Another Fine Evening with Deep Purple
Hanau, 26 September 98

What can I say but it's the best I've seen them in the last three years. We arrived in the rain around 1815, finished a few "cold ones" and headed in for the show. Cant say much for the opening band "The Boost". I wasn't very impressed. Deep Purple took the stage at 2100 with the favorite opener "Ted the Mechanic" and you could immediately tell by the Purps' attitude when they took the stage that we were in for a great show. The sound was rich due to a soft floor and a circular halle that let every note hit you in the chest. Some of the older Deep Purple song such as "Strange kind of Woman" and "Woman from Tokyo" were the HARDEST versions I've ever heard Live! (Ritchie who?)
Let me clear up the intro to "Smoke on The Water" for some of you. Think back to the first riff you ever played on a guitar or think back to the most recognizable riff you know. Steve little joke was just that. He starts out with this look like, "how does this song go?" Stairway?...nah!...Sunshine of Your Love?...nah!...and then he just rips out the riff...Smoke on the Water...the crowd went insane of course. What can I say about Steve Morse that nobody else has already said. He was in amazing form and a true pleasure to watch in action. The audience was at a standstill when he played his solo. Amazing to see. Jon Lord kept his rep as the "Godfather" of organ rock with a dazzling display of his broad base of piano. Ian, Ian, sounded superb. The frontman was really on it with a great harmonizing match-up with Steve that put a smile on everyone's face. Roger and Ian Paice didn't let up one bit. My friend Srdj thanks Roger for the pick and thanks even more the idiot the pick landed on but didn't even notice.

One more thing. To the person who threw the beer at Steve. If I would had been on that side of the crowd to see you do that I would have dragged outside and beat you senseless. Please try it again the next time DP is around so I can take pleasure in watching you bleed for such stupidity. Thank you to Steve and Ian for shrugging it off with a smile and a towel. Hope to see you guys again real soon.

Mike Fransted,
Mannheim, Germany

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