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DPAS
LIVE REVIEWS Deep
Purple A word on last night's show... Bristol is not my idea of a good time but last night Deep Purple took it by the scruff of the neck and gave one of the best performances I've ever seen them do. You know the set, the jokes and the banter, but tonight the band were in supreme form, gliding effortlessly through a mountain of rock nostalgia. It was joyous, and when Jon Lord finally appeared from the darkness the hall erupted. Just as things couldn't get better Gillan introduced Bernie Marsden who proceeded to delight and inspire with his duel with Steve Morse before leading into a raging(ly) good Smoke On The Water. Steve deferred to Bernie for the solo and the audience lapped up every minute! Come the end I was tired and exhausted ( a good sign) and I will forever carry the memory of Jon Lord, last to leave the stage, waving at an audience anxious to show their appreciation for one of rock's truly great players. A fine evening by any standard. review: Captain Kapow For my third Purple night I travelled the relatively short distance to Bristol, arriving very early~ to ensure a place at the front standing area in the stalls. I was rewarded with a brief meeting with Mr. Bernie Marsden on the stairs - a "hello" & a handshake as he passed. On to Deep Purple. The same set list as previous nights (still no Aviator), but an absolutely stunning performance from the first chord to the last. As reported everywhere, the whole band was having a party on stage & the fans were more than welcome to join in. In Bristol, that is exactly what they did. The girl next to me even threw her knickers on stage (a pair brought along for the occasion, I hasten to add). She even asked security for permission to throw them! Each song was flawless & it's hard to pick out highlights, but Space Trucking seemed even better than usual. Both Ian Gillan & Roger Glover had to remind Steve that he should face the audience during his solos!! - so busy having a party with friends eh? The reception for Jon Lord was magnificent, we will miss the great man, but on the evidence of the introduction to Lazy, Don will prove a more than capable substitute. We also had the bonus of the aforementioned Bernie Marsden join the band on stage for Smoke On The Water. Watching Bernie & Steve exchange riffs before the opening bars was a treat. To give an idea of the strength of emotions flowing in the crowd & the band, at the end of the set Ian Gillan climbed down off stage & personally thanked & shook hands with everyone in the front row. It may not seem much, but it was most appreciated by all of us. The encores followed, Hush was electrifying, Black Night (with Ian conducting the crowd) was superb & Highway Star rounded he evening off with a flourish. Gillan ended the song sat down, obviously knackered - they had all put heart & soul into a great night & been repaid by the audience giving them, as Ian always puts it, "superb vibes". A truly great night to round off my visits to old friends - that's what it feels like now. The guys are enjoying themselves so much, it communicates to all around them! Thanks guys, for past, present & future. Get that album finished, released & them come back & tell us all about it..soon!! review: Tom Dixon Casual Observer Hey, I don't just listen to Deep Purple and related you know !! (I never said you did, honest..). In fact, this was the first time I have seen the band even though the first Deep Purple album I ever bought was Made In Japan in the mid 70s. So, from the position of a more casual observer rather than the normal hardcore fanatic, I can confirm that this was a great show featuring inspired playing to an adoring audience. What I enjoyed most was watching Ian Paice. What a fantastic player. How does he do it ? Gillan was in fine form, joking with the audience and Glover bounded around the stage like a man half his age. I could have done without Morse & guest Bernie Marsden's guitar duelling towards the end, but all in all, Morse nailed down the job in hand pretty well.
review: Glen The Gas, ticket scan: Nigel Young (click to enlarge) BLOODY HELL! We were there with a dedicated Who fan and his wife who hadn't seen Purple before but felt it was right to add the guys to their list of bands see. Our lads did a fantastic job of convincing them that they were the best live band on earth. Paice's bass drum shook us each time his foot hit the pedal. The sound was amazing from the speakers positioned 4 feet from my right ear! Roger's bass line was crisp and kept every song motoring along at great speed. Once again though it was Steve and Big Ian who stole the show and entertained us all with their constant "in-jokes" and improvisation throughout the night. Don looked more comfortable than London. Perhaps he wasn't as nervous about "The Lord" claiming the Hammond mid-way through the show. Huge cheers for Jon as he appeared once more. Same songs but the order was varied and I think Steve had more solo time in this show, but the details are a blur as I enjoyed the gig more than any other in my 24 years of concert going. Nice surprise to see Mr. Marsden joining Steve for a guitar rendition before Bernie struck up the classic Smoke On The Water riff and the Bristol crowd raised the roof. Great of Big Ian to climb down from the stage and shake hands with all of us in the front row. I don't know how my daughter will ever get to see a better concert than last night...only maybe if we can see the guys next year after the release of the new album. review: Steve Evans ps. BLOODY FANTASTIC! |
