WHITESNAKE / HEART OF MANCHESTER MANCHESTER 1984 (2CDR)

WHITESNAKE / HEART OF MANCHESTER
(2CDR) SD0054
Live at the Manchester Apollo, Manchester, England – April 5, 1984

Disc 1
01. Gambler
02. Guilty Of Love
03. Ready An’ Willing
04. Love Ain’t No Stranger
05. Here I Go Again
06. Slow An’ Easy
07. Crying In The Rain (cut out)

Disc 2
01. Jon Lord solo
02. Cozy Powell solo
03. Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City
04. Fool For Your Loving
-encore-
05. Thank You Audience
06. Slide It In
07. Don’t Break My Heart Again

David Coverdale – Vocals
John Sykes – Guitar
Mel Galley – Guitar
Jon Lord – Keyboards
Neil Murray – Bass
Cozy Powell – Drums

A stunning, high-quality, previously unreleased recording that will amaze fans!
This release captures the final show of the 1984 "Slide It In" UK tour—held on April 5 at the Manchester Apollo—in a near-complete recording using a top-tier audience source.
The sound quality rivals that of a soundboard recording; standing alongside classics like *Right To The Top* and *Gamblers In Liverpool*, this can arguably be considered the best audience recording from the John Sykes era!
As Mel Galley would break his arm just two days later, this marks his final stage appearance.

[Review from a prominent specialist music magazine]
A CD-R capturing the performance from April 5, 1984—the final date of the UK tour in Manchester—in a near-complete recording, save for a few minor cuts.
It is an audience recording; while there are occasional balance issues and some noise, the overall quality is excellent.
The show kicks off with Track 1 on Disc 1, beginning as David’s signature roar—an essential start to any performance—intertwines with the opening music. The contrast between John Sykes’s heavy metal-style guitar work and Mel Galley’s solid, craftsman-like playing is exquisite. Track 4 follows Track 3 in a relentless surge—this is quintessential Whitesnake. Yet, the earlier material (represented by Track 3) hasn't lost any of its luster. On Track 5, the audience keeps clapping along unexpectedly—contrary to the song's tempo—which must have made it quite difficult for David to sing. Track 7 is cut off midway through its fiery guitar solo.

The second disc opens with a keyboard solo from the legendary Jon Lord, followed by a drum solo from Cozy Powell. Track 3 is a well-known anthem; the audience’s singing during the middle section—encouraged by David—is powerful. The massive roar of the crowd after the song demonstrates just how much they cherish this track.
The set concludes with Track 4, a masterpiece that dominated the UK charts upon its release. It surely evokes a deeply moving sense of nostalgia for fans who lived through the era when such songs were so widely acclaimed.
For the encore, David pours his soul into a song expressing gratitude to the audience, backed only by Jon’s keyboards.
The mood shifts abruptly as the hard-driving Track 6 begins. As the title track of the album released at the time, its heavy metal guitar riff offers a glimpse into the band's musical evolution.
Finally, the show closes with Track 7, a classic from the "Original Whitesnake" era; the fact that so many fans still love this period is a testament to the enduring appeal of that musical style.
Following this period and subsequent lineup changes, Whitesnake would lean further into a heavy metal sound. This release captures the band in its final form during that transitional phase.