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Back In The City Of Churches

Entertainment Centre

Adelaide

Australia

The boys back in town to play a great piece. Have been a great follower from a far, back from 72ish, when i saw them in Melbourne in the Blackmore era.
Steve Morse is a legend , as with Airey, the rest of the lads unbeleivable to pump out the energy. Have seen them in every format of personnel.
Seen them at the Royal Albert Hall Great concert last night, but they seem to get lost in solo projects. Where was Highway Star… Woman from Tokyo… Anyone’s Daughter.. When a Blind Man Cries, to mention a few. I’m an avid follower, but missed a few classics.



27 Comments to “Back In The City Of Churches”:

  1. 1
    mamakiponrokin says:

    how was the crowd ? the venue fully packed ?

  2. 2
    Buttockss says:

    Anyone’s daughter live “awsome” just can’t see anyone playing guitar on that except ritchie.

  3. 3
    Finn says:

    Ritchie is THE guitar player in Purple. After so many years it’s still not the same, except that they still play 99% Blackmores song. Must be strange for the GREAT Steve Morse.

  4. 4
    LRT says:

    That’s hilarious, why not more cut out for the country boy? What did Ritchie do with it live that anyone else can’t? Give me a break! Personally I don’t see why play it either, except that since they got back on the road all steam seems lost already now. Lack of energy? Some mention of it in the dressing room by a fan? Whatever!

  5. 5
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    Actually Buttocks

    Steve Morse had already been doing it at the beginning of his tenor with Purple. Satriani did also during his short stint. Not one of my favorite tracks by any means. Actually my least favorite by far. Love the lyrics, just dislike the tune. That will be my QUE to either head to the lue or the bar…..
    Hope they drop it and replace it wit something more formidable like “SUN GOES DOWN”!!!!

    Here is a Satriani version…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwzbSHjEMvk

    Here is a Morse version (I was there)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_6YY0cUeUA

    CheerZ?!

  6. 6
    Svante Axbacke says:

    People, read again:

    “WHERE WAS Highway Star… Woman from Tokyo… Anyone’s Daughter.. When a Blind Man Cries, to mention a few.”

    They didn’t play those songs.

    But if they had played Anyone’s Daughter, I agree with LRT above. What did Ritchie do with that song that was so special? Steve is the country player, he should do it justice. 🙂

  7. 7
    HardRockPete says:

    What I don’t understand is this…. Why can’t some “fans” accept the fact that Blackmore is gone??? He left back in late 1993 because he didn’t want Gillan back in the band unlike the rest of the boys, and he left by his own free will. He wasn’t pushed, sacked or forced out, he LEFT!! They continued, and of course the band changed when they hired new members (just like they did in the past). I’m just happy that I’m able to enjoy ALL versions of the band, even though I’m a Blackmore fanatic, and to be honest- I can’t wait for the new record to arrive. The current line up is HOT, and do great justice to the Purple legacy! Morse may not be everyones cup of tea, but give the man a chance. He’s different from Blackmore, and IMO that’s what makes him interesting. What if they choose to go with a Blackmore copy instead, like Malmsteen (even though he’s a shredder)? Now, where would the band be today with someone like him??? When Blackmore left they asked for a different guitarist, and they got what they wanted. Morse is completely different from Blackmore, both as a musician and a personality, and that’s what the band needed at the time. Even though I love Blackmore, I still love the current band. They’re just amazingly GREAT, and the new record will be equally GREAT 😉

  8. 8
    Phil says:

    Auckland playlist was as follows:
    Fireball
    Into the fire
    Hard lovin man
    Maybe I’m a Leo
    Strange kind of woman
    Battle rages on
    Wasted sunsets
    Well dressed guitar
    The mule
    Lazy
    No one came
    Perfect strangers
    Space truckin
    Smoke on the Water

    Encore
    Hush
    Black night

    Couldn’t fault the show. Highlight was The mule. Didn’t want that song to end although Paicey might have something to say about that. His solo was absolutely brilliant. Roger’s solo was also great.. Don’t think many there would have heard a bass solo like that before. No problems with Ian’s voice while Steve & Don’s solos fit just perfectly into the mix. After seeing Journey open for them, there was no comparison between the two bands. Deep Purple were in a league of their own.
    One song I think they do need to drop is Wasted sunsets. It appears to be out of place with the other songs & is not suited to being played live. I felt the band struggled with it.
    Having said that, I have seen Purple in NZ a number of times and I would rate this show the best. Long may it continue.
    Only 52 sleeps ’till April 26. Bring it on
    Cheers
    Phil

  9. 9
    Hard Rock Pete says:

    @ 7….Bravo….regards, HRP the 1st. (I think) First post 1997. from Australia.

  10. 10
    cpt.hook1971 says:

    i’m surprised by the Down Under set list!
    “In Rock” represented by Black Night, Hard Lovin’ Man and Into The Fire – not playing Speed King! (well, Child In Time days are gone.)
    “Fireball” by the title track, a fine return of The Mule, No One Came and Stange Kind Of Woman! four tracks in one gig – quite unusual.
    “Machine Head” – the usual suspects: S.O.T.W., Lazy, Space Truckin’ and… surprise: Maybe I’m A Leo. (leaving Highway Star unplayed!) this could only be topped by performing Never Before… 🙂
    “Who Do We…” – no single track performed!!!
    well, it’s nice to see them changing the set list with some surprises, like Wasted Sunsets. but why do they reduce themselves as an oldi band???
    the only mark 7/8 tracks are the instrumentals!!!!!!
    what’s wrong with the other tracks???
    please, play more mark 7/8 tracks!
    some of them are really classics on their own!
    cheers.

  11. 11
    Rajaseudun Rampe says:

    What a distracting setlist. Only one song (which is actually not even a song) younger than 20 years. I am not saying that those old songs are not good enough; they may be brilliant songs, but anyways: this is worrying; is this just oldies but goldies kind of tour? Not even a single track from one of their musically most advanced albums Purpendicular. Vast majority of the set is more than 40 years old stuff. This is crazy, a massive lapse of the reason.

    1968: Hush
    1970: Into the Fire; Hard Lovin Man; Black Night
    1971: Fireball; The Mule; No One Came; Strange Kind of Woman
    1972: Maybe I’m a Leo; Smoke on the Water; Lazy; Space Truckin
    1984: Perfect Strangers; Wasted Sunsets
    1993: Battle rages on
    + Well dressed (guitar solo)

  12. 12
    MacGregor says:

    HardRockPete@7 – I think it is more to do with people craving the old school guitar players, especially when they are in their element, meaning, where they originated from when there was that certain magic produced! Sure, some people don’t accept different lineups, & some do accept them, it’s black & white, yin & yang, where you have one thing, you will always have the opposite! Having said that, people are entitled to their opinions, some like it, some don’t, the same again! One thing I have noticed over the 4 decades or so of rock music, it is near impossible to replace both the lead guitarist & or the lead vocalist from a hugely successful rock band! It sort of can work, but at the same time, it sort of doesn’t work! Their are many examples I could mention, but what for?
    Regarding that set list from Rhil @ 8 – Auckland, that is 99% MK2, How does Steve Morse really feel about playing so much material from an earlier version of the band, after all this time? It does make you wonder. Sheeesh, maybe that could be one of a few reasons some people get annoyed at the modern Purple, constantly playing too much older material. But then again, if you didn’t play the so called ‘hits’ or ‘favourites’ some people would comment on that! And so on & on & on it goes……….It will end one day soon, we can be sure of that! This is the last throw of the dice for all of the remnant classic bands, that are still cranking out some rock n roll! Get it while you can folks, & I will be there in Brisbane in late April, getting it from another ‘old school’ favourite band Black Sabbath! I am really looking forward to Osbourne singing the older Sabbath songs. When Dio, God bless him, sang them years ago when I attended a Sabbath gig, it just didn’t sound right! The last throw of the dice & as Father time repeatedly tells us, time waits for one! Cheers!

  13. 13
    Purpleray says:

    I totally agree with HardRockPete. I could have written it myself.

  14. 14
    Greg says:

    Best DP concert I’ve been to (Adelaide March 5th), seen 4 others but they appeared fresh and raring to go.
    Great intro with the first 5 tracks back to back, and as mentioned before Journey sounded just like a wall of sound. The clarity of the DP sound was very obvious, you heard every note played.
    And it was good to hear Don Airey, previous concerts he has been down in the mix, but this time he was much more prominent.
    And 4 rows from the front, you could hear Steve’s pick strumming the strings as the sound went out over the PA during his quiet solo, just wonderful.
    Loved Into the Fire and Hard Lovin Man, Wasted Sunsets was good too, as was Knocking at your Backdoor.
    Similar set to Auckland, no Battle Rages On though.

    More Roger solos this time, good to hear, and the band appeared to be having a good time.
    Ian was enjoying swapping the lyrics around as sang to us, and he reminded 1 guy that he that they had already sung that song and that he was drunk. Laughs all round.

    11/10 guys, they were that good, A must see if they are coming to a town near you.

    BTW I’m not listening to any music at present because I don’t want to lose the sound Steve soloing in Into the Fire and Hard Loving Man

    Great night, can’t wait for the next tour and songs from the new album

  15. 15
    Ted The Mechanic says:

    HardRockPete,

    With countless comments on this board for many years about Ritchie and Steve, you sum it up as well as I’ve read. Very objective. And refreshing coming from someone whose favo(u)rite banjo player is Ritchie.

    Long live Ritchie Blackmore :>
    Long live Steve Morse :>

    By the way, Steve’s country playing is frighteningly amazing. He is on record with some heavyweight Nashville cats including the UK’s great Sir Albert Lee.

    Peace,
    Ted

  16. 16
    Rajaseudun Rampe says:

    This must be Deep Purple’s Ritchie Blackmore Tribute Tour. The whole setlist is written by R. Blackmore. Are they missing the Man in Black this much? IMO they have great new guitar player, the young guy from Kansas. Why don’t they give him any respect? Straighten up oldsters! Forget the medieval banjo player! Scrabble Purpendicular, dig up Rapture!

  17. 17
    purplepriest1965 says:

    12

    Honest.
    I still think we all would have been so much happier if they had had the gutz to do more Morse era.
    When they had opted for, like some other bands do with good results, different tours plus setlists.

    WHY NOT?!

    I t has been discussed many times and why would they change now?

    This is it, people.

  18. 18
    Wildtrooper says:

    @16 Those songs were actually written by the whole band. Ritchie wrote the riffs and probably most of the chord structures. Roger and Ian wrote the lyrics and melodies, which in publishing terms; are the songs. Ritchie was absolutely the catylist on these songs however, but to call them RB songs; just as calling Stargazer an RB song is just not correct.

    @ 5, Tracy…Thanks for the Satch and Morse links, hadn’t heard them play this before. However, they just reinforce how they are struggling to play the opening “picked” guitar lines on “Anyones Daughter”. what made Ritchie’s way of playing it so beautifully was his ability to pluck all of the notes with such consistent pressure, sensitivity and panache. The way he bends the final note of the phrase into the next “picked” phrase is just one of the reasons that he is such a revered and influential guitar player. Joe and Steve are brilliant players too of course 🙂

  19. 19
    MacGregor says:

    Talking old school guitarists, Alvin Lee has unexpectedly passed away! Man, there will be none of those greats left shortly, RIP!

  20. 20
    gr8gonzo says:

    Wow – so many diverse views here. I saw them in Melbourne last week and enjoyed what the show. Ive seen every Aussie tour since 1984 – this was one of their best. They looked fresh and sharp. I was a little surprised that there was no Morse era material ( frankly I could do without anything from Bananas), but there were a few things I’d never heard live before. Hard Loving Man is an old, old fave. It was nice to hear Steve pay credit to the solo nailing probably the first 12 bars before doing his own thing. I thought Wasted Sunsets worked well – its a great guitar vehicle and allowed Steve to stretch out a bit.

    I guess many people go to see a band churn out their “greatest hits” and are disappointed when they dont get them. I get the feeling that most of the crowd enjoyed what was played and were not as fickle as many crowds are inclined to be. And they appreciated the level of musicianship on display.

    A friend of mine will not go and see them without Blackmore. He has no idea what he’s missing out on. So many people are so narrow-minded about this and need to get over it. He’s long, long gone and will never come back. Steve Morse is an extraordinarily talented musician and has bought fresh sounds and a different direction to the band. Dont get me wrong – it was this band, and Blackmore in particular, that inspired me to pick up the guitar 40 years ago. He is still my greatest influence. But time and people move on. Just enjoy what we still have. Could always be worse – I hope like hell there is never a Led Zep reunion of any kind…

    Back to my beer.

  21. 21
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    gr8gonzo @ 20:

    Nice entry and quite dead on. You nailed it. Unfortunately as for your disdain towards a LZ reunion, according to Classic Rock Magazine Robert Plant has made some positive remarks about being interested in a Re-union in 2014…..sorry bro.

    CheerZ?!

  22. 22
    MacGregor says:

    Tracy @ 21 – The Robert Plant sarcastic remark to having ‘free time in 2014’ was in reply to the bimbo Aussie reporter on the proverbial ‘reunion’ question. A question that no doubt riles Plant as it is repeated by journalists or reporters again & again & again…………….The same inane question that haunted David Gilmour for a Pink Floyd ‘reunion’, following the 2005 live 8 appearance!
    Obviously they keep getting asked this as they are the two biggest rock bands, period! And also the low life financial reasons that go with this sort of ‘renuon’ & these woeful reporters attempting to report or ‘suck up’ to these rock bands as well!
    It is great they don’t do it & with Richard Wright passing in 2008 it cannot happen anyway with the Floyd.
    When I say it is good it doesn’t happen, I don’t mean that from the angle gr8gonzo @ 20 – is coming from! Floyd & Zep are awesome to say the least! I wonder about gr8gonzo feeling ok about Deep Purple doing a greatest hits package, but not Led Zeppelin? Unless of course there is no liking for the Zep, which it sounds like indeed! Oh well, onward we march!

  23. 23
    gr8gonzo says:

    Ok I’ll come clean. I dont like Zep at all. Period. No good reason, just personal taste. I know this will seem sacrilegious to many but I always thought Bonham was a pedestrian drummer, Page was / is a sloppy guitarist and Plants voice grated. I feel that page is a much better acoustic player than electric; I just find many of his solos go nowhere and are average. Yes he was a good producer and writer (although I’m led to believe that JPJ played a large part in many arrangements) but lets face it – what has he or the band done in the past 25 years? Like I said – this is all my humble opinion.

    I prefer to look at the body of work from what – 1968? to the present. Both bands (throw in Sabbath as well) started in that heady period when rules were being broken, hard rock was being invented and would become an inspiration for many on this forum. Some embraced all the bands, others gravitated towards a single band that seemed to speak to them in some intangible way. It was Purple for me – the musicianship, songs, production, aggression. Blackmore was more inventive and technically an excellent player, not to mention his ability to pull out riff after riff. Combine that with a screaming B3, tight rhythm section and Gillans vocals and that was the package for me. That they are still touring and recording today is an amazing feat. Conversely Zep pulled up stumps in the late 70s and have for whatever reasons have not done anything since. Their legend has grown over time; its pretty easy to sit back and bask in the glow of ones past achievements. Ever seen Song remains the same? Thats some pretty crappy performance.

    Many bands are a sum of their parts – take away one member and its rarely the same. Its happened with Purple but to their credit they have embraced change and moved on. So should we.

    Out of beer, gin and tonic is looking good.

  24. 24
    MacGregor says:

    gr8gonzo @ 23 – Yes, we like what we like. But for myself I grew up with the big 3, Purple, Sabbath & Zeppelin. I like them each for their individual thing. Page is an average lead player as is Pete Townshend, but man can they riff, especially Page. Both are writers of classic rock anthems. Iommi & Page are the riff maestro’s! Also Zeppelin to me mixed it up more, acoustic, blues, rock & eastern influences as well! Purple, great classical blues rock, wonderful improvisation from Blackmore & Lord! Sabbath, great riifs with wonderful songs, some people I know like Sabbath more than the other two because of the songs! Different lineups in any band over an extended period of time mixes it up as well, different musicians bring in their feel to a line up! Sabbath also had that, as did Jethro Tull & Yes & King Crimson! Many incarnations, much more diversity! Zeppelin ceased when Bonham passed away, fair call if they didn’t want to carry on, or at least Plant, as he was a close friend of Bonham’s. But seriously, Bonham a pedestrian drummer? Sheesh! Re: “Their legend has grown over time; its pretty easy to sit back and bask in the glow of ones past achievements. Ever seen Song remains the same? Thats some pretty crappy performance”. Ones past achievements are worthy enough, so why not be proud of that? RE: the crappy performance, every time an artist is recorded live in concert there is a risk as to what quality of performance will be on tape! Each night is different, sure the Song Remains The Same is dated, but it still has it’s moments! I have seen ‘crappy’ performances from all of my favourite bands over time, it happens, but I have seen awesome performance also! Cheers.

  25. 25
    purplepriest1965 says:

    24

    I ve been collection a lot of bootlegrecordings of Zeppelin .

    I can assure you there’s so much more of worth than Song Remains The Same!!!

    For example : check out : Chasing The Dragon.
    A lot of the boots are soundboards and sound awesome : )

    Dallas, Texas, 1975.

  26. 26
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    Not so #22,

    He was being quite quaint, clear and hinting. His schedule is wide open in 2014 he said. He’s fishing. That was obvious even to the most casual observer….

    CheerZ?!

  27. 27
    gr8gonzo says:

    Hey guys – different strokes – it makes the world go round. Love Jethro Tull and so many other great British bands of that era. How about the criminally underrate Be Bop Deluxe? Bill Nelson wrote some lovely eccentric music and is one of my favourite player. But all one persons opinion – no right or wrong. Yes I do find Bonhams playing pedestrian. Give me Moon or Paice any day. I have an old cd called Nobodys Perfect – that has some less than average playing on it. I have no need or desire to track down any other Zep stuff coz it doesnt do it for me. End of the day these arguments are pointless – everyone has their own opinion that is neither correct nor incorrect.

    Im now hang out to hear some of the new material… Im hoping Bob Ezrin has worked a littlwe of his magic.

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