Just back from Toulouse were the gods of rock & roll played last night. For the last 13 years IAN G., ROGER G., IAN P., STEVE M. & DON A. worked very hard to rebuild DP from the ashes left by RITCHIE B. (I didn’t want to mention him but…). I think last night the band realise the work they did was an accomplishment and very fruitful.
Smiles, love, tenderness, joy were in everybody’s faces both audience and band and this must be the best present the band could have (christmas before the hour). Roger didn’t want to leave the stage – his bonus solo 5 min before the end of the show was just magic, within us, inside us I think lots of people realise how DEEP PURPLE is one of the biggest rock & roll bands ever.
They are respectful. 9 o’clock light goes down here they are, and here we are, the Zenith was full. I am sure about 9.000 people were there. This is incredible to see how DP this year get so much audience with such an amount of concerts in France. For sure in the history of DP they never played so many towns in France. Thanks for that, guys, I will be in Pau in March next year.
We could see last night how the band realise how we love each other. I am sure there is more feelings now with 6.000 to 9.000 people in concert that there was back to the seventies with 100.000′ people. Ian appreciation and the band appreciation in general go strait to our hearts.
Next to me a 20-year-old girl and a guy who told me he was born in 1985 when I first saw DP in Paris. People from 18 to 68 years old were there. About the gig I was just in front row between Steve and Ian and unfortunately I could only hear Steve’s guitar. The man at the soundboard was on the stage, it was a pity because I don’t think he could feel and hear the sound at that place properly. The configuration of the concert place probably wasn’t good for the soundboard man.
[A common misunderstanding. A member of Deep Purple’s touring crew has asked us to point out, that the sound guy sitting onstage is mixing the monitor sound that the band members hear onstage – i.e. he must be onstage. The guy mixing the sound for the audience sits in the middle of the auditorium/audience towards the back, where he can hear what the audience is hearing. It follows that if you want the best sound at a show, go stand in the middle of the auditorium, where you can hear the PA – the big speakers on either side of the stage. If you stand near the front you might get just one or two instruments very loud directly from the stage. Rasmus]
No big change on the set list with a big highlight the new DP anthems which is “Rapture of the deep” (could not retains my tears) and also “Kiss tomorrow goodbye”. Also “Wrong man” was played from the last studio ROTD album.
After that the classics and the solos of “the amazing Steve Morse” and “little angel Don Airey” with a biggest place given to Steve – “amazing Steve” the real frontman of the show (well as I said from my place I couldn’t hear Ian).
Before the encore when the band leave the stage “angel Don” send me his towel after I beg him to do so: thanks man. Well at that stage 1 hour and an half of gig could not sing anymore but luckily Ian could. He was incredible for “Hush” & “Black night”. Another time another gig 1 hour 55 mn of magic.
Cannot wait for March next year to see you again, guys. Thanks for all that love you give us and long live DEEP PURPLE.
Richard Legris
![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/paice2.jpg)
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