See all of Daniele Purrone’s photos.

Went to the Purple concert at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, with Vanilla Fudge as the opening act. Excellent show all around.

Vanilla Fudge put on a surprisingly energetic show opening with a mid-tempo cover of the Zombies’ “She’s Not There”. The highlight of their set was definitely “Shotgun”, the sole VF original of the night, which included some extended jamming and a few measures of “Greensleeves”.

I was a little disappointed with the cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused”. It was competently done but was missing some spark that the rest of their set had. Might have been fun if they had done a Purple cover instead – I bet VF would do interesting things with one of the old Mark III songs that doesn’t get played anymore. The set lasted about 45 minutes and closed, as I expected, with “Keep Me Hangin’ On”.

Purple came on at about 9:20PM and played ’till just before 11, and their set list was identical to that at the Boston and Wallingford shows. I’ve seen Purple pretty much every time they have come to the NYC area since the Abandon tour, and for quality of playing and general show energy this was probably second only to the triple bill with Dio and the Scorpions at the Garden State Arts Center in 2002. (The Jones Beach show that same tour was less good.) The crowd was really into the music throughout, and this seemed to push the band to greater heights.

A few minor flaws: Gillan’s voice seemed a little hoarse for the first few songs but after “stretching out” a bit on “Strange Kind of Woman” he was great. Don Airey’s solos for “Pictures of Home” and “Highway Star”, as well as Steve Morse’s solo for “Highway Star” were all verbatim the original Mark II studio solos, so there was a little less improvisation than the typical show. Also Don Airey’s solo leading in to “Perfect Strangers” was a little gimmicky, but he pleased the crowd with a few bars of “New York, New York”.

Some great moments: During “Well Dressed Guitar”, we the audience were just gaping silently in awe at Steve’s pyrotechnics when Gillan crept up behind him and started gesturing to the audience to crank up the cheering and jumping, which we promptly did. Later, Steve and Roger started improvising something that sounded like an up-tempo instrumental version of Kansas’ “Dust in the Wind” but warped it, step-by-step, measure-by-measure, until it turned into the opening of “Highway Star”.

Anyway, the show was really great like that throughout. But I would like to gripe about the set list: Only two songs from “Rapture of the Deep”, the album they are supposed to be supporting (“Things I Never Said” and the title track). Only four songs from this decade (above two plus “Contact Lost” and “Well Dressed Guitar”). Only 5 songs less than 20 years old (above four plus “Battle Rages On”). And yet most of “Machine Head” was played, while Purple has a whole catalogue of great recent songs that never get played live.

Count me among the vocal die-hards that would like a set list more focused on relatively new material. I suppose we are a minority if some internet polls are to be believed, but surely some better balance could be struck. Maybe the solution for the next tour would be for Purple to play two shows in each city, one big concert (like the one tonight) where the fogey-ish masses can get their fix of oldies, and a second show at a (probably smaller) venue (maybe Irving Plaza, for example) where they play the new album in its entirety plus a sampling of post-1995 songs for us real fans. I would go to both. 😉

Andy Shiner

This was my first time seeing the lads on foreign soil and I was glad I did. Had my repro tour shirt on from 74 and got asked by loads of people if was actually there and confirmed yes at the Newcastle Odeon.

Me and my mate Dave dropped the missuses and kids at downtown Disney and settled for a couple of pre show beers. We had both seen them at the Newcastle Arena earlier and I felt Purple are unable to attain their rapport with the fans in what is really an ice rink.

House of Blues was totally different! We made for the front of the stage clutching four Buds each. I thought Edgar was o.k but then I`m old enough to remember him from my schooldays.

Purple hit the stage and the joy and happiness coming from the band was overwhelming. I think I sang to each and every song and could hardly speak afterwards.

We were so happy that we were going to Clearwater as well but we were overruled by our better halves.
All in all one of the best concerts I`ve seen this line up do and the atmosphere was as good as Jons final show at Newcastle City Hall. Can`t wait to see them again but please not the dreaded Arena.

Bri Cizakowsky

See all of Daniele Purrone’s photos.

House of blues in Atlantic City is quite a small place which is perfect for a great intimate atmosphere. Me and my friends had golden circle seats in the second row right in front of the stage. However, as soon as Purple hit the stage with Pictures of home a bunch of people (myself included) rushed the stage.

The security people were really nice and did not try to force people back in their seats. I took a spot right in front of Roger and Ian Paice and spent the rest of the concert singing, jumping, waving my hands and having a jolly good time. And what a good time it was!

