If you want it come and get it
M3 is made up of ex Whitesnake members Micky Moody, Bernie Marsden and Neil Murray joined by current vocalist Stefan and as you might expect they draw almost exclusively on their back catalogue.
The years haven't been so kind to some of M3 so it's a good job they have the youthful Stefan out in front but he not only looks the part he can certainly deliver the goods too. There's no getting away from the fact that Stefan's voice sounds almost identical to David Coverdale's, it's so uncanny that if you don't look at the stage it might as well be him. This small but highly significant fact makes all the difference and stops them from sounding like a tribute band, the front man is always the focus and without him all too often it just doesn't work (the recent incarnation of Thin Lizzy being a prime example).
This is classic Whitesnake material before they went all big hair and well, let's face it, a bit shit. This is far more blues orientated than the late 80s material and they kick off with a trio of 'Walking in the Shadow of the Blues', 'Don't Break My Heart Again' and 'Hit and Run' and get a solid reaction from a fairly big crowd. Micky Moody then takes it upon himself to give us a slide guitar solo and despite Marsden proclaiming him the best slide guitar player in the world (he's not by the way) it's rather boring and really not even that good. I've never understood why bands put in pointless solo spots into festival sets when time is limited, just shut up and play another song instead!
Solo spots aside they pull out a good performance and get the crowd going with 'Aint Gonna Cry No More Today' and a great version of 'Ready and Willing'. Midway through the set it does become a bit one paced and would have benefited from some quicker numbers but it's all forgotten as they finish with 'Here I Go Again', which of course sees the whole crowd in full voice. There could only be one song for the encore and M3 duly oblige with 'Fool For Your Loving', which sees them leave to great applause. They really do recapture the spirit of early Whitesnake and if you're a fan of that era you really should check them out.