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Something spiritual in Uruguay
After a few days the details of the concert slip away. Just can´t recall if Morse played a Zep. riff (which he did) or if Airey played the imperial march (which he did)… Who cares if they played Thing´s I never Said (wonderful song) or if Ian Gillan “ghosttravelled” the stage during Rapture Of The Deep?
But one thing can be said, the feeling´s still there, ringing in the back of my brain, in my stomach.
It was my fourth time seeing this amazing group of friends who play music as they smile and laugh joking with each other. We are allowed for a few moments to be part of the magic. And we are gratefull, you can bet!
When we arrived at the Outdoor venue (Velodromo, cycle track) Rey Toro were at their best in one of the highlights of their carreers anyone would guess. There we went to form in line outside with hundreds of other fans…
“Years and years of waiting…” said one man on his 50´s just behind me. Fathers with their sons and daughters, even grandfathers and little kids… From hard edge heavy metal fans with their long hairs and Iron Maiden t shirts, to whole families. Everyone were in great mood and spirit. Most of the people there had never seen DP live, and a lot of them had been waiting for this dream to come true for a long time.
I don´t know how many people was there, maybe 6 or 7-8 thousand… Minutes before the show it was raining, Deep Purple made the clouds go away!
Form in line, show the ticket (that would be later signed by Gillan and Glover back at the Hotel!!! pictures included!) and make our way to the seats, seats that would never be used! we and everybody else never touched them. This was no Concerto (which I loved to see comfortably seated a few years ago), this was a Rock and Roll show, rock and roll and chairs don´t match!
Lights off… heart pounding. That feeling again! fourth time seeing Purple and it´s always there…
Pictures of Home, pa na nanana nanana na naaa, naaa nanana nanananananaaaaa and we lost it. Dont´ask me for a set list. From Fireball to Wrong Man, from Perfect Strangers to When a Blind Man Cries, and a song from In Rock, my memories blur in the mist of complete joy.
The band was SUPERB (Gillan dixit) and the Uruguayans responded accordingly. Solos included, Deep Purple stamped a grin in everybodys faces!
As usual, the band were always smiling, enjoing the show as much as we did. Gillan saluted the young ones and not so young who streched their anatomies to shake his hand.
Flawless show, even when Ian gave his throat a rough treatment! haha. Morse left everybody who was asking “so who´s playing the guitar?” with their jaw in their knees.
Technically flawless as i said, but Purple is not that. Purple is a smile in Ian´s face and fans. Purple is all about enjoing. Screaming Smoke on the water to the top of our lungs…
Black Night came, and the show ended leaving us breathless and as you know “…it´s hard to breathe when something spiritual has taken place.”
Juan Obes
P.S.
Later I had the chance to meet Roger and Ian… They were so kind that I didn´t want to bother Ian Paice who walked down to a local restaurant for a beer. I just looked in awe as members of my favorite band enjoyed themselves in the summer night of Montevideo.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing