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North America 2

Smirnoff Music Centre, Dallas, TX, USA
Aug 29, 2004

A great show by the mighty Deep Purple on a beautiful and unusually comfortable (not muggy and hot as Hades!) August night in Texas.
What's with the tribute band? A group calling itself Thin Lizzy did a set of Phil Lynott tunes. It was great to hear songs like Bad Reputation and Suicide live, but come on fellas. I mean really! Phillip's been dead for 18+ years and Lizzy died with him. The only thing the set really did was make me realize how much I still miss both. We still remember ya, Phil.
Joe Satriani was better but something of a mixed bag. Tuneful and spirited on his more melodic songs and a little tedious on others. Played his own material though. Cool! By the way, changeover time between the John Sykes Band and Joe Satriani was pretty short so if you can't bear to miss a single note be quick in getting that beer!
Okay enough of the opening band gripes! Purple was everything I expected and more!
The band was incredibly tight but they made it seem absolutely effortless. They also seemed to be having the time of their lives and all five guys wore silly grins all night. Gillan was in excellent form and repeatedly thanked us in the crowd for our enthusiasm and appreciation. He looks like he's in the best shape he's been in since the 80s. Steve played impeccably, true to his own style but very careful to add the riffs, flourishes, and details that make classic Purple tunes sound right. Paicey's groove was solid as a rock the whole night. Roger was locked in and played all the intricate bass lines from the new material without hitting a clam the entire show. Don Airey fits in like a glove. He played all of Jon Lord's main licks fautlessly and added many a new one of his own. Ya gotta love a guy that follows Chopin with Star Wars in his solo piece. His interplay with Steve was particularly good this show.
Set choice was great. Like other shows on this leg of the tour the band alternated three cuts from Bananas (Silver Tounge, I Got Your Number, Bananas) with three classics (Woman From Tokyo, Strange Kind Of Woman, Knocking At Your Back Door); a great mix of old and new.
Ian Gillan gave a very simple but poignant introduction to Contact Lost and then Steve played a fantastic solo that was equal parts taste and bravado. Perfect Strangers gave way to the critical Machine Head bits which closed the set (Highway Star, Space Trucking, Smoke On The Water). No Lazy though. Oh well, can't get 'em all in there!
As they left the stage Gillan took a polite but pointed verbal swipe at a security goon abusing a punter at stage left.
The encore was a very enthusiastic reading of Speed King (Gillan can't do those screams anymore but he's still damn close) followed by Hush (complete with that famous organ solo).
Wotta show! It's so nice to still have these guys around. See this show if it's coming near you!
Rob Donavan

An excellent show. This band still amazes me!
I saw them earlier this year in San Antonio in a 2500 seat theater and was very impressed with Deep Purple for that concert. I really enjoyed the intimacy of that show while watching only 10 feet from the stage. I was not looking forward to the large open air venue sound quality and muggy, sweaty conditions of the Texas summer show in Dallas. I was pleasantly surprised by the cool weather for August. The sound was great and the band was just excellent. The crowd was on their feet throughout while Ian Gillan sang just as good as ever. This band still rocks with tremendous talent and power.
Steven Murdoch

Just arrived back in Atlanta, GA after driving with my wife to the Dallas show. It was well worth the cost and time spent traveling. I had thirrd row center stage tickets.
I had read other reviews of the set so I basically knew what to expect.Thin Lizzy were good, Joe was great, but Purple were amazing. They all had great energy and enthusiam, sounded extremely tight.
If you get the chance, you need to see this show!
Thanks Deep Purple - looking forward to the next tour.
Paul Wrzesinske