A press conference was held last week in Belgrade, Serbia to announce the participants of the 58th Guitar Festival in Zaječar, scheduled to take place from August 28 to 30 at Kraljevica. The conference featured guests Marco Mendoza, Dino Jelusić (a.k.a. Dino Jelusick) and Ivan Keller, who announced an exclusive performance by the band WHITESNAKE EXPERIENCE BY THE MEMBERS OF WHITESNAKE — a project specially created for the Zaječar Guitar Festival. This will be the only concert in the world featuring members of the legendary band WHITESNAKE: drummer Tommy Aldridge, guitarist Joel Hoekstra, bassist Marco Mendoza, keyboardist Michele Luppi and the increasingly popular Croatian vocalist Dino Jelusić.
Mendoza emphasized that they chose to hold this unique global concert in Serbia, specifically in Zaječar, because they have always been warmly welcomed in the country and have sold out shows in Belgrade.
"Tradition and quality are very important to us, and the Guitar Festival, with its 58-year history, is something you must respect and cherish. Your audience is one of the best in the world, and I believe they will enjoy this performance with us," he said.
Dino added: "We're preparing a special setlist of WHITESNAKE's greatest hits. Singing the songs of my childhood idol David Coverdale is a special honor and pleasure for me. Although I've performed with big names in the rock world in the meantime, WHITESNAKE's songs suit me best, and playing with such a fantastic group of musicians is pure hedonism for me."
Coverdale gave his approval for this project, adding a special exclusivity to the Guitar Festival. As a result, a large number of visitors from Serbia and the region are expected.
In a November 2023 interview with Chris Akin Presents, Jelusić, who was enlisted by WHITESNAKE for its last European tour, was asked if there was any truth to the rumor that he was brought in to assist David Coverdale with the lead vocals on the trek. He responded: "Well, since there's no official statement on what everybody was guessing… And I was actually hearing a lot of stories from behind that I'm actually brought in to replace [David]. He never really officially asked me, but I heard from a very close person that he kind of was thinking about that. So I don't wanna say that it is like that 'cause I heard it from a close person, so I don't wanna state that.
"But, to me, WHITESNAKEisDavid Coverdale, and I would never wanna take that spot, to be honest with you," Dino continued. "I don't wanna be a little, young guy that sounds great singing David Coverdale songs. I am myself and I wanna do stuff myself. I wanna do it with my own songs.
"David CoverdaleisWHITESNAKE, and if the band should end because he wants to retire, the band should end because he wants to retire," Jelusić explained. "'Cause this way you can find somebody to replace Steven Tyler, somebody to replace Robert Plant, and the bands can just go on and on and on. I don't think that's the point.
"I sang a lot, obviously, live. If you came to see WHITESNAKE, you noticed — you could notice that. I sang 'Slide It In' half-half with him, and I covered a lot of ground, along with Michele [Luppi], the keyboard player. So there was a lot of work; it was a lot of work. And I enjoyed the tour. We had a great time with [European tourmates] FOREIGNER and EUROPE, both bands that I love. And, yeah, it was really cool."
Jelusić was previously a member of the multi-platinum-selling band TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA and DIRTY SHIRLEY (with George Lynch),ANIMAL DRIVE and recorded with many others. Dino has been singing, touring and recording since the age of five. Other than being a frontman, his main instrument are keyboards but he also plays bass, guitar and drums. He finished music academy and did theater work.
When Jelusić's addition to WHITESNAKE was first announced in July 2021, David said in a statement: "I am absolutely delighted to welcome the extremely gifted Dino Jelusick to WHITESNAKE. We've had our eyes and ears on him since we played Zagreb together two years ago. You're going to love him!"
In October 2021, Coverdale spoke about Dino's addition to WHITESNAKE, telling Antihero Magazine: "He's going to be the way I have two guitar players.
"I've always seen WHITESNAKE as an orchestra," he explained. "I don't see it as a band-band. I don't want two guitarists playing exactly the same song, or just harmony guitars, I want two opposing… you've got the incendiary Joel Hoekstra, entirely different to the electrifying Reb Beach. And this is not to overwhelm Michele. Michele's totally secure. I adore him and what he brings to WHITESNAKE.
"In 2019, Dino's band opened for us in Zagreb, and this is very rare for me, and I went, 'Who the fuck is that?' And I was going, 'Wow, that kid's great.' And Joel said, 'Yeah, I worked with him in the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA. He's a great guy.' And I said, 'That guy's a 'Snake', dude.' And I said, 'Don't say anything yet. I'm going to keep my eyes and ears on him.'