Within the first few moments of “Pictures of Home” I managed to shake hands with big Ian and make eye contact with Roger during his bass solo. The band was firing on all cylinders and I was savouring the magic of the moment. And it was truly magic!

I have been to many great concerts so far – both front middle and back rows, but the Deep Purple concert at the House of Blues was hands down the best experience of the lot. Half way through the show I got a pick from Roger. Then during “Lazy” for the first and last time during the show Steve walked to our side of the stage and I got a pick from him too!!! I was ecstatic! …

I love every member of the current line up, but being a drummer I have a soft spot for Ian Paice – who is naturally a huge inspiration and influence for me. At the end of the main set I did my best to shout and wave at Ian to throw me a drum stick – I managed to catch his attention and he threw one towards me, but missed by a small margin and the guy to my right caught it before I could. The friends I was with were so disappointed with that, but I told them not to worry.

Deep Purple came for an encore and played great version of “The Battle Rages On” and “Hush” and then … well, again I waved frenetically and once again Ian saw me. This time his throw was spot on and the drum stick was mine! I could not believe my luck … two days later and I still can’t believe my luck. How can any other concert top this one? It will be hard – very hard … probably impossible. I feel so lucky and grateful for having had a chance to see my favorite band in such an intimate environment and get away with a pick from Roger and Steve a drum stick from my favorite drummer and a few hand shakes with Ian Gillan.

As far as the sound went, being in front of Roger and little Ian I heard plenty of bass, good amount of drums, and satisfactory amount of keyboards and guitar. However, Ian Gillan could barely be heard. But this was to be expected being right against the stage. For a good sound mix I could have gone further back, but this was my fifth time seeing Deep Purple and I was more content with feeling the thrill of being right in front of the band than sitting back doing the critical listening. My dad however, had seats further back and he said that the mix where he was standing was perfect and that Ian Gillan in particular was in top form.

Big thanks to Deep Purple for such a magical night.

The set list was:
Pictures of Home
Things I Never Said
Into The Fire
Strange Kind of Woman
(The first four songs above really went right into each other)
Rapture Of The Deep
Woman From Tokyo
Guitar solo (short)/
Well Dressed Guitar
Knocking At Your Back Door
Lazy
Keyboard solo
Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin’
Highway Star
Smoke On The Water
The Battle Rages On
Hush

Niksa Blonder

See all of Daniel Purrone’s photos.

Always a thrill to see the band in my hometown of Atlantic City, and had a great time with my older brother warming up at the Bar at the HOB. Last Purple show we saw together was reunion tour in ’84. I’ve lost count but I believe this was my 21st Purple show, and about 15th of the Morse era, and it was very enjoyable, especially at such an intimate venue packed with Purple fans.

They hit the stage at exactly 9:00 p.m. and raced through a blistering set in 1:40. I wish they played a bit longer, but to their credit, they played non stop through out, with virtually no between song banter, and with an energy that kept the crowd on their feet through out.

Set list was the same as recent shows in Boston and Connecticut. Big Ian was in pretty good shape vocally. Always better to see them after a night off in that regard. Found it interesting that Steve began playing The Beatles “Blackbird”, then broke into “Smoke” immediately. Was expecting another run of famous riffs that didn’t happen.

That said, the musicianship through out was tight and energetic as always in recent years. Both my most enjoyable and disappointing moment were provided by Ian Paice. One of the advantages of a smaller room is the opportunity to watch him and see just how incredible he is. However, as I have said before, an Ian Paice solo should be just as big a part of a Deep Purple show as a Gillan scream, a guitar solo or keyboard solo. There was nothing close to it.

That said, thanks to the band for another great show, and hoping to make Radio City Tuesday.

Eric A. Eisenstein

See all of Daniele Purrone’s photos.

As I was unable to attend the St. Louis show, it was up to my brother Jim (a.k.a. “JJ”) to check out Deep Purple in Atlantic City. He has no internet connection, so I decided to relay the events of the night in his stead.

The plan was to get Ian Gillan to autograph a picture of Ian Gillan and myself taken during a solo tour last year, but after the show, “everyone rushed the stage” and it was impossible to get near enough. “No way. There were people everywhere.”

Jim described the opening act as a sort of “Eddie and the Cruisers” type band–possibly a house band that appeared to be locally well-known–that kept giving thanks to DP for allowing them to open up, but in the end, they did a Led Zeppelin song as the closer. Jim wasn’t sure if that was a slap in the face or an oversight–or what. He told me the opening band had a drummer that was playing way, way too fast as if to show up–or show off to–Ian Paice. JJ described the playing as a sort of Yngwie Malsteen on drums.

