From sommar@sophocles.algonet.se
Date: 29 JUN 1996 21:41:25 -0400 
From: Erland Sommarskog <sommar@sophocles.algonet.se> 
Newsgroups: rec.music.reviews, rec.music.misc, alt.music.deep-purple 
Subject: Deep Purple in Stockholm, June 27th 

Deep Purple played tonight on Östermalms IP, a small sportsground, somewhat oversized for the audience, but that didn't matter. When you're in the ground you don't see the empty space, and the stands selling hot dogs, beer and other refreshment gave the place a nice athmosphere.

Opening were Smokie, a band that I never paid much attention in their heydays, and their set made it clear that I didn't miss anything. But let's be fair with Smokie. They were very nice and happy chaps, with a good deal of humour and did least of all take themselves seriously. However, their music is too much music hall for my taste.

But while musically much lighter and blander than Deep Purple, there still is a link between the two bands, and that link is precisely the atmosphere on stage. Smokie had a good time on stage, and Deep Purple had a good time on stage, and not the least with each other. Far were the days when Ritchie was in his corner, and God save Gillan if he were to enter that zone.

Lots of reviews have already been posted to alt.music.deep-purple from the ongoing tour, but this is yet another one. Purposely I have not read all of those interviews, because I like to be surprised, and indeed I got a few of them.

They opened with "Fireball" (quoting "Into the Fire" at the end) and this was maybe the least inspired number of the show. One is immediately struck by the fact that Ian Gillan is fat. And, to be honest, Ian was maybe the weakest of the five this night. His singing was flawless, but he seemed to need a lot of concentration to get the notes right, and he would have been more to his right, if he had been a bit relaxed.

Next was "Vavoom: Ted the Mechanic", and this one rocked much better. It was followed by good versions of "Pictures of Home" and "Black Night". Then were was a quiet introduction with guitar and organ which prompted some people to bring up their lighters. But maybe these poor souls didn't know what they were to get, namely the hard rocking "Cascades: I'm not Your Lover", which leaped into a solo performance of one of tonight's two heroes: Steve Morse. The first part of his solo was quiet, with swaying tones, very nice, although I was disturbed by some drunken guy a few metres away, but that is what you get on a rock show.

Next song was "Sometimes I Feel Like Screamin'", which opened with Steve and Roger on acoustic guitars. A nice variation, and one of these changes that have come in the band with Steve Morse's replacement of Ritchie Blackmore. But this number had another big surprise: suddenly I find Roger Glover and Steve Morse singing backup on the chorus line! Must also be the first time with Gillan on the stage that someone else is singing too. OK, I knew that Roger can sing well, as evidenced on his 1984 album "Mask", but Steve Morse! Dixie Dregs were mainly instrumental, and when they had vocals, they either had session musicians or the drummer who took the vocals.

They carried on with a good version of "Woman From Tokyo" and then my personal favourite Purple tune: "No One Came", but judging from the audience's reaction that one was a bit unknown. Next song was introduced as "this is not an Italian ballad", and Steve kept us guessing playing some amazing finger-tapping with his *left* hand, before he burst into rock'n'roll's most well-known riff: "Smoke on the Water". As they came towards the end, and we were waiting for the two final notes, but it never came. Instead the second hero for tonight was left alone on the stage, nonetheless than Jon Lord. He started on the organ, but then went over to the piano where played some quite hilarous variation over a well- known theme - yes, the number was still "Smoke on the Water". Later the others joined, and Steve played quite and gentle notes to Jon's soft keyboards, and eventually "I'm a Blind Man Cries" materialized.

The last number before the encore was introduced as an Italian ballad (where did Ian get all this about Italian ballads from?), but that was "Speed King". While is not my favourite song, this performance was great. It included a section where Steve and Jon played alternate solos, of shorter and shorter sequences. Standing close to each other and laughing all the time. And that was not the single occassion. Overall, there was no doubt that this was a band of five guys that get along very well together.

They came out for the encore, and Jon showed Ian G three fingers, which he subsequently showed for the others. Evidently that meant three extra numbers. Jon started to play some familiar organ chords, then looked and Ian Paice trying to recall the next note. Then he made a gesture "Ah, that's the way it goes", and con- tinued to play the intro of "Perfect Strangers". And thought I had seen Roger saying on alt.music.deep-purple that they wouldn't doing any songs from the reunion albums save for "Purpendicular"!

The encore closed with "Hey Cisco", which again had Morse and Glover on backup vocals, and finally "Highway Star".

Again, it must be said: what was maybe the best of this show, was the apparent joy these five guys had from being on stage together. And the sense of humour they showed. But of course they also showed solid musicianship, and I can't but help to hold one before the other: Steve Morse. With exception of maybe "Highway Star" he didn't pretend to be Ritchie Blackmore, and of course why should he? Historically Blackmore's sound is has been an integral part of Deep Purple. But Steve Morse is overall a more complete guitarist and composer. And the two are very different personalities. As I'm well familiar with his works in Dixie Dregs etc, I knew he was good, yet his solid performance was stunning.

Erland Sommarskog, Stockholm, sommar@algonet.se

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