In a report from a Blackmore’s Night video shoot we found the news that Ritchie Blackmore finally is getting married to his band mate and girlfriend since 15 years, Candice Night. The wedding will take place in October and will be held in a castle somewhere.

OK, the sky is black and lightning was igniting roaring thunder. This must be a Deep Purple concert. After Eddy Grant doing a Jimi Hendrix act during his voodoo rain dance, we had to wait for Deep Purple to bring down the house.

Let me tell you that the other parts in the country got their share of floodings & lightning strucks. But now for something completely different.

This line up is so no-nonsence that it’s balanced once again. OK, perhaps they did not realize that they were playing in a Dutch speaking part of Belgium, but who cares. They came on stage with a roaring version of Fireball, without the whoooosh and kept on rocking Into The Fire. Difficult to say if the lightings came from the sky of the stage. The crowd in Belgium needs nothing more to sheer Ian towards a higher ground. And he gave all he got, rednecking.

Strange Kind of Woman was a bit over-acted but then he showed with Rapture of the Deep what he’s good at these days. Perfect like the rest of the band. Glover was having a ball. I asked my son (16) if he could imagine his grandfather on stage, powerplaying like that. I think he felt like the title of his favorite song (Screaming, sometimes,… this time).

And Ian behind the drums… ah! He chased the shadows. The old gods were mild on us and while Belgium was trembling under heavy thunder, sugar city was the roaring eye of the storm.

Paice still has the rhythm and the muscles to be this band’s backbone. An impressive athlete. And than came the Steve Morse solo. Yes. I believe he found some new fans. Steve, you can wet your chest and stand tall next to the other great Purple Players. Toothpaste Steve respectfully altered the DP classics to his likings and his talent is obvious.

And than they played “Sometimes I feel like screaming”. I thought my kid would roar now. But he did not move an inch, his eyes were capturing every detail, how ecstacy can calm the kid among a crowd of roaring Purple Fans. All respect for Morse. The kid said: “I did not realize he was that good.” Tommy (God bless) and Ritchie are in good company.

And the battle raged on. Wow, they even started to show some fun on stage though Ian seems to have less interest in Glover, but hey, after more than 35 years they need to say nothing to balance perfectly. It’s OK.

Now came the moment for Don with a kinda Lordish church music into Sarabandish boogie. Gosh. Hidden behind his consoles, performing great music, but when you get solo time… impress with what you’re really good at. I wanted to hear Don, and what I heard made me hungry to read what Lord is doing at the moment.

It was a great performance, but it seemed a solo to please the crowd. A message to Don: Don’t underestimate your fans. There was a time when Ian Gillan was not a member of the band, a time when Glover replaced Nick Simper, when Tommy replaced Ritchie and they all added something new on stage. I am hungry to hear more from you. Make us not forget Lord, but make us remember you. But hey, the sixties space ship lift-off clock-ticking gig was fabulous.

Perfect Strangers… finally. Purple reborn. The days we realized that the story was not over yet. Next came Space Truckin’ with a damn good Ian Gillan as captain of the ship. He even sang the (just below) highest notes alone, no help from Roger. Morse and Glover built a huge wall of sound, if possible better than the original. And Ian Paice got his moment of thunder. Me happy.

Finally the drums introduced both Glover and Morse into a duet. Fine fleur of the Hard Rock scene having a ball, this is when I said, damn, I must write something in the Highway Star. Breaking the speeding sound. The night was not over yet.

And Morse gave us his version of Smoke on the Water. See Don, this is how to do it. Wow, I admit that for a second I forgot about… what was his name? Oh yeah, Ritchie. (Respect.)

Than they left the scene. We knew that thay would be back because the night was black, and we were hungry for more. Hush rumbled beautifully as tribute to the old Simper / Evans days. It sounded fresh as a cat fish out of the water. They were great playing South in the sixties, and they made it their song. To blow my mind and I’m in so deep. That I can’t eat and I can’t sleep. That’s what being an artist is all about. Black Night closed the evening. Obviously.

One more pint of Belgian Beer.
CU next time guys.
What a great band.

2008.7.26

Tanzbrunnen, Cologne, Germany

Yesterday i went to my first purple concert.
Purple were in great form and their new setlist rocks.
Gillan was in great form, as were Morse and Glover.
Airey was difficult to hear at times (from were i stood).
Setlist (don´t renember the right running order):
Fireball (1st)interpolating:
– Into the Fire (in full)
Mary Long (i think, 3rd)
Wring that neck (great, only wished that they would play it like in the old days)
Sometimes i feel like screaming (cccccoooooooolllll!)
The Battle rages on (This song kicks ass!)
Contact Lost (Beautiful, simply beautiful!)
Space Truckin (if they only would jam, it would be perfect!)
Highway Star (weaker, but still good!)
Smoke on the Water (when you´re there, it´s amazing!)

Encores:
Hush (great!)
-Drum Solo
Black Night (great end to an fantastic show,

greetings from germany, david

P.S
Highlights:

Fireball
Into the fire
The battle rages on
Sometimes i feel like screaming
Wring that Neck
Space Truckin
Smoke on the Water
Hush
Black Night

I came to see D.P. in Vienne (France); this nice little town in the Alps is a really beautiful place with a castle and a roman arena where the concert took place. It was an open air concert, the weather was perfect, a nice summer night and several thousand people where there.

Set list :

Fireball – Into the fire – Strange kind of woman – Rapture of the deep –– Mary Long – Kiss tomorrow goodbye – Contact lost & Steve Morse solo – Sometimes I feel like screaming – Wring that neck & The well dressed guitar –The battle rages on – Airey solo & Perfect strangers – Space truckin’ – Highway star – Intro of the Aviator & Smoke on the water.

Encore : Speed king – Hush – Black night.

I saw DP twenty times and the set list was a good surprise: it was nice to hear “Wring that neck”. It’s a real fine instrumental and Paice, Airey & Morse were brilliant. “Mary Long” was an excellent moment and it was good to see the band play a Purpendicular track like “Sometimes I feel like screaming”.

From the last album, “Kiss tomorrow goodbye” and “Rapture of the deep” were played with a lot of power, it was two excellent versions.

During his solo, Don Airey played several notes of “La Marseillaise” our national hymn, and a synthesiser theme of Jean Michel Jarre, the French musician: he was really well welcomed.

Steve Morse played the intro of “the aviator” and was joined by the rest of the band, just before “Smoke on the water”. It was a cool intro and a nice moment.

The whole band seemed always really happy on stage and they received a huge good reaction of the crowd. Ian Gillan was wearing a big pair of glasses: he explained that he has problem with one eye. He was in good voice, (the only moment where he struggled a little bit was “speed king”). The instrumental passages between Morse and Airey were good and long during “Speed King and “Black night” and the band played for two hours.

A very good evening in a marvellous place.

Lionel Bouvet – Annecy (France)

bouvetlionel@hotmail.com

Just home from a trip to Montreux where me and my wife got to witness an incredible performance by Deep Purple at the closing of the 42nd Jazz Festival.

The set list already given by others. What struck me was how heavy they sounded all the way through.

Highlights for me were several. Into the fire, Sometimes, Perfect Strangers, The Battle Rages On, Smoke, Highway Star, and the jam part with Claude Nobs which was great fun! Also the encores were excellent.

The audience in a fully-packed Stravinski Auditorium were very enthusiastic through the whole concert – it was an evening we will remember for long. Great!

Now we look forward to the concert in Norway in August. And of course an new album next year….

Sold Out: 10:30 – 12:10
Deep Purple playing solid concert
Gillan voice with problems
Set list:

Fireball
Into the Fire
Strange Kind of Woman
Rapture of the Deep
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Contact Lost
Steve Morse Solo
Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming
Wring that Neck
Well Dressed Guitar
The Battle Rages On
Don Airey solo
Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin’
Highway Star
Jazzy Smoke on the Water
Smoke on the Water

Encores:
Hush including Ian Paice solo
Black Night including Roger Glover bass solo and Funky Claude Nobs with harmonica

Not playing my favorite song: Pictures Of Home

Jon Lord felt he need to make some clarifications regarding his upcoming Summer Proms concerts, so he asked us to post this information:

Hi All

I [would like to] clear up what appears to be a bit of confusion about what I am gonna play at these three UK “Summer Proms” gigs I’m doing, on next Saturday the 26th July at Weston Park in Staffordshire, then on 16th August at Castle Howard in Yorkshire, and on 23rd August at Marble Hill near Twickenham.

It has been variously reported that I’m playing the Concerto for Group and Orchestra, and/or that
I am just doing a “warm-up” set with the Gemini Band before the “main event”.

So here’s the reality:-

I am playing three pieces:- The Telemann Experiment, The Road from Lindisfarne and Bourree (from Sarabande). I will be playing piano and will have Steve White on drums and Mark Cox on guitar, (and a bass guitarist I haven’t met yet!) plus all three pieces will be with the full orchestra, and will be closing the first half of the evening.

Much as I try really hard not to get too puffed up, and get myself into a hissy fit about my position on the bill, I also have to confirm the following:- I am NOT the “warm-up act”!!

Peace, love, music and all that good stuff

Jon

Reports are coming in about an amazing gig at this year’s Montreux Jazz Festival. The band switched some stuff around and brought in some surprises into the set.

The full setlist:
Fireball
Into the Fire
Strange Kind of Woman
Rapture of the Deep
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Contact Lost
Steve Morse Solo
Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming
Wring that Neck
Well Dressed Guitar
The Battle Rages On
Don Airey solo
Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin’
Highway Star

Jazzy Smoke on the Water
Smoke on the Water
Hush including Ian Paice Solo
Black Night including Roger Glover bass solo intro+”amazing jam” [according to our reporter] with Montreux Jazz Festival General and “Smoke …” legend Claude Nobs playing harmonica

Thanks to Andrey Gusenkov.

from Don’s record company, Mascot Records:

07/16/08 M- Don Airey Tour Cancelled

The recently announced tour of Don Airey has been cancelled due to his busy touring schedule with Deep Purple.

Off course the tour will be rescheduled, we’ll keep you updated on any news regarding Mr. Airey.

The ones I remember:

Pictures of Home (with a bit of Child In Time)
Things I Never Said
Into the Fire
Strange Kind of Woman (with duet between Ian & Steve)
Rapture of the Deep
Demon\’s Eye (nice replacement)
Contact Lost
Steve Morse Solo
The Well Dressed Guitar
The Battle Rages On
Don Airey Solo
Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin’
Steve Morse and Glover Jam
Highway Star
Smoke on the Water

Encore:

Hush with Ian Paice Solo
Roger Glover Intro
Black Night

Very nice evening with the band in top form.