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Safe setlist and deafening sound enraptures
Chicago: The boys were back in town Sunday night to play to a jammed packed House of Blues (unfortunately jammed because two nights were whittled to one).
Prior to main event, the crowd had to suffer through the strains of New Orleans based Supagroup. While Supagroup rocked competently, they added nothing that wasnât derivative of other âhard rockâ bands over the last 30 years. The clichĂ© riddled approach was embodied in their lead guitarist who was wearing a Van Halen T-shirt while attempting to channel AC/DCâs Angus Young.
The bar was not set very high for Purple, however rarely is there a bar set that Purple cannot hurdle, regardless of height.
Without rehashing the set list, Purple came out firing on all cylinders and put together a show as good as I remember seeing (my 14th show of the Steve Morse era).
Apparently the band was miffed at not holding the loudest band in the universe title anymore and tried to reclaim the honor with brain splitting volume. With Don Airy feverishly working the high notes, no one escaped the venue without an ear buzz lasting the remainder of the week.
The sound problems that have plagued the tour continued here with poor mixes and distortion dotting the soundscape.
Highlights of the evening included the spectacular âRapture of the Deepâ and the surprising performance of âThe Battle Rages Onâ.
In agreement with other reviewers, I was disappointed in the lack of representation from the Steve Morse era. DP played only one song from the great âRaptureâ album proper and one from âBananasâ. Oh, to hear the return of âTedâ, âSometimes I Feel Like Screamingâ, âSeventh Heavenâ or âMoney Talksâ!
Perhaps it is time for the band to come to terms with the fact that they are not reaching a new audience for the most part. The fans that are showing up these days are largely the hardcore Purple contingent, that would gladly swap âWoman from Tokyoâ for âRat Bat Blueâ or âStrange Kind of Womanâ for âThe Aviatorâ.
I continue (and will continue) to show up at Purple shows to hear the one or two songs that Iâve never heard them play live as well as to hear their differing instrumental treatments of old favorites, however it would be great for them to expand the scope of their set list.
Mark Bojanowski
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing