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

Rotterdam-Ahoy 12-10-'98 review

Rotterdam Ahoy 12-10-'98

Well what can I say that hasn't been said before. It was great, superb.

From the moment that Saxon kicked of with "Dogs of War" it was party time for me. I've been following these guys in their hungry daze (up until the Crusader album) but never seen them live. Biff Byford tried his best (and used his worst language) to get people moving but only when they played some classics like 20.000 ft , 747 (strangers in the night), Power and the Glory and Wheels of Steel people moved a little.

It's like Biff said: "It's a great audience that makes a great band, not the other way around". Well they diserved more but maybe their audience isn't found among a DP concert crowd.

At 21:15 DP kicked of with Ted. And it was great, right away. Joy, fire and light splashed from the stage right away.
The rest of the setlist in random order:
SKOW
Bloodsucker (Nice introduction Mr. Gillan)
Pictures of home
Almost human
WFT
Fingers to the bone
Watching the sky
Any fool
SOTW
Lazy
Perfect strangers
Speed King (Introduced as a "Heathrow ballad", great fun)

and the encores
Black Night (!!!!!!)
Highway Star

It was our dream playlist of the night and they played it. Thanks guys for FTTB and BN. It was a surprise and a treat.

Well, I can tell you about the magnificent battles between Mr. Lord and Mr. Morse or about Mr. Glover having a hell of a lot of fun on stage, but you know all that by now.

There are four things that I do want to share:

Number one: I think Ian's voice is going down again. After reading so many great reports about it I was expecting a lot but already started doubting when I read the Peter Severein revieuw. It wasn't great this night and Ian barely spoke in between the songs (saving strength?) I hope, for Ian's sake , he isn't coming down with a cold or something with Wembley coming up.

Number two: For Godsake, can those people who throw things or start Boo-ing in the middle of the slow (but oh so beautiful) solo of Steve, please go to a Sepultura concert next time. Deep Purple is for music lovers you idiots.

Number three: Sound was dangerously close to overload, many of the screams that did work I could not hear. Not being the first one to complain about the sound, maybe it's time for a change there.

Number four: Please let's stop with that Ritchie/Steve bull. Let's just hope that this magnificent line-up gives at least 10 more studio-albums and tours to go with them. This being my first DP concert (he shamefully admitted) I've got a lot of catching up to do.

Go see them!!

Harrie Hendriksen


[ reviews | the highway star ]