Deep Purple live at Roundhouse (London, UK 2013-10-17)

Having not seen DP in a band situation (sans orchestra) for a number of years, this was one of the most anticipated shows for me for a while. The Now What ?! album was very contemporary, and my god, so was the show. As much as the album sound was, the band bounced along on a wave of renewed vigour, with highlights for me being Apres Vous, and hey, the wonderful heaviness of Hard Lovin Man. Each band member seemed really happy to be on stage, and the only problem was, the set was’nt nine hours long, ha! Quite brilliant, unless you read the crappy review in The Guardian. The venue was a joy as well, so roll on next April for the Sunflower Jam. Please guys, don’t make it too long before you dive into the UK again.
Cheers and many thanks

review by Craig J Storey

Deep Purple live at IJsselhallen (Zwolle, Netherlands 2013-10-19)

I saw the band the 19th, in Zwolle The Netherlands, and i can say without a doubt this truly was the best show I ever saw this line-up of Deep Purple do, they really are at the best of their game on this tour.
I have seen the band three times by now and followed a lot of live performances of this lineup but saterday night was really something different.

When the tour first started, they only had two songs from the new album played in their set, so I was afraid that by the time I got to see them, it would be the whole greatest hits set all over again, and that wasn’t the reason for me to go and see them, I love the new album, and for once I was hoping they would actually do something with this to give their setlist a good boost.
And to my surprise, they did.
Five new, of what I think are surely five of the best tracks from the new album, where played this night.

And that’s not the only positive thing worth mentioning, it seems like their experience with Bob Ezrin has made them remind them of where their roots lay, in the last few years, Deep Purple played a lot more as if they were on auto pilot, out with the long jam sections and almost a little to none improvisation in their live music.
Well I must say that we got plenty of that back in their live act, as if they had a wake-up call, Bob really did shake them up a lot.
Songs like, Hard lovin Man, Apres Vous, Hell To Pay, Hush, Strange Kind of Woman, Lazy and Black night, were especially Don and Steve could go completely crazy, and show their skills to the fullest and they did this, big time.
I never thought that they still had it in them, but they’re really packing out on this tour, and I had the greatest night with the band that I ever had.

Setlist:

Apres Vous.
Into the Fire.
Hard Lovin Man.
Vincent Price.
Strange Kind of Woman.
Contact Lost.
Uncommon Man.
The Well Dressed Guitar.
The Mule.
Above and Beyond.
Lazy.
Hell To Pay.
Perfect Strangers.
Space Truckin’.
Smoke on the Water.

Encore:
Green Onions.
Hush.
Black Night.

Highway Star was left out again, but I didn’t really missed that song, in my opinion the song has been overplayed for years now, just like Smoke on the Water in my opinion, which I understand they have to do, because it’s their most recognisable songs in their career, but it wouldn’t bother me as a diehard fan if they would leave out ‘’Smoke on the Water’’ to.

I had a great night, and a wonderful time, and I can recommend to people, if they’re playing close by, and you have the time to go, just go it’s Deep Purple more alive than they have been in years.

review by Jesper Petrusma.

Deep Purple have been quite conspicuously absent from the list of confirmed performers when Sunflower Jam tickets went on sale earlier this month. That is, until yesterday:

Deep Purple will be performing songs that honour and remember Jon Lord and the band will also perform with the Orion Orchestra, led by conductor Paul Mann, meaning that we are offering you a chance to experience a special, unique, one-off performance by Deep Purple.

Our guess for the cause of delay is that the management had to work out the logistics of getting the band and the crew from London to the mountain pass in Kleine Scheidegg, Switzerland, where they are performing the very next afternoon on April 5. The band is returning to Kleine Scheidegg, where they have already played the aptly named Snowpen Air back in 2000.

Classic Rock has a positively glowing review of the October 17 gig at the Roundhouse in London:

It starts with the swelling grandeur of classic intro Mars, The Bringer Of War, and ends with the sweltering majesty of Black Night. This is Deep Purple in 2013, showing that they transcend age, era and trend. They balance five songs from excellent new album Now What?! with one or two other moments from more recent releases and the welter of classics such as Space Truckin’ and Lazy. And the 100-minute set proves just how comfortable the five men onstage are in performing with one another.

Read more in Classic Rock.

Perhaps it would be a good time to remind our readers that we have our own review submission form that haven’t seen much action lately despite the new tour and revamped setlist.

Thanks to Andrey Gusenkov for the heads up and to Andy Worthington for the photo.

This clip of Deep Purple miming to Hush by a swimming pool in October 1968 has surfaced (ahem).

Watch Jon’s splendid Chaplin impersonation, Evans in skimpy swimmers, Paicey and Nick having a laff, and Ritchie almost missing the spotlight entirely…

If the above video doesn’t work in your country, try a proxy.

‘Tis this time of the year when the nominees for 2014 induction to the RnR Hall of Fame are announced, and Deep Purple are in the running again. You can vote at RollingStone.com (not that it will do much good).

Bob Daisley has his autobiography For facts sake published and Classic Rock spoke to him about it:

A criticism of the book is its lack of insight on Blackmore. You paint some nice pictures of Ozzy, Ronnie and others but we don’t learn a whole lot more than we already knew about Richie. Is that fair comment?

Maybe. Ritchie has a reputation for being a bit cantankerous and moody but I always found him very friendly. We socialised outside of the band. I suppose people were waiting to hear what an awful prick he was, and… ultimately he wasn’t.

It’s been rumoured many times but the book confirms that a reunion of the classic Rainbow line-up was in motion before Cozy Powell’s tragic death in 1998.

Yeah, that was going to happen. We hadn’t decided whether David Stone, Tony Carey or Don Airey would play the keyboards, but the four of us were getting serious. I hadn’t spoken to Richie but Ronnie had. And then, bang!, Cozy was taken out and everyone agreed it was no longer possible. It would’ve been disrespectful.

Read the rest of the interview in Classic Rock blog.

The book is available for order from Bob’s own site.

This was posted in our comments section elsewhere on the site. We decided to edit it an promote to a standalone post, so you can post your own impressions of the DVD in the comments.

I received the Japanese DVD of this show 2 or 3 weeks ago. Black Night should be familiar to most people here as it was on the Deep Purple – New, Live & Rare, The Video Collection (1984-2000) DVD.

First impressions that stand out, (good and bad): being a Huge RB Fan, Under the Gun is VERY inspired from a guitar standpoint! (My fave Track on the DVD). (Judging from IG’s reaction at the end, his as well!) I had to watch that 3 or 4 times! That song was also IG’s fave on the Paris 85′ DVD as well, prompting him to say: “Nice One Blackers”!

Lazy is played so fast that it sounds like RB wanted to get it over with… not impressed.

Strange Kind of Woman has RB and IG smiling back and forth and trading licks with very good natured attitudes that makes you think they were the best of friends during this time together.

Ritchie Blackmore’s Solo at he end of Space Truckin’ is filmed well but is the worst excuse for a solo I have EVER seen RB perform. What ever effect he used during this era sucks. It sounds like a panning stereo effect that is missing one speaker!

Speed King is my second fave track to watch. Trading licks between RB, JL, and IG. Great when one would play a motif and the other would finish it! Had me laughing as the skill and off the cuff humor in the runs is infectious!

Smoke actually sounds fresh…a good version. Sometimes I do not think I want to hear it played live ever again. I was pleasantly surprised by this version.

Once again, being a HUGE RB Fan, this period of his playing is probably a low point in his career for me personally. It is like he is trying way too hard to be flashy and play fast. He is not giving the notes room to breath, let alone choosing them as carefully as we KNOW he is more than capable of doing! For an example of this, compare this show with the new Rainbow Black Masquerade DVD… which showcases his speed, sexterity and FEEL!

The Japanese DVD Version of Perfect Strangers Live has a bonus track of Highway Star from December 13th and I was expecting an audience shot Track. Not the case at all as it is the same quality as the main show featured here. Maybe a release is possible of the December 13th Sydney show? I for one would buy it!

Scott W.

Perfect Strangers Live is out today and the record company offers another clip.

Knocking at Your Back Door:

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.

For the first time in Greece, the “Jon Lord Tribute Band” and the Hellenic Musica Viva string ensemble present a live tribute to Jon Lord. Parts from the composer’s solo work will be performed, such as Sarabande, Before I Forget, Pictured Within, Beyond The Notes and To Notice Such Things.

What: live tribute to Jon Lord
Who: the “Jon Lord Tribute Band” and Hellenic Musica Viva string ensemble
When: November 10, doors open at 20:00
Where: Passport Music Stage, Piraeus, Greece
Tickets: €12, includes glass of wine or beer

Thanks to Stathis Panagiotopoulos for the info.