The Finnish fans sure know how to party!

Deep Purple play in Helsinki on Wednesday 23rd May. Before the show from 18.00, Crazy Purple of Mika Jarvinen plays DP music at Bruuveri (Fredrikinkatu 63, Kamppi shopping centre).

After the show two bands, Dr. Purple and Lotta Lene Band, will play Deep Purple covers and other music related to the DP family tree at Helsinki On The Rocks.

Thanks to Perfect Strangers of Finland and Mike Garrett for the info.

This is a pretty good quality clip of Hush/Drum solo/Black Night as performed yesterday, May 19 in Hellendorn, Netherlands: Continue Reading »

This is the band called Deep Rainbow Purple performing Lazy at the Radio City Music Hall in NYC. Check out Roger deputising on harmonica and guitarwork from the banjo palyer. Frenetic is the word of the day. Now, did somebody tell the singer that the band has no dress code? Continue Reading »

The year is 1993 and relations between Ian Gillan and Ritchie Blackmore have hit the all time low. Even discounting for the very dry, very British sense of humour, you can tell. This in from the interviews given to Swedish TV Metal Magazinet some time in late 1993: Continue Reading »

Photo: Jim Corrigan

Hereford Times has more details on the Jon Lord’s May 11 performance of From Darkness to Light:

Composer and former Deep Purple musician Jon Lord was in Hereford to see more than 400 schoolchildren joining together in a performance of his new work From Darkness to Light in Hereford Cathedral.

The work is scored for string orchestra, piano, harp, four part choir, children’s choir and tenor soloist.

The children’s choir involves choirs from seven Herefordshire schools, who will be singing with Hereford Cathedral School Chapel Choir, tenor soloist Jon Weller and a professional orchestra under the direction of David Evans, director of music at Cathedral School.

In addition to the new work, the programme included a performance of Parry’s Anthem I was Glad, and the Piano Concerto in A minor by Grieg, performed by the Cathedral School Symphony Orchestra with soloist Liam Dunachie, a senior music scholar at the school.

From Darkness to Light will be performed again at the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, on July 1.

Steve Morse will appear on a Jeff Beck tribute album for the Tone Center label, produced by guitarist Jeff Richman. The LP is called “Freeway Jam – To Beck And Back”. Other guest guitarists are John Scofield, Eric Johnson, Adam Rogers, Mike Stern, Warren Haynes, Chris Duarte, Greg Howe and Walter Trout. The album will be released on July 17.

Thanks to Blabbermouth.net for the info.

I’ve hesitated over this, since I’m new to rock and my comments get rather abstract, but here’s how it was for me:

Thin Lizzy somehow managed to disappoint despite my lack of expectations. All their energy and talent seem to sit on top of the music rather than be part of it. The bassist gave a truly memorable performance.

When Styx came on my heart sank further. My Anglo-prejudiced eyes just weren’t ready for such a display of trans-Atlantic irony. Lawrence Gowan sounds to me like Geddy Lee, but must also owe a debt to Freddie Mercury.

None of this band is exactly backward in coming forward, and they take putting on a funny show seriously, but always in service of the music. The drummer, Todd Sucherman, was particularly fine – inventive and impressive but fluent, I thought.

Finally we get to Purple. Should the choice of material make that much difference? Well, it plots the course of the evening. High points for me were Lazy, Steve’s solo spot and anything figuring Don Airey.

Of course there were the regulars, such as Smoke. However much these songs are dressed up, is it fair to turn musicians into jukeboxes night after night? So many want to hear the classic sounds of their own youth, but I can imagine that the expectation could become oppressive.

Steve Morse is well served by his solo spot, even if I did struggle to follow the syntax of all its links. He smiled less than three years ago and his playing seemed intense and heartfelt: great, but I hope he’s OK.

Don Airey was barricaded behind a citadel of keyboards but looked very relaxed. His sound ranges from sympathetic support to overwhelming creative onslaught, without ever straying into gratuitous virtuosity. I would give (almost) anything to hear a less structured evening of the band, there is so much potential.

Gillan is a man to listen to right now. His voice is recognisable from early recordings, but with far more depth than before. His harp playing never gets much comment and I’m no expert, but I like it. Overall, his appeal seems scarcely decent in one entitled to a bus pass.

The essence of Purple for me is the rhythm section: the richness and complexity that never seem to get in the way; the way it drives the sound without dragging it along. Ian Paice just got on with it, as usual, and Roger Glover was genial as ever.

When Roger and Ian come to the front of the stage, you can see that they know you – not who you are or what you had for breakfast, but as one of their fans, they know you. The doting, hungry looks that come back at them must be almost devouring at times. A crowd is a beast with a thousand faces, excited by its own existence, yet each of us listens at some level alone.

