From: Anders_Korling_at_Euro_KK@europolitan.se Date: Thu, 4 Jul 1996 12:06:00 GMT Subject: Borgholm 3/7
After seeing Purple in Karlshamn with all the drunken people in the crowd throwing beer cans and stuff on-stage I was a bit ambiguous about going to see Purple again. Would they face the same kind of crowd this time?
I drove from my house at 6.15 just to arrive to Borgholm at 7.50, the gig was scheduled to start at 8.00. Probably with a support act I thought so there was plenty of time. I walked in to the castle where they should play, only to find that Purples gear was all set, no support act!
The place for the gig "Slottsruinen" is a ruin of an old castle. Every summer there are some concerts there and the atmosphere is always warm and the crowd is very well behaved. So when I walked into the castle I found a crowd that was totally different to what I have seen at any other Purple/Rainbow/Whitesnake gig I been at. There were very few long-haired drunken kids. People were sitting on the grass waiting for the show and everything was so relaxed. So I walked right up to the crash barrier in front of the stage and stood there. To my surprise there was no movement at all in the crowd. So I could stand only 10 feet from Steve and enjoy his wonderful playing. During the whole gig I wasn't pushed once! To me this felt more like going to some jazz club than a Purple gig, where there usually is a lot of headbangers raving. I doubt that I will ever get the chance to see them like this again.
Now to the set. They played a shorter set again just as in Karlshamn, with some minor changes. The set list (if I remember it right):
Ian missed one of the first lines in Fireball and for a short moment they just stopped, then they all laughed and played on. They seemed to enjoy themselves from start and they all played very well. Steve was totally amazing from the first note to the last. All his solo spots were truly great. Highlights for me were Steve's solo in Cascades, No One Came & When a blind man cries.
Steve has definitely brought new dynamics to the band. Many of the old numbers that were boring with Blackers, as he didn't bother to play much in the solo spots, have now become very exciting. The solos and duelling in Black Night & Speed King have gained new life and feels very fresh and inspired. The fact that they now have started to include old gems from the Deep Purple gold mine makes it even more exciting to see them live.
After seeing them on every tour since the reunion, I rate this line-up & tour as high as the 1993 tour with Blackers.
Now, lets just hope that they decide to release a live CD from this tour!!!!!!
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