"So, I think it's going to be fantastic," Coverdale added. "I'm going to have an orchestra of keyboards for a lot of songs on WHITESNAKE which are big epics, that make them even more musically orchestrated without having an orchestra on stage with us.
"I mean, the guy's great, I can't wait to sing with him. I already have [two] singers who are good enough to be frontman singers, with Michele Luppi and Reb Beach; they are really great singers. What's wrong with having another one? And I think he's a super guy… It's got to be exciting to me and adding another spice to an already good cocktail."
WHITESNAKE canceled several European shows in the summer of 2022 and pulled out of a North American tour with the SCORPIONS due to David's "continued treatment for a persistent upper respiratory infection."
In May 2023, Coverdale told Ultimate Classic Rock that the illness that forced him off the road in 2022 was "the worst sinus infection I've ever had in my life. And as a singer, I know them like fucking relatives of mine," Coverdale said. "This was one of the ugliest illnesses I think I've [ever] had. For seven months, I was taking ever-increasingly strong antibiotics and horrifying prednisone steroids."
WHITESNAKE launched its farewell tour on May 10, 2022 at Dublin, Ireland's 3Arena. The band's 14-song set, which was part of a European tour with special guests EUROPE and co-headliners FOREIGNER, marked WHITESNAKE's inaugural performance with the group's two latest two additions, Jelusić and bassist Tanya O'Callaghan.
Coverdale had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.
Prior to the pandemic, WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Devin explains why the heaviest music comes from the most sensitive people, not "sociopaths".
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Neeley and Chris dive into the bizarre legal fallout of a Tennessee school board member facing criminal assault charges after a context-dependent comment to a student. Was it a predatory move, or did an algorithmic outrage mob just destroy a 20-year career over a colloquial phrase? Immediately following that, the hosts react to the shocking viral footage of an elderly woman engaging in a physical brawl with a Tim Hortons shift leader. We break down the footage, look at who threw the first punch, and ask the uncomfortable question: Has public decorum officially collapsed?
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Nazareth founding member Pete Agnew doesn't pull punches when discussing the state of the music industry and the upcoming "Titans of Classic Rock" tour with Foghat. While the world remembers them for the legendary ballad "Love Hurts," Agnew reveals the raw, hard-rocking reality of a band that has survived five decades of industry shifts. From the "gift from the gods" in new vocalist Gianni Pontillo to the polarizing effect of the internet on global setlists, this is an uncensored look at rock royalty still claiming their throne. Discover why the "original rockers" are the only ones left who truly understand the spirit of the 70s.
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02:15 - The Titans...
Why is everyone still suing Michael Jackson's estate? Neeley and Chris are giving their honest take on the skepticism surrounding the latest legal battle and reviewing the trailer for the upcoming MICHAEL biopic. We're also talking about the tragedy of the woman who fell off the cruise ship and the infuriating new trend of "seat squatting" on planes. Finally, CMS Producer Weezie honors our lost friend, Bob Nalbandian. Share and follow for the metal-fueled truth! Get commercial-free episodes by joining Rumble Premium at https://rumble.com/premium. Hail and Kill! Join the rebellion!
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Seriously, how do you keep your music fresh when you're a band with a decades-long history? It's tough! Chris chats with Agnostic Front bassist Mike Gallo about their latest, ECHOES OF ETERNITY. They talk about the killer sound improvements, what it was like working with a legend like DMC for the first time, and the guts it takes to try new things as a legacy act. Don't just listen—hit that share button, follow us, and subscribe to Rumble Premium for more! Hail and Kill! Join the rebellion!
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What’s crazier: Lemmy destroying a multi-million dollar mixing board with a cheeseburger, or King Diamond getting $26,000 a year from his government just for being an artist? Neeley and Chris tackle these wild metal stories! We also review George Lynch's new single, which he released after admitting he totally lied about retiring. Hint: the guys are NOT impressed. Plus, check out the insane guitar talent from a young private school student. Like, follow, and share this video! Get commercial-free episodes and more by joining Rumble Premium at https://rumble.com/premium. Hail and Kill! Join the rebellion!
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@classicmetalshow Do we think this is down to poor ticket sales/high ticket prices, has Gene fell out of favour for unpopular opinions he has voiced, is he just old news and people are just not interested anymore, or is there some other reason? Interested to know what people say.
If you read Stevie Rachelle’s piece on Metal Sludge about the dodgy Australian promoter here’s a TV piece about it.
The school system went completely off the rails over a yearbook quote, and nobody can tell if it's a setup or sheer panic. Plus, the entertainment pipeline has officially shifted from high-end premium dramas to selling foot pics on reality TV. A lot of fans aren't sure what to make of how cheap things have gotten.
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BEAST IN BLACK has officially ended months of speculation by announcing Markus Venehsalo as its new guitarist, and whether fans like it or not, this move signals that the band's next era is already underway. After the departure of longtime guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen, the question wasn't whether the band would find a replacement—it was whether anyone could realistically step into that role without triggering comparisons and criticism from diehard fans.
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Here's the reality: replacing a guitarist who spent a decade helping define a band's live identity is never a simple personnel update. It's a statement. It's a risk. And it's a test of how confident a band is in its future.
BEAST IN BLACK announced in 2025 that Heikkinen was leaving the group after ten years, creating one of the most significant lineup changes in the band's history. At the time, the band continued touring while searching for the right long-term fit.
Now that search appears over.
According to the band's announcement, Markus Venehsalo has officially joined the lineup, giving fans their first real glimpse of what the next phase of BEAST IN BLACK will look like.
And the timing couldn't be more important.
The band is already preparing for one of the most critical periods of its career. Founder Anton Kabanen recently sat out touring activity to focus on completing BEAST IN BLACK's long-awaited fourth studio album, openly admitting that the project has faced years of obstacles, delays, and creative challenges.
That means Venehsalo isn't simply joining a successful touring band.
He's walking directly into the pressure cooker of a new album cycle.
That's where things get interesting.
Fans don't judge replacement members on announcement day. They judge them when the new songs arrive. They judge them when classic tracks hit the stage. They judge them when inevitable comparisons begin flooding social media.
And let's be honest—those comparisons are already starting.
BEAST IN BLACK has built one of the most recognizable sounds in modern power metal, blending traditional metal, massive hooks, and an unapologetically theatrical style that has helped turn them into one of Finland's biggest modern metal exports.
The challenge for Venehsalo won't be technical ability.
The challenge will be convincing fans that this isn't a downgrade, a placeholder, or simply "the guy replacing Kasperi."
He has to become part of the identity.
That's a much tougher assignment.
The next album may ultimately determine how this lineup change is remembered.
If the record lands with the impact fans expect, Venehsalo's arrival could quickly become a non-story—a seamless transition that strengthens the band heading into its next decade.
If it doesn't?
Every disappointed fan comment will circle back to this announcement.
That's how metal fans operate.
And that's why this move matters far more than a typical lineup update.
What do you think? Is BEAST IN BLACK making the right move, or does replacing a decade-long member create risks that can't be ignored?
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Will Markus Venehsalo strengthen BEAST IN BLACK or change the band's chemistry for the worse?
If you've wanted to see Glenn Danzig live, your next opportunity is officially on the calendar.
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Danzig has announced a short run of U.S. dates scheduled for September, bringing Twin Temple, Burning Witches, and ANA along for a series of performances that will culminate with a special hometown-area appearance at Anaheim's Honda Center.
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Tour dates:
Sep. 11 - San Antonio, TX - Boeing at Tech Port
Sep. 12 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center
Sep. 14 - New Orleans, LA - The Fillmore
Sep. 17 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life
Sep. 18 - Nashville, TN - Pinnacle
Sep. 20 - Grand Prairie, TX - Texas Trust Co Theatre
Sep. 26 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
The announcement continues a trend that's become increasingly common for Danzig over the last several years. Instead of massive coast-to-coast tours, the legendary frontman has favored shorter, carefully selected runs that allow fans a limited number of opportunities to catch him onstage.
That approach has only increased demand whenever new dates are announced.
This latest run includes stops in Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and California, while also featuring an appearance at the Louder Than Life festival. According to Danzig, fans attending the Anaheim show can also expect an additional announcement that has yet to be revealed.
For many metal fans, that's enough reason to pay attention.
Danzig remains one of heavy music's most unique figures. From the Misfits to Samhain to his solo career, he's built a catalog that few artists can match. Songs from albums like Danzig, Lucifuge, and How The Gods Kill continue to draw crowds decades after their release.
What's especially notable about these dates is the supporting lineup.
Burning Witches has steadily established itself as one of the strongest traditional metal bands to emerge in recent years, while Twin Temple continues to carve out a unique identity with its blend of vintage influences and dark theatrical presentation. Combined with Danzig's catalog, the package offers a little more variety than the typical legacy-metal tour.
And that's likely by design.
Rather than simply recreating the past, Danzig has generally preferred putting together bills that introduce audiences to artists operating outside the usual expectations.
The biggest question now is whether additional dates will follow.
Historically, Danzig has been selective about touring, which makes every announcement feel more significant than a standard road run.
For now, these September dates appear to be the only scheduled opportunities to see Danzig headline in the United States.
Given how infrequently those opportunities come around, that may be all the motivation many fans need.
What is the biggest reason you're interested in this tour?
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