Def Leppard, Whitesnake and Thunder, CIA

10:50am Wednesday 16th July 2008

David Coverdale rocked and rolled back the years as the 2008 incarnation of his 1978 band Whitesnake blew away an adoring capacity audience at Cardiff's CIA after the night had been opened by an impressive Thunder.

Prowling the stage like a caged tiger on heat, ex Deep Purple Coverdale and his stupendous five -piece band powered through number after majestic number.

This was no concert for the uninitiated. It was for the hard core fans, many of whom had been following the Snake for 30 years, and boy did they just love it.

In a set which included some 14 songs plus towering guitar solos, Whitesnake served up what the customer ordered, rising to a crescendo with Is This Love and the anthem Here I Go Again until climaxing with In The Still Of The Night. Awesome.

Headlining, Def Leppard took up the gauntlet and produced a performance of epic proportions which saw energetic frontman, Joe Elliott, don a Wales rugby shirt for the encore before plunging into the seminal Let's Get Rocked.

Leppard, on full power throughout, had the entire arena vibrating to its very foundations as they delivered a 15 number set which included Two Steps Behind, Hysteria, Photograph, Pour Some Sugar On Me and the stunning Rock Of Ages.

"Don't forget us and we won't forget you" yelled Elliott at the end of almost five hours of music.

Metal fatigue? No chance on this showing.

This was metal at its very best - untarnished after over thirty years. Brilliant.