St. Petersburg, 7.04.2000, Jubileyniy Sport Palace

They are on the road since 23.03, and every day I look on this site and try to find any review. Where are they? I don't believe that there is no Internet in Japan...
So, it is my second DP concert. You can read my review of the first (23.11.98). I wrote there - "More smoke on the Russia!" It is unbelievable, but they are here again!
Show was planned on 19.00, and I get to Jubileyniy at 18.30. And what I've heard?! "Organizers excuses, but due to technical problems show will take place at 21.00. Don't worry, it will take place in any case".
So, about an hour I was frozen outside, then at 19.30 get inside and about 20.45 I finally get to stage. And the stage was full of roadies, they were there till 22.00!!! What a FUCKING 3 hours! And what's a "technical problems"?

Next day I've heard from my friend that he saw on TV news - the band had problems in Helsinki with their luggage in airport. They showed the band in St. Petersburg airport with very disappointed and gloomy faces and said that they are going to the concert right from airport. But what it was really I don't know, maybe someone will tell us in his review.

So, about the show. The hall was sold out, about 10000 as it seems to me. Deep Purple are very popular in Russia and always get a very hot crowd here. I'm not sure in the order of songs, but the set list is:

WOMAN FROM TOKYO
PICTURES OF HOME
BLOODSUCKER
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE SCREAMING
'69
SMOKE ON THE WATER
FOOLS
BLACK NIGHT
WATCHING THE SKY
PERFECT STRANGERS
ANY FULE KNO THAT
WHEN A BLIND MAN CRIES
SPEED KING
LAZY
HIGHWAY STAR

First of all Gillan pointed at his head with cut off long hair. Then Woman from Tokyo and during those 5 minutes I forgot about lousy 3 hours of waiting. It was very inspired show as it seemed to me and the set list was different from my first DP show, it was exciting to hear "Fools" never played live before, "'69" that is one of my favorites on "Abandon", a fantastic "When a blind man cries" and "Sometimes I feel like screaming" and a bunch of old greatest hits. Steve Morse was very high in the mix and he was the main star of the show, he filled a lot of improvisation places, much more than Lord and Gillan. Sometimes it seemed to me that I'm at the show of Steve Morse Band. I like Steve very much, but it seems to me that every year he gets more important place in the band and I'm afraid that Deep Purple will become Steve Morse accompaniators. I remember the times when Deep Purple became Rainbow (accompaniators for Blackmore). The group is my favorite band since 1988, when I was 14 years old and it is my personal feelings - Deep Purple must be a mechanism of 5 equal parts. At that time, the band has got all it's power.
I liked the show very much! Thanks for Deep Purple for making gigs in Russia and I hope that they will return after release of new album with absolutely new program.

Big purple fan,
Konstantin Gorlov

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