![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/morse2.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/gillan.jpg)
A skirling whiff of danger
Deep Purple opened their European leg of the Splat! tour on September 29, 2026, in Sofia, Bulgaria. And there were surprises in the set.
00:00 — Intro (Mars, the Bringer of War)
01:55 — Highway Star
08:19 — A Bit on the Side
12:05 — Into the Fire
21:45 — Arrogant Boy
25:49 — Lazy Sod
33:40 — Lazy
40:30 — Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming
45:38 — Sacred Land
49:02 — Diablo
1:00:07 — Perfect Strangers
1:06:23 — Space Truckin’
1:12:09 — Smoke on the Water
1:19:58 — Guinnesis
1:22:26 — Hush
1:29:27 — Black Night
Thanks to Kalin Filipov for the video, and to Mike Whiteley for bringing it to your attention.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
That doesn’t look half bad.
Those four Machine Head tracks are never gonna go away, but it’s overall their most sucessful studio album (albeit in Deutschland In Rock sold better and over a longer period) after all + those tracks were immortalized on MIJ (another strong seller) a second time.
Am Mk I track, a Mk II reunion one and a Morse era number plus lots of stuff from theiy 70s heyday and, finally, seven from the two most recent albums. With any other band you would say that is a balanced set covering much of their long and colorful history.
October 1st, 2026 at 01:58Greatest concert!
October 1st, 2026 at 05:20Glad to see Black Night is back on the setlist. It’s a classic but still sounds young and fresh.
October 1st, 2026 at 05:22I popped over from Portugal to see the lads in Sofia. A great concert with enthusiastic public support. The opening two bars of Highway got mashed up, not that most people would have noticed. I am guessing that the screaming high notes of Ian, that has been mirrored by the guitar for the last 20 years or so, was to be cut out. I am presuming that Simon went on autopilot and forgot this LOL. Great setlist.
October 1st, 2026 at 06:30Jayler are a nice opening to the show, a mix between Zeppelin and Sabbath.
I’ll catch up with them in Paris!
This is one of the best audience shot video’s for sound and quality that I have ever seen. Almost a proshot presentation. Very Very good!
October 1st, 2026 at 06:49No real complaints from me except they could swap Diablo and Arrogant boy for say …Splat and The lunatic …but I do get that the first two would work better live .
I’m still absolutely fucking blown away as to how good Splat is …I have literally got to play it every day …its like a drug !
Incidentally, I didn’t know that Steve Morris had a hand in writing ” My new movie ” ( I saw it on the credits ) …so, I’m guessing that song has been kicking around for years ?
Ps
October 1st, 2026 at 10:02If you look at the start of this Sofia gig …I’m pretty sure Simon fucks up and comes in late on HS ….thats why Gillan is chuckling with him
The setlist debate will forever rage on. Great inclusion of Sacred Land – another fresh one. Seeing them twice on the UK leg. Will take this set for sure…
October 1st, 2026 at 10:04@6, Yep like I mentioned, I guess Simon went on autopilot. It was good to see how the band corrected this within a few seconds (as if nothing had happened).
October 1st, 2026 at 13:57Diablo is not my favorite song, but the crowd really took to it in Sofia, it works great live.
It was Paice who came in too early. Gillan directed Simon how to get out of the mess…
October 1st, 2026 at 14:17I love it when things go wrong with Purple live. Not because I’m generally a nasty person, I mean I am sure, but it shows that they play live and that all instrumental expertise and experience can still have you screw up sometimes – nobody’s perfect as someone once named a live album almost four decades ago.
From what I hear, I actually think Roger was the culprit, or more exactly his sound. He’s way off in his timing at the beginning (I’ve never heard him like that, his timing is generally cocksure and if he makes a smalll mistake, he immediately re-settles into the groove) and my only two explanations are:
– there was an accidental delay on his bass signal making it sound like he was playing out of time when in fact he wasn’t, it threw everybody off, at 02:11 you can actually hear Roger struggling to get into time, but it just doesn’t work,
– what he heard on his monitor from the band was for some reason delayed from the real thing so he THOUGHT he was playing in time, but the actual music was already somewhere else.
Whatever it was, it confused Simon no end (and I can feel for him, I found it painful to listen to the rhythm sectrion playing so dividedly, you can’t really latch onto what is going on rhythmically so the poor guy was lost).
So ist das Leben! 🤗
PS: And don’t forget: Always blame the bassist!
October 1st, 2026 at 15:15@ 10 You can’t be a nasty guy Uwe, du bist das Schönste.. 😀
October 1st, 2026 at 16:09Greatt performance ! One of the best concerts of recent years . Perfect setlist . Everyone was in great form .
Carry on !!!
October 1st, 2026 at 16:11Ah yes, it does appear to be Paicey that went wrong …Good to know even the greats can make mistakes…..it was probably just a little bit of senile dementia creeping in ! 🤣🤣🤣
October 1st, 2026 at 16:14First time since 1996 (Munich, Rudi-Sedlmayer Hall) that I saw “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming” being part of the setlist again! GREAT!!!
