Asbury Park 12/8/96

     The Asbury Park show was the fifth show of the US tour for me, and also marked the final date of the Purpendicular world tour. The show was at the Paramount Theater, an older venue that just recently reopened. Wild T & The Spirit as well as a third band opened the show.

     Tonight's show was amazing! It seemed right from the start that the band was on fire. Ian Gillan was in the best mood I have seen him in on the whole tour. Maybe it was the beers we bought him the night before?! They once again left out Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming, but the setlist was otherwise the same.

     The downside to the show was the audience, who remained seated for the whole show until the encore. During No One Came, someone threw a pair of goofy 3D glasses on stage which Gillan wore for a verse before throwing them back at the guy! Ian mentioned several times that it was the final night of the tour, and thanked the crew for a year on the road.

     Ian's voice was excellent, and the band's solos for Speed King were the best of the whole tour. It was a great way to end the tour.

     Once again, thanks to Colin Hart we had backstage passes. There wasn't much going on due to the band leaving for home straight from the show. T.M. Stevens was there, as well as Ritchie's guitar tech, James. We went outside just as the band was leaving and spoke with both Ian's and Roger. As Ian Gillan was signing autographs people kept calling out his name as if he was leaving. Ian told everyone he wasn't going anywhere until everything was signed. It was great.

     We watched as the band's van pulled away from the theater - the tour was over. Thanks to everyone we had hung out with for the past few days - it was great company. Big thanks to Damien DeSimone and Pete Dickinson as well as Colin Hart for all his help.

Brendan Johnston

[ reviews home ]