DP was of course LOUD. According to JJ, Roger Glover was the stand-out and that the bass was thundering. “He didn’t miss a beat,” Jim told me, and added that “Roger Glover looks like he’s in really good shape and he looked like he had the best time.” Glover and Morse did the “Judas Priest” thing, rocking the guitar necks back and forth in unison.

The venue was packed. The audience was mostly older people with some younger fans interspersed, but everyone seemed to be familiar with the songs, singing along with the old classics. The reunion-era songs got a lot of applause–almost as much as the older classics–but the newer stuff wasn’t as well-known despite some people knowing those word-for-word as well.

Regarding the mix, Jim thought the other members drowned out Ian Gillan. JJ concluded that had the level been set at the same setting as the opening act, “It would have been just about perfect.”

The main concern was the inability to see Ian Paice, who was too far off to the side. Don Airey, Ian Gillan and Steve Morse were most visible. Room on the stage appeared to be a problem. I asked if Paicey was on a drum riser, and the answer was that he was not. Airey was center-stage from Jim’s viewpoint.

Meanwhile, Ian Gillan like to put the wireless mic into his back pocket and go off to get a tambourine, or sometimes putting it back with a, “Heck with it!” motion and just strut around the stage.

This was Jim’s first DP concert from the Morse-era. He had seen the Blackmore/Reunion line-up three times in the 1980s. I’d seen the Morse version twice, and I was interested to know what he thought of Blackmore’s replacement. His reaction was that Steve Morse was a very good guitarist, injecting his own style into the songs without trying to be a Blackmore clone, but there was none of the Blackmore-style theatrics.

Regarding the newest member, he said, “There could be no other replacement for Jon Lord than Don Airey.” Jim noticed the band appeared to give the two “new” members (I had to remind my brother that Steve Morse has been around for some 12 years or so) a lot of leeway to make them feel comfortable.

“I was not disappointed,” he said.

As a side note, Deep Purple should have stopped by Kansas City. Over 1,600 guitarists (and probably twice that many people in the stands) came to break the world record for the most guitarists playing in unison. The song? “Smoke on the Water.”

Although the record would (barely) be broken a few weeks later in Stuttgart, the American fans in the midwest deserved some kind of acknowledgement. The feat went unnoticed. An appearance would have gone a long way to alleviate some of the frustration Purple has had with gaining more of an American audience. An important PR opportunity was missed.

Jim Wickman – ghost written by Troy Wickman

Great show at the Bank of America Pavilion on the Harbor on Tuesday night. The weather was perfect and the band was as well. Not a bad crowd for a Tuesday, and as usual around here, it takes two songs in and the crowd is warmed up.

Sitting in the 7th row dead center, I had some of the best seats in the house (or tent, if you like) so believe me when I tell you; the amps were turned up, the set list was superb, and the band was smiling and looking like they were having a good time, I know I did.

What a treat to hear “The Battle Rages On” – NICE! And an excellent solo by Steve, with some cool Zeppelin and Skynyrd licks.

Like Ian said – “See You Next Time”.

Denise ‘Mugsy’ Harte

London, Ontario: It’s been a long wait since first listening to Deep Purple on the Machine Head album but it was worth it hearing them live for the first time.

At an outdoor concert venue on the Thames River surrounded by huge trees, Deep Purple exploded on to the stage playing Pictures of Home. It was very loud but no distortion at all. Awesome!!

The only trouble of the night was when amps blew three times on the first few Purple songs. Singer Ian Gillan would get a couple of lines in and then his power would go. Afterward he thanked the crowd for their “vibes,” which “really mean a lot to us.”

From the 3rd song on with no more technical problems, Purple played fantastic. I believe it was the same set list as the St. Louis concert. Every song had the very large crowd of 10,500+ fans getting right into it.

Next to being there and actually hearing my favourite group, it was great to see how much fun the 5 guys were having on stage. When you watch the Copenhagen 1972 concert and the Perihelion DVD, they seem to be having the same great time performing for their fans. That’s what it’s all about.

Thanks for the fantastic show, Deep Purple! Hope you’re back to Rock the Park in 2008!

Brad Grimwood

Boston: Once again I had the pleasure of seeing Deep Purple on tour. I’ve lost count of how many shows I’ve been to but each one has been amazing.