October 1st, 2026 at 20:30en”My New Movie” participa como autor Morris???? el de Gillan? ni él ni Morse componen el tema sino q los 5 actuales tengo el CD original y nada dice eso …..mala información…me refiero al comentario nro 6..mala información
October 1st, 2026 at 21:43No No No!
October 1st, 2026 at 21:47I was hoping they had retired Black Night sigh…
and Perfect fucking Strangers, great song studio but live it got boring in 1985 already.
Bring back Anya, Knocking Backdoor or ever better the Unwritten Law
Hush was a hit in the US, only in the US, they didn’t play it in the 70s and don’t have to play it now.
Screaming is actually something as rare as a Morse song that is good, too bad its a short version only.
Into the fire, Gillan at is worst as usual.
Lovely Micke @11: Now THAT I haven’t heard in a long time! 😘
October 2nd, 2026 at 01:07A great organ solo by Airey around the 32-minute mark.
October 2nd, 2026 at 03:45@16 Orwell thankfully there are people like you around, to tell Deep Purple what to do and what to avoid.
October 2nd, 2026 at 06:56Same set list in Cluj Oct.1
here is Sometimes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cks6BX5aENE
October 2nd, 2026 at 10:45@6 and 15
Don’t trust any AI-Internet-“credits”-sites!
“My new movie” is completely DP Mark 9 and its one of my favourites on SPLAT!
And Don playes a very nice quote of J.S.Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of man’s desiring” ( he speeded it up a little, so it took me some tome to realize which piece it was) here, which is one of Steve’s favourites. Just listen to some old SMB gigs when he used to add an acoustic part in the middle or at the beginning as a solo-artist! Or watch the wonderful interview with Rick Beato where he plays some acoustic guitar and this piece, too.
It seems they change around a little in the setlist: “When a blind man cries” is out, and they put “Sometimes I feel like screaming” in. For me, this is THE trademark-piece for DP with Steve and (sorry, Simon) no-one can play the guitar-parts and esp. the outro-solo like him!
October 2nd, 2026 at 12:47I’m curious which one they will play when I’m going to see them live in Frankfurt in November – I LOVE both pieces!
sorry for the typo in my name in the last comment – but…
October 2nd, 2026 at 12:50Maybe I’m the best in something I just have to find out!
Hey, I was just getting to like Beste Flohr!
October 2nd, 2026 at 15:27It does appear that our drummer came in too early in Sofia. After my initial comment I feel the need to apologise to Simon (just in case he reads our comments LOL). Normal business resumed in Romania :). I can’t wait until Paris later this month.
October 2nd, 2026 at 17:07At Budapest (2026-10-02) we just had almost the same setlist, but they have changed the song orders. I must admit, Diablo sounds MUCH better alive with a bit of jamming in front of it. Gillan was in a great shape (for his age) and hit the notes with surprisingly accurately (probably no autotune, as he played with his voice a bit). The only complaint from my side, Gillan had a short speech about Mitzi Dupree (and her recent death), which logically should have followed by this sing, but instead Lazy was played.
October 2nd, 2026 at 22:18From SPLAT! to PLOP! ???
Mitzi only passed recently? I thought she tragically fell victim to an accidental gang war shooting decades ago? It was supposed to have happened near a club where she was performing. Maybe an internet hoax then …
There is a recent obituary out on someone with her (real) name and while it omits any direct mention of ping pong balls, it describes a person that might well be her …
https://obituaries.mountainviewtacoma.com/obituaries/michele-pradia/obituary
“Michele Diana Pradia obituary
BIRTH DATE: AUG 24, 1959 – DEATH DATE: MAY 15, 2026
Michele “Mitzi” Pradia was a vibrant, charismatic woman whose presence was impossible to overlook. She had a larger-than-life personality and a gift for making an impression wherever she went. More often than not, you heard her before you saw her, and when you did see her, it was usually with her signature red lipstick and a confidence that was entirely her own.
Travel was one of Michele’s greatest passions, especially in her younger years. She embraced adventure and loved meeting people from every walk of life. She had a way of striking up conversations with strangers who often walked away feeling like old friends. She collected stories wherever she went and, more often than not, became part of someone else’s story too.
Music was another constant in her life. If a favorite song came on, whether at home or over the speakers in a grocery store, she never passed up an opportunity to dance. It was one of the many ways she expressed herself. Much to the embarrassment of her children when they were younger, Michele wasn’t afraid to be seen. She lived boldly and encouraged others to do the same.
Michele is survived by her two children, Brandon and Bianca, and her sisters, Kathy and Pamela. They will remember her for her adventurous spirit, her love of connecting and helping others, and the confidence and joy with which she embraced life.”
Rest in unruly peace then, Mitzi, some people made a splash in their life, but you not only made a whole series of plops, but also inspired one of the best IG raconteur moments ever!
