LEPPARD with not so high standards in the guitars or at least much lower standards like the guitarist once used to have. However even though he seems to have accepted the role of the token participant of the band he fits with them quite good on stage. Anyway all together offered us a great night out of nowhere and I would say a great well done to them for their very high level they have and the fact that the stadium was resounding with applause at the end of their show. I hope they can back on May to celebrate one more Olympiakos’ championship!
\r\nAntonis "The Nightrider" Alexandropoulos\r\n

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\r\nTranslation In English: Panagiotis Agalopoulos \r\n

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