Vandenberg at the Arcada Theatre (2/18/2024)

There are few shows these days that, upon being announced, truly blow my mind. I say this because I’ve seen nearly every band that’s interested me at least once. These post-COVID years especially have seen a plethora of “exclusive” bands hit the road, capitalizing on long absences and high demand. Mercyful Fate, W.A.S.P., Vio-Lence: The list goes on and on. Another band to add to this list is Vandenberg. Up until this past weekend, it had been 40 long years since the cult euro metal act had toured the States, and 35 years since the man himself, Mr. Adrian Vandenberg, toured the States as part of David Coverdale’s blockbuster Whitesnake ’87 lineup. So when Vandenberg got announced to play the temple of classic hard and heavy music that is the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois, my jaw just about hit the floor.

Hot off the heels of a killer new album in 2023’s Sin, the newly improved and reenergized Vandenberg took to the stage at roughly 9:30 PM this past Saturday, proceeding to treat the frenzied audience of old school headbangers to a glorified greatest hits extravaganza. This meant LOTS of Whitesnake. While Vandenberg’s self titled debut is regarded as a classic among euro metal circles, here in the States, the iconic guitarist is best known for his stint with Whitesnake during their commercially successful era, in which the band sold tens of millions of albums and sold out virtually every arena in the country. Yes, from ’87 to ’90, Whitesnake mania was unavoidable and inescapable. If anything, this past weekend’s set was a homage to those simpler times.

As the lights went down and “Für Elise” played over the PA, the band came running out and began the festivities with an explosive rendition of “Bad Boys”. Although I wasn’t alive in that late ’80s heyday, I got goosebumps, imagining myself in a packed arena with 20,000 screaming fans, losing my mind and letting my worries of the week fade into oblivion. I know I wasn’t alone in this feeling. Knowing fully well what the crowd wanted, Vandenberg played nearly every song off Whitesnake. Fans sang along, air guitared, and shouted with joy as the band tore through “Give Me All Your Love”, “Still of the Night”, and “Here I Go Again”. These are more than just classics; these are anthems.

The ’87 self titled wasn’t the only Whitesnake album represented in the set. So was the platinum selling Slip of the Tongue (1989), which was written entirely by Vandenberg and Whitesnake vocalist, David Coverdale. From this album, we were treated to “Fool for Your Loving”, “Judgement Day”, and “Sailing Ships”, the effort’s acoustic closer which, admittedly, was a bit of a curveball in the setlist. That said, it served as a welcomed palette cleanse for what was otherwise a high octane, heavy rockin’ evening. New Vandenberg cuts like “Shadows”, “Freight Train”, and “Hit the Ground Running” fit right in alongside the old material we all know and love with its traditional metal fire, while “Your Love Is in Vain” and “Burning Heart” represented the band’s initial ’80s run.

A few observations that popped into my head upon the closing bars of “Love Ain’t No Stranger”, which so appropriately ended the show: 1. From a musical and songwriting perspective, Adrian Vandenberg was the only guy to fill John Sykes’ shoes in Whitesnake. 2. Singer Mats Levén effortlessly channels the soul and swagger of Coverdale when singing these songs, without blatantly TRYING to sound like him., and 3. Considering the future of Whitesnake is up in the air at best, this is the closest you will get to the arena metal wanderlust of yesteryear. If you are a fan of ’80s hard rock and heavy metal, Vandenberg is the show to catch in 2024. Don’t be left out “Crying in the Rain”! Do yourself a favor and get a ticket in advance, because this band is “Ready for You”!

Setlist