Concert Review
Adrian Vandenberg
Wednesday March 5, 2025
Center For The Arts Of Homer
Homer, NY
Review: Joseph Suto
Photos: Joseph Suto
A rare treat for U.S. fans was the return of guitarist Adrian Vandenberg to American soil. This run of dates features his current band playing the Whitesnake hits as well as sprinkling in a few of his own songs. Since David Coverdale has been unable to tour this leaves Vandenberg as the last link out there playing these songs currently.
The show began with the familiar keyboard intro to “Slip of the Tongue”which then led into “Hit The Ground Running”, a song culled from Vandenberg’s 2023 album Sin. If you remember Vandenberg co-wrote the Slip of the Tongue album entirely with Coverdale but due to an injury did not play on the album. The set featured many of the Snake classics such as “Slide It In”, “Bad Boys” and of course “Here I Go Again”. The latter had the crowd singing along.
Joining Vandenberg were vocalist Mats Leven, bassist Sem Christoffel, Len van de Laak on keyboards, and drummer Joey Marin de Boer. These guys were solid. During “Bad Boys” they mixed in a snippet of “Children of the Night” just like Whitesnake used to. The highlights of the show for me were “Love Ain’t No Stranger” and the encore songs “Sailing Ships” and “Burning Heart”.
Leven was struggling to get through the show as he was coming down with a cold. Being the trooper that he was he did finish the show without dropping any songs from the set. Glad to see Vandenberg performing at a high level and he was simply enjoying himself as he should. Still one of the best guitarists I was able to see perform live. To see him and his band in the intimate Center for the Arts was a treat.
Opening the show with a torrid 35-minute set was Bad Marriage. The band were on fire and sounded the best I’ve heard them having seen them on two other occasions. Fronted by singer Johnny P who was joined by drummer Mike Delaney, bassist Todd Boisvert and the triple guitar attack of Mike Fitz, Ian Haggerty and Tommy Skeoch. Yes that same Tommy Skeoch who was in Tesla during their heyday. An arousing version of “Little Suzi” brought their all-too brief set to a close. With a new album due soon, expect to hear much more from these guys in the future.
Vandenberg Gallery
Bad Marriage Gallery
Vandenberg Set List
Hit the Ground Running
Slide It In
Fool for Your Loving
Your Love Is in Vain
Bad Boys
Love Ain’t No Stranger
Is This Love
Give Me All Your Love
Drum Solo
Judgement Day
Adagio for Strato
Crying in the Rain
Here I Go Again
Encore
Sailing Ships
Burning Heart
Still of the Night
Bad Marriage Set List
Gateway Drug
Bad Blood
Who’s Ready to Rock?
Second Hand Smoke
Rockin’ Rollin’ Mofo
Head Trip
Denim and Leather (Saxon Cover)
Match Made in Hell
Old School Stereo
Little Suzi