For me, there is a gap somewhere between the expected phrasing and what I hear – a slight shift to emphasise a word, the bass eased a little behind the beat – that mesmerizes my ears. The floor throbs, a wave of sound washes over me, and I lose myself… until a young head-banger barges into the side of me. I spent the remaining two songs failing not to sulk and despising myself for it.

To be most alive as a passive pair of ears is humbling. It’s a bit one-sided: simply handing over £33 seems an inappropriate exchange. There is a sea of raised arms, but to me it has connotations of a political rally or an evangelical congregation. So what then, in response? I am by nature one of life’s dreamers, and all I can supply is words. Listening and watching, we are a sounding board. At the end of the evening, we leave with an answering resonance. These notes are my notes.

Emily Bell

Just to add my two-pennorth….

Looking at reviews of other gigs each side of Sheffield on 2 May, it sounds like it was a similar set throughout the tour – but so good!

I haven’t seen Purple for about 30 years and was sort of dreading it – but they were fantastic – I’ve really got to say thanks for a tremendous evening.

Steve Morse and Don, picking up what others have said, could have been in the band forever. Don’s keyboard in particular sent shivers through me (close your eyes and the richness of the sound goes right through you – absolutely timeless); and Steve is just his own man, the newer stuff sounding right up there.

Ian G. also seemed to be really enjoying himself – huge grins all night long – same went for the rest of the band, it was great to see themselves so obviously having fun performing. OK so they have a few years on one or two of the Styx ‘show’, but still turn it on with the best of them.

The Arena here is a bit cavernous, but the sound was clear and fine. The key is to get standing tickets – heaven knows what it must be like to listen to Purple and have to stay seated!

Great stuff, see you again next time (next year?!) – please in Sheffield!

Richard, Sheffield

I had been at DP in Bratislava last fall and comparing that gig with last Saturday, I must say that is was pretty much alike.. .just a few changes in the setlist (only Wrong Man from RoTD) with the band performing superbly again.

The venue was almost packed and plenty of teenagers/youngsters chanting and enjoying all the songs. It is great to see more and more new generations around not only grey-hair buddies like myself.

The music was great but even greater was the guy’s attitude onstage… It is clear that they are genuinely enjoying themselves while performing which positively impact the outcome of the performance… It was also great that the first four songs (Pictures of Home, Things I never said, Into the fire and Strange Kind of Woman) went non-stop one after the other like if a DJ should have hooked them up… It was really a pleasant surprise…

In the review I sent after the concert in Bratislava, I finished it stating Long Live DP and after last saturday I am convinced that this will depend on Ian’s vocal cords… He needed to clear his throat a couple of times and in some parts he simply stopped singing to catch up with the band a few seconds later. Surprisingly and pleasantly after every throat-clearing, he came back at full blast.

Definitely Steve Morse earned his place in the band history leaving well behind him all previous guitarrists, great performer! IP and RG are like the good wine, the older they get, the better they play. Simply fantastic! Don is complementing the band correctly but still (in my very humble view) makes me miss Jon Lord, a little bit.

In short, another unforgettable DP musical evening and hope and wish it could be repeated soon.

Long Live DP

Enrique Cotado

Firstly, I would like to add a few points to the previous review by Martin Damary. The concert was completely packed and the Arena holds around 9.500 when used with standing-room (parterre debout).

We were at the very front on Roger’s side of the stage. The band started around 9:30 and with the encores, the concert lasted two hours. Roger interacted well with his side of the crowd. Ian looked like he was having great fun dancing an Eastern dance during “Rapture of the Deep”. There was also a little stage in front of the main stage where Roger and Steve jumped onto and started head-banging in unison!

I would also like to add a few personal notes. 10 years ago, my wife (who at the time was pregnant with my son) and I went to see Purple at Montreux in 1996 during the Purpendicular tour. Now, 10 years later, my son had become a Purple fanatic after listening to dad’s “Made in Japan” CD. Or maybe it was the Purple in utero effect? Anyway, when Purple came to Geneva, it was on his insistence that we get tickets for the show. And it was he who insisted that we get to the venue early so that we could stand at the very front.

The concert was made extra special for him because Roger spotted this little kid jumping up and down, waving his arms to the music. After smiling at him several times, Roger tried to throw his signature plectrums to him. Of course, there were a number of adults around my son who tried to grab the plectrums. But fortunately, one kind woman told off a guy who got one, shouting in French, “Hey, he meant to give them to him!” and the guy gave the plectrum to my son. Nice!

But it wasn’t only Roger that made my son’s day. When Ian came to Roger’s side, Ian immediately saw my son and waved to him smiling.

Thank you, Deep Purple, for making the concert so special for us. I can tell you that there is definitely another generation of Purple fandom within this family! He’s already asking about when the next concert will be!

Oh, by the way, my son’s name is Ian and yes…, he is named after Gillan and Paicey.

Makoto Ikeda