Whitesnake @ NIA

Aug 10 2006 By Graham Young, Birmingham Mail

THREE months after walking off stage ill, David Coverdale returned to the NIA to conclude his European tour.

"Thank you for being patient," Saltburn's finest told the enlarged throng. "Well, I was the patient!"

Now dressed in white instead of blending in again with the speakers, his every toss of the mic-stand was clearly visible during a sensational masterclass of rock-god showmanship.

In return, the fans threw him everything from a bra to a box of Yorkshire Tea!

Shame about the botched 70s-style solos - guitars meaningless, drums echoing terribly.

Yes, they gave the near 55-year-old Coverdale a breather, but musicians who haven't defined a band's sound shouldn't really be hogging the limelight.

Walking in the Shadow of the Blues was most notably missing from a set bookended with Deep Purple favourites Burn and Soldier of Fortune - typically sung solo.

But the remaining 13 songs from the 105-minute show earned their place, including Ain't No Love, Still of the Night and, of course, Slide It In.