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UK reviews 2002 (rescheduled)
 

More bare feet

Like many other Purple fans, I'd ordered my ticket last November. Ten months is a long time, especially when it involves an original member retiring from the group!

Anyway, I was more than impressed with the phenomonal support group The Planets. They should be household names soon (here's hoping...).

What can I say about Deep Purple mk6 that hasn't been said by anyone else? They were simply astonishing, full of life, vigour and astounding technique (yes, Steve Morse, I'm looking at you!). I'm a guitarist, and so this incarnation of Purple is a dream come true for me, but Ian Paice and replacement keyboardist Don Airey just blew my socks off with their consumate musician-and-showman-ship. Phenomonal!

Great setlist, by the way. We had (in no particular order) Fireball, Perfect Strangers, Smoke On The Water (natch), Highway Star, newbie Well Dressed Guitar (can't wait to hear the record of that), Hush, and my particular fave When A Blind Man Cries.

Come on, people. Let's help keep the Purple flag flying for a long long time. If you missed this you missed a fantastic evening of entertainment. My ears are recovering slowly but surely...

John Gregson

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