This time I brought my 17 year old daughter and four of her friends along. Setlist is the same as previous reviews so I’ll skip that.

I also should mention that BOC played a great set. Lots of guitar solos and they really got the crowd going. As for Purple, they were superb! I sometimes wonder when the years will catch up with them but so far it hasn’t happened.

This was the best Purple show I’ve seen since the Abandon tour. The whole band played their guts out. It was so cool to hear Into the Fire, one of my favorite Purple riffs. Steve Morse has brought so much to this band. He adds his own style but still the band is Deep Purple.

Same for Don. His keyboard solo was amazing. Ian introduced him as “the unnerving Don Airey” and that he was. The Hammond sound filled the air and it was so cool to hear the classic Moog synth. He played a mix of blues, classical and a little Star Wars thrown in too. I can’t say I love his intro to Hush but the rest of the song was great.

Roger Glover looked fit and well like Roger. It always makes me smile to see him do the head banging thing with Steve.

Ian Gillan, what can I say about Ian. He really sings his heart out. His voice still cuts through the mix and there is no mistaking that voice. I have to admit that each time I’ve seen them his voice loses a little of the power it had but it’s still better than during the House of Blue Light tour. I like his approach to it all. He doesn’t tread carefully around, he just charges ahead and gives all he has. He still can do the guitar, vocal duet although not quite as high or powerful as he used to.

Ian Paice surprised me. In the previous couple of tours he didn’t seem to do the really quick fills and other nice touches that set him apart. This time was different. He really seemed fired up!

Space Trucking, Highway Star and really most all of the set was the Ian that played on Machine Head and Burn. He even played a short solo during Hush which included the one handed roll. Steve’s solo spot was cool too. He played Contact Lost a little differently. There was a bit of an edge toward the end.

Then it was Well Dressed Guitar. It was fun to watch the teenagers jaws drop during that one! As a unit they were unmistakably Deep Purple. They actually seemed a bit looser and willing to take a few chances. I liked the change. It was also the first time I heard “Things I Never Said” It goes over very well live.

It really was a fantastic show from a fantastic band! Guess it’s obvious but I really have a great deal of respect for these guys. They still rock with attitude. If you get the chance, go see them. They are truly unique. You only have to listen to some of the many tribute bands to know there is only one Deep Purple. No one else sounds like them and no one ever will.

Frank Fitzgerald

Quebec: Having seen DP over 50 times from MK II onwards I like most of us reading this, never ever regret seeing one of the greatest bands of all time in concert whenever the opportunity presents itself. A 3 hour drive is not a bother when a DP concert is at hand!

It has been quite a treat to see either Deep Purple or Ian (Gillan’s Inn tour) 3 times in 3 years in the largely french Quebec City! Having lived most of my life in the Canadian suburb of Detroit, Michigan I have had ample opportunity to see DP play (from the old Cobo Hall to DTE in Detroit to cities close by like Kalamazoo, Chicago,and Toronto)and thought once I moved east I would lose the ability to see the band without a lot of travel….thankfully I was wrong!

After all these years and over 50 shows I have to echo the sentiments of an earlier reviewer of the current US/Canada tour that what gets me excited is and I quote Mark Bojanowski who put it best,”to show up at Purple shows to hear the one or two songs that I’ve never heard them play live as well as to hear their differing instrumental treatments of old favourites” as I have heard the big numbers many times.

I know they have to play a large selection of greatest hits to gain an audience here for of course there is no airplay of the new and excellent material or the older more obscure classics. We have been treated to “Fools, Mary Long, Bloodsucker, Not Responsible on the G.I. tour etc.” in small doses and in this current tour the addition of “The Battle Rages On” is the golden nugget that provides all the incentive a hard core fan needs to go see them! Of course I would have preferred more Purpendicular, Bananas and Rapture tracks but if you need to hear that you have to catch a European based show I have learned!

The performance was tight and the band looked like they were having fun in the small venue (a small hockey rink at the Expo site). It was not as good as the last venue, The Agora outdoor amphitheatre they played for the Banana’s tour or the intimate salon Ian played for his birthday last August close by. I recognized many in the first few rows, most who were as old or older than I was, however it was great to see a lot of young people at the show!

Like other tour dates earlier the sound was not clean, it sounded like the amplification was clipping or the speakers where overdriven. Loud yes (but that is OK and the way we like it!) but the distortion was too noticeable to enjoy Don’s or Steve’s solos.

