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

Magic night!

The Swedish papers reviewed the concert with "finally the stiffness has left the body". The criticism being that DP is just another travelling jukebox, like Beach Boys etc.

This night was really full of sparkling magic. In this parking place in the Helsingborg harbour, with a stiff western wind on the neck, I enjoyed one of the best concerts of my life.

I´m so old I´ve seen Steppenwolf live and have been to a lot of concerts, but this one was top of them all. A mature Gillan (reviews depict him as a mixture of Bobby Ewing and diverse middle-aged Swedish politicians) with a surprisingly vital voice and a band of such competence I´ve still got goose-bumps just thinking about it.

They also played "Mary Long". Seldom heard. I liked this guitarist Morse. He´s more extravagant than Blackmore but I think it´s really more fitting concerning the bands new dynamic.

Don Airey as a stand-in for Jon Lord is very good. He makes that organ steam and huff like it should and can also give a personal touch to it without having to be macho about it.

The basement (Paice/Glover) have of course grown into experts by now. They also have more space and their performance is SO GOOD!

Enjoy!

Jan Tornberg


[ reviews | the highway star ]