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Didn’t let the energy flag
A quick roundup of the local press coverage of Deep Purple’s appearance at the Bandland festival in Bengaluru.
With two stages at Bandland, one band started when the other was done and it was more or less the case with Deep Purple kicking off with their instantly recognizable “Highway Star” from 1972’s Machine Head. It set fans running across the food court to hurriedly catch a glimpse of the British legends who shaped rock, prog and even a bit of metal with their songs.
Vocalist Ian Gillan, at the age of 78, took a few expected breaks in their hour-plus set, and he remained ever the dependable frontman. While Don Airy was unable to come down, Adam Wakeman filled in on keys, alongside drummer Ian Paice (also a powerhouse behind the kit at the age of 75), bassist Roger Glover (ploughing away, also at age 78) and guitarist Simon McBride.
Having visited India with different lineups and eras across decades, some were savoring the fact that they could watch Deep Purple even today, belting out “When a Blind Man Cries,” “Anya,” and of course, “Smoke on the Water.” The encore included “Hush” and “Black Night,” with thousands shouting along for the last three songs. Deep Purple didn’t let the energy flag, making Bandland fulfilling from start to finish. Here’s hoping that sponsor or no sponsor, the spirit of rock has found another home in Bandland.
Even more superficial reviews appeared on cnbctv18.com and Everything Experimental. We link them here just for the sake of completeness.
Meanwhile, “recipe aggregator” Slurrp profiles Chef Manu Chandra, who catered the event and got Reverend’s stamp of culinary approval:
The mouth-watering feast, which consisted of a delicious burrata-tomato salad, an assortment of sushi, cold cuts, canapes, pao bhaji, nalli nihari and bite-sized desserts was conceptualised by Chandra’s team. Sharing what looked like a fanboy moment between the star chef and the band’s bassist, the former shared a black and white picture of the two of them engrossed in deep conversation, while Glover held on to a cup of coffee.
In the endearing behind-the-scenes glimpse that Chandra shared on social media, he captioned the photograph of himself and Roger saying, “After a nourishing dinner of a fresh hot dog, some Nihari and rice by @singlethreadcaterers. I ask Roger Glover of @deeppurple_official if this was his first Indian tour. “I came here before you were born” he says. So you’ve seen a lot change I ask. Son, I’ve seen the whole world change, I’m actually a 102, but they don’t tell you that. Also I don’t usually eat before going up on stage, but this stuff…. Overwhelmed by how grounded these guys, who shaped rock and roll, and generations across the globe actually are.”
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
The catering news had me think of this here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-04v3SkBhPA
Lovely track that was. Ian Gillan is absolutely idiosyncratic in his phrasing.
December 19th, 2023 at 00:08Great news !
Long live Deep Purple.
Peace !
December 19th, 2023 at 07:21That looks like Glover is dipping a tea bag into his cup, could be a herbal tea & why not. Cheers.
December 19th, 2023 at 19:53Isn’t drinking tea (and not alcohol) essentially all what aging British baby boomer bands do backstage these days? Judas Priest, Saxon, Iron Maiden and Motörhead are/were all big tea drinkers. There is a cute episode in Halford’s autobiography where he recounts how the Judas Priest reunion with him in the early noughties was resolved on while they were all standing around in his kitchen in his (other) house in Walsall (near Wolverhampton, Birmingham area) reconciling and “having a cuppa”. All very un-rock’n’roll, but charming in its utter Britness, we wouldn’t want that island tribe any other way, would we?
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December 20th, 2023 at 13:47Yes it is a very British tradition of sorts, they were not big on coffee but no doubt that has changed somewhat over recent times. That elderly lady saying when someone is talking to them about something, ‘now sit down & we will have a nice cup of tea & everything will be much better’, something along those lines. In regards to Motorhead are you sure about that one, Lemmy drinking a cup of tea, well I never! He was appalled and angry & frustrated in his later years with his health deteriorating when his doctor insisted he give up alcohol, or more to the point bourbon etc. “Orange juice, what the eff is that all about, so I have it with some vodka’! Ha ha ha, bless him. Cheers.
December 20th, 2023 at 21:19