Ian was a little low in the mix as well….all in all though a great show and as always, could have had more! Steve was on fire and Paicey treated us to a one handed drum roll ( he is still the best rock drummer..period). Into the Fire was awesome, the whole band really getting into it, this song was perfectly placed in the set list to really stoke the crowd, young and old!

Rapture was well received by the audience – makes you wonder why don’t add a few more songs from the album. The first encore TBRO (this performance was better than the one we can see on the Bombay Calling DVD) confused the youngsters… what was this they were hearing? By the end I think it got the best ovation of the night and was nicely balanced with Hush to close the show.

The T-shirts are better than some have commented on earlier although no match for the Banana’s tour paraphernalia, as Banana’s gear was the best in years and hard to beat!

Pictures of Home
Things I Never Said
Into The Fire
Strange Kind of Woman
Rapture Of The Deep
Woman From Tokyo
Knocking At Your Back Door
Lazy
Contact Lost
guitar solo
Well Dressed Guitar
Space Truckin’
keyboard solo
Perfect Strangers
Highway Star
Smoke On The Water

The Battle Rages On
Hush

Larry van’t Zelfde

The Highway Star Shop hasn’t been updated for a while. But now we have done a massive shop update. A lot of new releases from Deep Purple and related. Check this out.

Deep Purple
Deep Purple – In Rock [February 12, 2007] DVD
Deep Purple – Videobiography [February 26, 2007] DVD
Deep Purple & Friends – Platinum Collection [March 8, 2007] 2 CD
Deep Purple – Live in Montreux / In Concert With the London Symphony Orchestra (Live) [April 23, 2007] 2 CD
Deep Purple – Audiobiography [April 28, 2006] CD
Deep Purple – Live at Montreux 2006 [June 8, 2007] CD
Deep Purple – Live At Montreux 2006 [June 11, 2007] DVD
Deep Purple – Live At Montreux 2006 (HD-DVD) [July 13, 2007] DVD
Deep Purple – Live at Montreux 2006: The Complete Version [July 23, 2007] 2 CD
Deep Purple – Live In London 1974 (2 CD) [August 31, 2007] (with “Space Truckin”!!!)
Deep Purple – Live In San Diego 1974 [August 31, 2007] CD

Rainbow
Rainbow – Up Close and Personal [March 19, 2007] DVD
Rainbow – 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rainbow [May 1, 2007] CD
Rainbow – Audiobiography [August 20, 2007] CD

Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan – Highway Star – Journey in Rock (2 DVD) [April 2, 2007] DVD
Ian Gillan Band – Child In Time (Remastered) [April 9, 2007] CD
Ian Gillan Band – Live At Budokan (Remastered) [April 9, 2007] CD
Gillan – Magic (Remastered + Bonus Tracks) [April 9, 2007] CD
Ian Gillan – Smoke This!: The Warblings, Rants, Philosophies, and Musings from the Singer of Deep Purple (Book)

Glenn Hughes
Phenomena – The Complete Works (6 Bonus Tracks) [Dec 7, 2006] 3 CD (with Don Airey)
Glenn Hughes – This Time Around: An Anthology 1970-2007 [August 27, 2007] CD
Glenn Hughes – Live at the Basement [September 17, 2007] CD
Glenn Hughes – Live in Australia [September 25, 2007] DVD

Jon Lord
Paice Ashton Lord – Live [April 5, 2007] DVD (with Ian Paice)
Dear Mr. Fantasy: Featuring the Music of Jim Capaldi and Traffic (Live) [August 21, 2007] 2 CD
Jon Lord and the Hoochie-Coochie Men – Danger: White Men Dancing [October 8, 2007] CD

Don Airey
Don Airey – K2 [2004]
Gwyn Ashton – Prohibition [June 12, 2007]

Roger Glover
Gillian Glover – Red Handed [Release May 14, 2007] CD (with Don Airey)

Steve Morse
Steve Morse – Power Lines (1990) [July 26, 2007] DVD

Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner – Second Hand Life [April 20, 2007] CD

Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani – Surfing With The Alien – Legacy Edition (CD + DVD) [August 3, 2007]

Tommy Bolin
Tommy Bolin – Whips And Roses 2 [September 22, 2006] CD

You can always find the New and Upcoming Releases here.

We would also like to say a big thanks to all of you who buy stuff in our shop. It keeps The Highway Star running. Read more here.

Here is a classic album from the 70’s. Now on CD.
Funky Junction play a tribute to Deep Purple (with Phil Lynott, Eric Bell and Brian Downey from Thin Lizzy)

You can buy it here.

Here you can read our special about the album.