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The last band standing

Ian Gillan and Simon McBride; Atlantic City, August 30, 2024; Photo: Yoko Shimamoto

Another review of the November 6th London gig, this time courtesy of Brighton and Hove News:

Cometh the hour, cometh the band. After an introductory blast of ‘Mars’ from ‘The Planets Suite’ by Gustav Holst, Deep Purple take the stage and go straight into the classic ‘Highway Star’. Guitarist Simon McBride impresses from the off. I’d heard good reports about him. I’m pleased that they appear to be accurate. Ian Paice isn’t using a drum riser, which is very unusual. We’re given an early warning that tonight isn’t going to be a nostalgia fest by the second song ‘A Bit On The Side’, which is from the current album ‘=1’. However, Purple have such an illustrious back catalogue that it clearly can’t be ignored, so we get ‘Into The Fire’ from 1970’s ‘Deep Purple In Rock’ album third song in. Ian Gillan is in fine voice. Obviously he doesn’t sound like he did in his twenties. The screams aren’t quite so high as back then, but his voice is still strong and his pitch is excellent.

Read more in Brighton and Hove News.



17 Comments to “The last band standing”:

  1. 1
    Uwe Hornung says:

    Alles ist gut.

  2. 2
    Uwe Hornung says:

    I love that bespectacled Ian is NOT using a drum riser. Always thought that cool and nonchalant.

    Ian and Roger have been playing together for half a century – I don‘t think they need eye contact anymore to know/anticipate what the other guy is doing, but both of them on the “ground floor“ shows a nice communal spirit. Paicey sits in the music rather than above and behind it.

  3. 3
    John says:

    Just how big is Paicey’s drum set there, anyway? LOL!

  4. 4
    Ted The Mechanic says:

    Uwe@ 1,

    Yes. And alles ist gut, or will be, here in The US beginning last Tuesday, November 5th!

    No need for me to sprint through my Portable Door. ;>

    Peace,
    Ted

  5. 5
    Uwe Hornung says:

    Don’t believe the rumors, John, SIZE DOES MATTER !!!

  6. 6
    MacGregor says:

    Ha ha ha, yes Don Airey looks like he is keeping an eye on that drum kit, especially that bass drum as it lurks ever so close & looms even larger.

  7. 7
    Uwe Hornung says:

    Ted the Republican @4: While I can‘t share them, I‘m happy for your feelings! And there is one good thing about it: It was democracy at work with a clearcut result and all the “the electoral system is rigged against us”-mythology is now forever debunked. That’s good for the peace of mind of the whole country.

  8. 8
    Karin Verndal says:

    Guys, what does this mean:
    “Ian Paice isn’t using a drum riser, which is very unusual.”

  9. 9
    John says:

    @3 & 5, what’s this, another John? How is this possible? Maybe I’ll have to change my spelling to Jon, or Johnny.
    Yes, IP & RG are definitely a finely tuned unit, in perfect step with one another. It’s all about the timing, dont’cha know!.

  10. 10
    Svante Axbacke says:

    @8: If you look at most drummers, they are elevated a bit above the rest of the band. Paice is on the floor, at the same levels as the other guys.

    Here is a picture from 1993, notice that Paicey is up on a riser here:

    https://media.gettyimages.com/id/566776143/photo/deep-purple-performing-at-brixton-academy-london-britain-1993-deep-purple-ian-gillan-jon-lord.jpg?s=612×612&w=gi&k=20&c=_gi4TIJ0evCSC5akdXgNR9qgi0xgQK50UYntIiFXqXg=

    Having the drum set straight on the floor is how he was placed back in the 70’s. And of course, it’s one thing less for the crew to setup, giving his tech time to do social media for the band. 🙂

  11. 11
    Karin Verndal says:

    @10
    Thanks Svante 😊
    It’s as simple as that then! Ok I thought – well I don’t know what I was imagining but not that 😄

  12. 12
    Max says:

    Now here is a drum riser for you, Karin … 😉

    https://www.metaldaze.eu/2016/06/dio-live-in-amsterdam-1983.html

  13. 13
    Uwe Hornung says:

    We can’t have more than one John really, this is oppressive and getting out of hand! I recommend John I, John II or collectively ‘Johns Gang”.

    Karin, I am sure that our learned percussionist Svante wanted to add that the drums flat on the stage floor is still and has always been the way most jazz artists do it. I think it has something to do with improvisational communication which Little Ian probably does more than some drummer six feet high on a riser banging away to an in-ear click track and raising his snare hand up into the air with every beat. I can’t stand that type of “Tommy Lee”-drumming (though he was one of the better instrumentalists in Mötley Crüe whenever his adult home video experiments let him).

  14. 14
    Uwe Hornung says:

    “It’s as simple as that then!”

    Karin, when a man explains things, then the whole world in all its intricacies unfolds as simple and logical! 😇

  15. 15
    Uwe Hornung says:

    Both Johns @9: I’m only trying to be selflessly helpful here as I usually aspire to be, but would it be an idea to differentiate you two better by the appropriate John adding “GACUYWITE30s” to his first name? It’s kinda descriptive I guess.

    [GACUYWITE30s of course stands for – you pretty much knew it – ‘good-at-chatting-up-young-women-in-their-early-30s’]

    👴📣👩👩‍🦰👩‍🦱👩‍🦳👱‍♀️💃

  16. 16
    Karin Verndal says:

    @12
    Yeah ok, thanks 😊
    And yet another silly question: is that really smart? To place the drums so up high?
    I mean isn’t it essential for players in a band to have some kind of non-verbal communication between them?
    And for Dio, who certainly wasn’t that tall, it must have been completely impossible.
    I’m just asking because all the videos I have seen of DP’s concerts, I find a lot of nods, smiles, laughs even (mostly when R.B. did something nasty and Ian G somehow gave him back) but also in friendly ways when Steve Morse started in the band. And now with SMcB there’s a lot of friendly banter 😊

  17. 17
    Karin Verndal says:

    @13
    Aarh, your comment came up after I send that one to Max!
    But thanks, you answered my question inadvertently 😊

    @14
    Yes, you’re completely right there my German friend! And do you know why mansplayning always shows up so simple??
    (I’ll be GLAD to tell ya 😄)

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