Whitesnake Newcastle City Hall 18th October 1979
Support from Marseille
Former Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice joined Whitesnake in 1979. The band now included three former Purple members in Coverdale, Lord and Paice, and the new line-up recorded “Love Hunter”. This was the album that defined the early band, consolidated their position as heavy rock champions and started a journey to stardom which would continue on an upward trajectory for the next decade. The album features the excellent blues-rock anthem “Walking in the Shadow of the Blues” and the title track is a fine slab of rock which showcases Moody’s slide guitar. The unforgettable and controversial cover art, which was also on the tour programme, features a naked woman riding a great big snake. The woman is clearly mesmerised by the evil looking snake (which surprisingly isn’t all white).
Whitesnake toured in October 1979 to promote “Love Hunter”, still on a high from the success of closing the Reading festival. Support for the tour came from Liverpool rockers Marseille, who had been the first band to win “UK Battle of the Bands” in 1977. I saw Whitesnake when they returned to Newcastle City Hall on 18th October for a triumphant performance.
In 1979 Whitesnake had everything going for them; a rock god vocalist with the most powerful and soulful voice you could find on any stage, a pair of excellent blues guitarists, the best Hammond organ player in rock, and now a legendary rock drummer.
Add to that a growing collection of blues rock classics and you had the recipe for a great rock performance. And that is exactly what Whitesnake delivered. But there was much more to Whitesnake than heavy rock; this band had a soul, a passion and a feel for the blues unlike any other band.
When Coverdale sang “I love the blues, They tell my story, If you don’t feel it you can never understand” in “Walking in the Shadow of the Blues” you felt that he meant it.
Setlist: Come On; You ‘n’ Me; Walking in the Shadow of the Blues; Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City; Steal Away; Mistreated; Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick; Lovehunter; Lie Down (A Modern Love Song); Take Me with You
Encores: Breakdown; Statesboro Blues/Rock Me Baby.
Thanks to Mitch for his photo, taken at this gig.
9 Feb
Whitesnake Newcastle City Hall 18th October 1979
Posted February 9, 2015 by vintagerock in Marseille, Whitesnake. Tagged: blues, classic rock, concert, concerts, gig, gigs, heavy metal, heavy rock, music, rock, rock n roll. 12 Comments
Vintagerock's Weblog. 
Posted by jeffollerton on February 9, 2015 at 8:45 am
They don’t make album covers like that any more – thankfully! 🙂
Interesting misspelling on the ticket – “White Snake”.
Looking forward to your slightly later accounts; I think I first saw the ‘snake at Newcastle City Hall about 1981.
Posted by vintagerock on February 9, 2015 at 9:12 am
Thanks Jeff I was at the 81 gig and will get to that in a day or so Cheers Peter
Posted by Peter Margaret McCluskey on February 9, 2015 at 10:51 am
i was at that one is it legal to change the price of ticket with a pen??
Posted by vintagerock on February 9, 2015 at 10:56 am
Hi Good point! They clearly changed the price between printing the tickets and them going on sale! Still a bargain 🙂 Cheers Peter
Posted by jeffollerton on February 9, 2015 at 11:04 am
£3.25 was a lot of money in 1979 🙂
Posted by vintagerock on February 9, 2015 at 11:17 am
Fair point Jeff Cheers Peter 🙂
Posted by Peter Margaret McCluskey on February 11, 2015 at 9:58 am
according to a website based on average incomes and inflation 3.25 is woth today about £25 which at todays gig prices is cheap
Posted by vintagerock on February 11, 2015 at 10:03 am
Thanks Peter I thought it was a bargain 🙂 Peter
Posted by Mitch on February 9, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Hi Peter.
You missed off the encores from the setlist.
The two encores were Breakdown and Statesboro Blues/Rock Me Baby.
Posted by vintagerock on February 9, 2015 at 1:50 pm
Aha! Many thanks Mitch Will add them Best wishes Peter
Posted by juliet on March 8, 2015 at 11:16 pm
I was there , It was my 16th birthday ! David Coverdale spent time in the foyer chatting and signing my birthday card, posing afterwards for photos-what a night I’ll never forget
Posted by vintagerock on March 8, 2015 at 11:19 pm
Great memories Thanks Peter