I wonder if she ever found out about the song? I’d like to think so and that she appreciated it as the monument to her it was.
https://youtu.be/c5Fb0knL73M
October 3rd, 2026 at 13:50Some of the older songs either need to be dropped or the key lowered by at least a semi-tone. Big Ian is struggling a lot during the verses of Into The Fire and parts of Highway Star. Perhaps bring back Maybe I’m A Leo, Anyone’s Daughter?
October 3rd, 2026 at 18:22#27 RB:
That doesn’t seem like anything new to me; in fact, it seems like he struggles less now than he did 5 or 10 years ago, when he would often lose his voice by the end of a concert.
October 4th, 2026 at 00:43@21
.“My new movie”song is atmospherically reminiscent of Gillan “Sleeping on the Job”… I don’t know if you noticed the intro to Simon’s solo—a tribute to Bob Ezrin and Alice Cooper—featuring the riff from “School’s Out.”
I really like—now, after three months and over fifty listens— my favorite non-typical DP songs:
“The Beating of Wings” and “Third Call” (Don’s Hammond work evokes Maestro Lord, and Ian’s drumming is perfection).
“Splat!” a good music.
October 4th, 2026 at 08:09Splat! is a pleasantly quirky and nicely varied album. For a band of DP’s legacy and biological age, that is pretty darn amazing.
October 4th, 2026 at 14:10I like TBOW and TC too, they’re both not even hard rock, just mighty fine songs.
It’s really an album you can play to anyone and (s)he’ll find something to like – without it being bland at all.
As regards the once testosterone-charged excitement and strident force DP sported when my generation heard them as teenagers in the 70s, those times are long gone, but they have matured as songwriters, my ears like that.
October 4th, 2026 at 19:50@31, 28
TBOW, for me, is the most reminiscent of ’70’s DP and the best track on Splat.
October 5th, 2026 at 05:53Unsolicited advice for the lads: Play more of Splat!, including the title track. Drop the =1 tunes. Play Flight of the Rat in place of Into the Fire. Play Pictures of Home after Highway Star. Drop Space Truckin’.
October 6th, 2026 at 13:11I agree that Space Truckin’ is perhaps not the most vital song that needs to be played off MH. I have often thought it should be retired. I like the intro and it is a good fun number, but it could do with a rest.
October 6th, 2026 at 21:39Space Truckin’ has that chorus crowd pleaser, come on, come on, come on etc etc. I do agree though Uwe, in that sense, there are ‘better’ songs. I am not saying it is ‘bad’ one, but……..as you can tell, I am NOT into crowd sing alongs at all……………I blame Queen for that………..cringe worthy indeed. Cheers
October 7th, 2026 at 22:43Space Truckin’ was a legendary track in the 70s, but given how many tours it has remained in the setlist, it can finally retire and make way for something from Splat!
October 8th, 2026 at 23:08For example, I remember DP never played The Rider live.
People never take my advice.
When I hinted Glenn to turn his bass down he ridiculed me.
Like with his ott shrieking he s a stubborn fool who forgot the sayings :
Less is more and the true Master knows his boundries.
Being known as a anti Morse writer no one ever took my wellmeant advices to play more of his material, give it longer to develop on stage
Issue that triple cd/dvd with Lord/Morse live tracks…
It d have to consist of 75% or more of his tracks, all the MK2 tracks like Fools, WABMC, no one came, bloodsucker, Rat Bat Blue,Fireball, Into the fire, hardloving man, demons eye, etc plus a minimum of mk2 classics already available many times.
PLAY Sun goes down and replace Space…..as a vehicle for Strangeways.
They re rich enough
to stay away from the worn down classics.
I never liked SIFLS.
October 9th, 2026 at 13:59Do Haunted or some other gem of Purpendicular.
#37 RockVoorne:
There are countless CDs and DVDs from the Morse-Lord era out there; I don’t think it makes sense to release a triple CD that would essentially be a compilation of other official releases from Eagle Records, Thames, Ear Music, etc.
October 10th, 2026 at 00:45#37 RockVoonne:
https://forum.thehighwaystar.com/t/deep-purple-live-cd-album-list-the-morse-era/144
October 10th, 2026 at 00:50Fla
Shocking to see how many live cd s with Morse were released while we re still waiting for the old gold nuggets from their heydays.
Everybody is ofcourse entitled to like what he likes.
My point is it has been my impression that every release with Morse always contained a shitload of Blackmore era tracks that appearantly sold the tickets.
I kinda took it what it for what it was,the version of old material with him.
I regularly enjoyed it though too often hated his approach.
Then again, a collection of the things I mentioned, thus without the zillionth version of Smoke and Highway Star, because unlike with Ritchie, it sounded more or less the same.
But I really appreciated that they,espescially in the beginning,did many tracks often not heard or never with MK2.
Some tracks had been done once but not played much.
Yes, I could ve made a triple collection myself but I never got into digital wizardry myself.
October 10th, 2026 at 22:59When I still used cassettes it was easier, to fade audience etc