[ d e e p P u r . p l e ) The Highway Star

Rotterdam review 30th October 2000

For the sixth time since the 1980's Deep Purple performed a great gig in Rotterdam (Ahoy). It was the first time with a symphony orchestra: George Enescu Philharmonic with Paul Mann as the British conductor. The concert started at exactly 8 pm. It wasn't completely sold out, but it wasn't as empty as on their Abandon tour.

It opened with a speech by Jon Lord, who introduced Marco de Goeij, the guy who recreated the "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" a few years ago (which was lost). Besides the orchestra and Deep Purple there were The Kick Horns, 3 female singers (introduced by Gillan as the Backstreet Girls), Miller Anderson and Ronnie James Dio. The complete setlist is put at the end. Many things from the double CD with the London Symphony Orchestra were played.

The things we missed were the second movement from the "Concerto" and Sam Brown's ("Wait A While"), besides songs like "Child In Time" and "Strange Kind Of Woman" for the people who expected those songs. They played over two hours with a very versatile show with some surprises such as "Fools", "When A Blind Man Cries", "Perfect Strangers" and the Kinks-classic "You Really Got Me" (originally with Jon Lord on piano in 1964!)

Set list: "Pictured Within" (from 1998 Jon Lord CD "Pictured Within")
"Sitting In A Dream" (from 1975 Roger Glover album "The Butterfly Ball")
"Love Is All" (number one smash hit in Holland, also from "The Butterfly Ball")
"Rainbow In The Dark" (British hitsingle from Dio's debut album "Holy Diver")
"Fever Dreams" (from Dio's new album "Magica")
"Wring That Neck" (from 1969 album "The Book Of Taliesyn")
"Fools" (from 1971 album "Fireball")
"When A Blind Man Cries" (B-side 1972 single "Never Before")
"Vavoom, Ted The Mechanic" (from 1996 album "Purpendicular")
"Well Dressed Guitar" (new instrumental written by Steve Morse)
"Pictures Of Home" (from 1972 album "Machine Head")
"Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" (from 1996 album "Purpendicular")
"You Really Got Me" (1964 Kinks single)
"Concerto For Group And Orchestra-First Movement" (from 1969)
"Concerto - Third Movement" (from 1969, including drum solo)
"Perfect Strangers" (from 1984 album "Perfect Strangers")
"Smoke On The Water" (from 1972 album "Machine Head") including guitar pieces from famous rock songs as "Heartbreaker" and "Stairway To Heaven".

Martin den Ridder


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