"Haunted was a track from the new album: a quiet (typically Steve Morse) guitar intro scarcely accompanied by drums led us into a slow song, which sounded alright at first hearing. I guess it still needs some work.!"   full review + photos, by Marc Brans

Ian Gillan Interview with Marc, Roeselare, May 29th
including the title of the new album and its background

A set of photos by Daniele Purrone housed at www.stargazer.it.

Click the pic to see the rest!

"A fantastic set which included two new songs from the upcoming album. The songs were Haunted a slow ballad and I Got Your Number, which was more uptempo and had the band in fits of laughter all round. The set was an hour and a half long, including encores of Hush and Black Night. The main set also featured Highway Star, Mary Long, Pictures of Home, Lazy, Speed King, Space Trucking, Perfect Strangers, Smoke on the Water, and I'm Alone, which Ian referred to as "something really obscure".

Don Airey and Steve Morse are really starting to stretch out in their "solo" intros, Don did a great full-on "Star Wars". No congas this time, Ian dissapeared regularly only to return with tambourines!!

I'm looking forward to the UK shows!     review: David Furniss

"Haunted and I Got Your Number are an acquired taste - you'll need to get used to them. Still, it was good to hear some new material being played. Ian Gillan was in good voice, and sweated buckets (he changed his kit three times during the show!) Roger Glover, wearing sunglasses, seemed a bit absent. Steve Morse worked very hard. Don Airey's seems to have been influenced by Russian composers, sometimes giving a melodramatic feel to his playing."

full reviews in both English & German, by Gerhard Jahnel

"Lynyrd Skynyrd were just as I expected: they played their typical brand of Southern Boogie without mistakes and without surprises. When Deep Purple started with Highway Star the sound wasn't up to standard at all. I could tell by the lack of banter between songs and some looks on their faces that the band weren't too happy with how the show was going. Even the spotlight wandered around the stage looking for whoever should've be standing in it and the strobe-lights were offbeat several times. I Got Your Number is a reworked Up The Wall. What used to be the chorus is now used as a bridge, 'I Got Your Number' is the new chorus. I liked the 2002 version much better. Soundwise this was the worst Purple-show I have seen since 1991." review: Thomas Max

'Rhein-Main.net'. German language press review + photo.. , NY

"This was my second gig on this tour after the opening at Schwung Festival, Roeselare, which I must say I was slightly dissappointed by as they gave a very basic performance there (though still highly enjoyable!). But here in Bonn, Deep Purple were just as smashing as ever! No mistakes, no moderate try-out versions and a longer set!    full review by Ludo Verhaege

"I missed the looseness, the "we'll see what happens next" attitude that made me a fan all those years ago. And why no drum solo? Is nothing sacred? But did I have a good time? You bet.."
full review by Hein Bierman

'General Anzeiger'. German language press review + photo.. , NY

"Lynyrd Skynyrd built up such a head of steam that it looked as if Purple were going to have to pull out all the stops to top them. As it happened they did surpass Skynyrd, with a very loud power blast through a set largely consisting of mk2 classics. If the drunks were the same ones who tried to wreck the Albert Hall Concerto in 99, they certainly got what they wanted on this occasion."   DB 

"Wembley is an appalling old barn fit only for exhibiting animals. The sound is atrocious and, if you are not going to go in for any 'theatrics', you are five (very tiny) blokes in the far distance. You were wonderful at the Hammy Odeon back in September - why not play there?"
Mark Bulldeath

"WOT..No drum solo?!! Good, tight, loud gig. Pleased Highway Star kicked of proceedings in suitable fashion. The 3 'new' numbers went down well, especially Haunted. Steve did his usual riffs leading into Smoke... Pity no Woman from Tokyo or Strange Kind of Woman, but for me where was Paicey's solo?! During Lazy and Space Truckin' I kept thinking he was about to start! Black Night crowned a very enjoyable evening." Paul Jones - Worthing

even more reviews, scans & photos

"The set list for Purple did not change from previous night's: Mostly MKII stuff with the new oldie being I'm Alone introduced as 'the Chicken Song', which is what I always thought it sounded like."
Matthew Burbridge

"Ha! All those doubters who said Deep Purple wouldn't change things on this tour - they've gone and got a new backdrop! Out has gone the tatty Abandon tour one - which is probably appropriate as they clearly don't feel the album - or indeed the last twenty years - is worth promoting much. A combination of the heat in the venue, a retred of largely the same thirty year old set (moving Highway Star from the back-end of the set to the front end is hardly ground-breaking), and the general feeling that these were stop-gap shows before the album tour proper, left me down in the dumps. They worked hard, Don is fitting in well, and the last quarter of the set would have been rated VG+ at any other venue, but the next album and tour really better had address the worsening situation big-time or I shall be buying a cat to take to the vets instead." SR

"Sorry Guys, I could see you were committed to this gig, and I liked 'Haunted' but the sound for all the bands was sh12, the guy mixing it should have been shot! I know the NEC is an acoustic dust bin but in this age surely live sound should be better." Mark   

"WOW!!!! What a fantastic gig! The night (unfortunately) just flew by, the band were on top form, and the new tracks in my humble opinion were truly magnificent. Thanks guys!!!!! Regards, Jeff Manley."

Click on the photo to the left to visit the Birmingham NEC photo page in the DPAS Photo Gallery. (photos: © Michael Richards)

+ even more reviews, scans & photos

"Just returned home and thought I'd e-mail the review straight away. What a gig!!! This has to be the best gig I have been too in 21 years. LS were as tight as a drum and the reception they got was incredible. The Point was bouncing from the start with the biggest crowd I've ever seen at a gig in it, it was packed to the rafters and then some. Those "good ole boys" certainly know how to rock, amazing.

Deep Purple had a lot to live up to, and of course they did. I would, however, be careful who I choose as a 'warm-up' the next time. If they had not have been on form they would have been blown away. They started with Highway Star, then Knocking At Your Back Door (a surprise) Haunted - not bad, Well Dressed Guitar, as well as Lazy, Speed King, Pictures Of Home and I Got Your Number - an excellent track. (Gillan stated that the new album would be released "when it's ripe"). Space Truckin', Perfect St. Rangers and the obligatory encore of Hush and Black Night finished of an excellent setlist. Just a word of praise for the Lighting and Sound boys, the Light show was brilliant and the sound the best I've ever heard in an indoor gig. All in all - superb!!!."   Review: Keith Livingstone.

review by Mike McBain....

"The last two times Deep Purple played Glasgow was at a nice concert hall with big comfy seats. This time it was in one of the main halls of the SECC which was packed full of people, no seats and boiling hot_ in other words, perfect. Lynyrd Skynyrd got a great reception but just don't do anything for me (sorry). As for Deep Purple, every time I see them I think they can't get any better, but every time they do . I Got Your Number was very catchy, roll on the new album! The whole band played out of their skins. Don Airey has really settled in, the only thing missing was the drum solo. Maybe next time. I'm off to get rehydrated and give my poor ears a much deserved rest."   Review: Charlie King

"I asked Steve if he thought he might jam with Skynyrd during the tour, he said not, as their set is limited in time and also heavily rehearsed to be the same each night!" Keith McMillan

"This was my first Deep Purple gig, although I have followed and introduced many people to them. It was FANTASTIC, I was in tears, I was overcome. I saw Gillan with his own band when he played Strathclyde Uni many years ago and he still carries a good tune_ the old vocal chords have lasted well. I was so sorry that I did not take my daughter with me to see them, there was an 8yr old girl on her dad's shoulders the whole night and to my embarrassment she knew more words than I did! There was not one swear word from any of the band the whole night. BEAT THAT for entertainment."
Review: Tom McGroggan, photo: Michael Richards

more reviews & scans...  

"The setting: out in the fields in the east of The Netherlands...... Crowd: almost packed (around 30,000).... ...Top of the bill: Deep Purple..... Duration of Purple's set: (only) 90 minutes, but a wonderful performance; supported by bands from the 60's & 70's Deep Purple proved why the were top of the bill. Personally I don't (yet) like Haunted but maybe it'll grow on me when the band returns later this year ???" Gerard Stam

"Some bluesy Hammond playing from Don acted as an intro for LAZY. It was a relaxed version, much like the original. I've never liked the fast tempo Lazy (such as that on Total Abandon) but this new tempo was just right, and with great solos.."  
 full review by Reinier Scheffer..  

There's two pages of really nice photos from the show at www.gelderlander.com. Click the photo to see them for yourself! Mike McBain, photo by T. Kock

"They kicked off the concert with "Highway Star" ... surprise, surprise. And this is what bothered me most about the concert. The band was very tight, and technically stronger than ever – but ran through the same old repertoire. This was my third Deep Purple gig, and every time I get to hear the same songs!!"  full review by Marcus Meyer

"Don Airey did a wonderful job, he's in the right place here. In his solo before Perfect Strangers we had some Mozart (La Marche Turque), Star Wars, and "La Marseillaise". The audience loved him. Perfect Strangers was really… well, perfect !! On Space Truckin', we had an all too short solo from Ian Paice, he was terrific all the evening, super-human !!"    full review by Cédric 

"For the record, Deep Purple played for 94 minutes in Paris - not 80 as the reviewer says. Maybe the heat got to his watch - it was certainly the hottest gig I've ever been to..." Rudi O'Keefe  updated, july 2nd