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Gillan on a low note
The opener Blue Oyster Cult was abysmal. This was the worst band I have ever seen in 40 years of gigging. Why does a band with no fire and the talent level of a bar band have a name that has people gaga?
How can Purple accept cheers from a lame and real dumb crowd that was head over heels for a band that sang out of key, had a bad mix and was old, stale and moldy as month old bread. Deep Purple are good enough to not have whistler’s mother opening up! This was God awful.
Next Deep Purple and the start was totally heavy. Steve Morris [You probably mean Steve Morse… Rasmus] came on and was burning on guitar, he was on fire. I have met and had the luck to see him over 20 times in Purple and solo. This was Steve at his best.
Don Airey was king and now has much more rope to show of his massive musical talents. Don was raging on the keys and played like a true master.
Now, Ian Gillan this was not to be his night and this was the beginning of the end for him in Purple. He is not happy any more. How can I say that? Well, I have had the blessings to see him dialed in all the way and he was as bad as he could ever be. That is the magic of a super star vocalist like Ian. He is the greatest Rock vocalist ever and when he goes south it is not good.
Ian could not hit one high note all night long (he was pissed off and looked to be very angry with the situation) nothing from the 4th octave in the passagio. All songs that Purple played, Gillan would not even be able to get close to the highest note in the tune so he would let Steve or Don fill. What else can you do when your vocal mix, vocal range and his ugly shirt were not working for him at all? Now is time for him to leave this Deep Purple joke behind him.
Last year for the Gillan’s Inn gig at the HOB in Anaheim, Ian was the King he was so happy he bounced up and down all night long. He sang with a gold plated voice, hit all high notes. Blew my friend away who first saw DP in 1968 and he played and studied drums with Cobham and Bellson.
Why play in Deep Purple and not be happy? Is it for more money, for his ego, for more fame that is lame? Now is the time for a new Gillan solo and part 2 of what has not been finished from the 80’s.
We are sick of a Deep Purple show almost all songs at moderate tempo cut version of Space Truckin’. They do jam these mid tempo tunes but the set is too slow from the lagging down tempo tunes. This is not fun as a long time Deep Purple fan.
Tommy Bolin with Deep Purple was much better. If Ian thinks this is as better than the other line ups at the top of there game he is fooling and lying to himself! It’s just another lie!
Well, I played $20.00 for a scalp ticket and was I happy to not pay full boat for this large disappointment. Boy am I looking forward to Uli Roth Sky Academy next week at Music institute in Holly Weed.
All the best and hope the needed changes will be made.
Jason Halvorsen
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing