![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/gillan9.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/airey2.jpg)
Gillan dazzled in Erfurt
I was surprised by this very emotional gig last night in Erfurt. The absolutely great support act Gotthard made the Messehalle turn into a ring of fire. Perfect show and great sound!
After about an hour of wonderful Rock’n’Roll Deep Purple entered the stage. And while several people in the crowd where transported to the outside because of sickness and other struggles, Ian G. seemed to be 99 years old.
I was really scared as he tried very often to put the microphone back in the mic-stand – always failing to grab it, he was also little tumbling. He looked very thin, and a little ill (touching his belly several times). Sometimes he seemed a little confused and the band was quite strained by the situation.
At the beginning he wasn’t really in shape but his singing was getting better and better and at the end of the show he was back in vital form – dancing, screaming, smiling.
After all it was a great show, good setlist (I don’t remember the complete setlist, maybe someone else adds that) and I love the video screens and light effects.
The band’s energy level was very high that night and the whole show was very exciting with lots of tempo and vitality. That’s good Purple and I’d like to see it once more (maybe with a better regenerated Gillan).
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Durrrr!!!! Its called an act you retard!!! He does that at every show (pretends to not find the mic stand, and also pretends to lose the mic when he puts it in his back pocket!! Its what is known in polite circles as a gag (probably lost on germans!!!!)) Jesus, some of you people really make me lose faith in the human race!! Surely you can see thats not for real, no?!!!
November 6th, 2008 at 00:04But then if you thought gotthard were good, then really your opinion means nothing haha!!
Do you really have to respond in such a manner? its pretty obvious he didn’t know it was a gag and was genuinely concerned.
Its people like YOU that make me lose faith in the human race!
November 6th, 2008 at 12:16As much I like to read fan pages, I´m getting increasingly sickened by these attitudes projected by the so-called diehards who (at least pretend to) know everything and thus act rudely and arrogantly towards everyone else. These people are the reason I have never considered myself a “fan” tho´ I´ve been listening to Purple and many other good old bands for over 35 years now. Don´t you really think you could grow up and act like grown-ups should?
November 6th, 2008 at 13:31I must confess that I really like Gotthard’s music too ;-))
November 6th, 2008 at 13:31I can only agree with Andy.
November 6th, 2008 at 13:44People like Dave Smith should be banned from the website for being so deliberately offensive (if that were technically possible). I couldn’t believe my eyes when reading those insolent lines.
Dave, if you have a problem with real Purple fans who are not as smart as YOU obviously think you are in all matters purple, just keep it to yourself and stop polluting the atmosphere among readers of thehighwaystar.com.
I think I’d better refrain from commenting on your other problem with Germans.
I can never ‘agree’ with Andy Mumford, but this one time he is right.
November 6th, 2008 at 16:30But the reviewer certainly was confused and then some, but he should have rather been humored than insulted, at least that would be more constructive.
I was in Erfurt too and all of my friends noticed, the “mic-stand thing” was a gag…
November 6th, 2008 at 20:04I saw Ian G. in a great form ! His voice sounds fantastic !! cheers
Crimson Ghost…I am not Andy Mumford but thanks for agreeing with me 🙂
November 6th, 2008 at 21:06Dave Smith: Get lost – big time!
November 6th, 2008 at 21:44One thing is for sure
The days that IG said ….Call me fat and I ll rip your spine out! ….are long gone.
Always wondered OW he lost all that weight over the years after being clearly unhealthy fat.
I think he always practiced swimming in the past
Did he skip that altogether and jumped to running or does he do both or…..?
Did he change his diet or did he drink less?
I empathize a lot cause I m having the same problem for years, losing and gaining weight again and again.
The last time I REALLY lost weight very fast was when I had a broken heart.
Wish I had been glad with the loss of weight but I did not quite appreciate that espescially cause it went VERY VERY fast in the end.
Quite scary
After that I had to force myself into eating again and……you guessed it……found my appetite again…….and since I gained too much again
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!
My name is not Professor PIG and I hate Mathemathics.
November 6th, 2008 at 23:46is this a blog??????? yes?????? so everyone can say (TOUT ET N’IMPORTE QUOI) In french this means everyone is free to say anything he likes. cheers and long live DP.
November 7th, 2008 at 04:35…yes we all should have oportunity to say our oponions and should be able to pick up right words.I just wanna say to Dave that I have seen couple of Purple gigs,in last 2 years in CZ,SK and UA and I did not notice Ian pretending like an old man,loosing mic and so on…..So I do not think he does it at every show.
November 7th, 2008 at 07:58Maybe he just had one too many sips before the show!!!
November 7th, 2008 at 15:36Come on Dave and others, Gillan is a true class vocalist. But everyday is not our day, so something we don’t expected might be came up along the line…
As I have read many reviews (positive and negative) about Gillan old age days performance, I must conclude that he is real professional, gentleman, down to earth, and give everything he have to Deep Purple fans even if he is in a little bit worse condition.
Again, how can 63 years old still cranking up and toured all over the place while many of his mates have a nice day with some tea and breads in a shaky chairs with long brown stick in their hands? As I know, Judas Priest, Coverdale, Dickinson, Still, Clapton, Dio, Plant(slow song not rock), or other oldies never have a very busy regular tour dates as Deep Purple has over the years (since 1994). Can you imagine Gillan has been trying over the years to keep his voice on the line after worst moment in 80’s and keep himself healthy?? Bob Dylan is an exception but he always sang out of tune and the tracks can even sung by a little child.
The question is, will he still stable in voice terms on his 65th, 67th, or even 70th. God only knows, but I’m always wonder….
November 7th, 2008 at 15:38who cares what really people think, purple still rocks , bit harsh there dave.
November 7th, 2008 at 15:52If I am able to do my job as well as Ian does his when I’m 63, I’ll be extremely happy!
November 7th, 2008 at 18:25Bin ein “Neuer” ,es war ein total cooles Erlebnis-hat jemand die Setliste von Erfurt parat?
November 7th, 2008 at 20:32Well said, Anssi #3.
November 7th, 2008 at 22:04The diving certificate Ian has, took five years of scuba in the Caymens and I believe the gulf of Mexico and some other waters to obtain, it would make the saddest shape very happy, trust me.
Anssi, you’re no different than those you complain about, or you’d shut your trap! – [sic!] – for those who understand the retraction approach, that is.
Bottom like is, the reviewer prevails by the wind up he obviously made an effort to achieve… I’d say he succeeded, but anyone who thinks he was doing anything but that, needs to relax and see it for what it is, a very contradicting but intentionally insulting, yet back handed complimentary review.
November 7th, 2008 at 22:24Anssi #3 and andresihotang #14, thank you for your balanced comments and being very much on the money. And T (#18), thanks for your good use of time management with adding the number of the post to save precious seconds in finding the counterpart opinion! I was playing pool, and drinking beer, and when I got home, my time, or lack thereof, was said precious! :>
November 8th, 2008 at 00:22Gotthard,huh…….cheese metal?????
November 8th, 2008 at 04:30@andresihotang
Come on, Gillan isn’t a good singer anymore. He lost his voice in 1973 and did never full recover it. Thats truth. But you mentioned dickinson. Man, Maiden played about 180 gigs a year from 1982 – 1989 and from then about 80-100 gigs a year. I think thats more than DP did. And he nowdays sings a lot better than in the 80s. So its not the tourin shedule of deep purple that destroyed gillans voice. I think they should end it very soon! Its the time. We don’t need another Morse album.
November 8th, 2008 at 18:40to SEVEN-47 #16
weel said..in future I hope the same about me..
November 9th, 2008 at 12:26Gillan rips the spine out!
Great!
to SEVEN-47 #16
well said..in future I hope the same about me..
November 9th, 2008 at 12:26Gillan rips the spine out!
Great!
If Gillan some nghts lose his voice is not a problem,the problem is if he lost ‘definately’ his voice…
November 9th, 2008 at 14:20Hey friends, does anyone came to the idea that Gillan might be sick or something… After Rick Wright lost I’ pretty scared when I see somebody who lost that much weight…
November 9th, 2008 at 16:42to alex: hi “Neuer” 😉
the setlist/Erfurt 11.04.2008:
pictures of home
things i never said
into the fire
strange kind of woman
rapture of the deep
wrong man
contact lost
steve solo
the well dressed guitar
knocking at your backdoor
sometimes i feel like screaming
wring that neck
battle rages on
don solo
perfect strangers
space trucking
highway star
smoke on the water
speed king
hush
black night
cheers – joe
November 9th, 2008 at 16:56http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SiSZ2Kajg
Clip of pictures of home. Includes the mic-stand-joke from IG
November 9th, 2008 at 19:49Oh, what an extended set list. Wonder how they play speed king? It’s great to read knocking at you back door played again.
This must be two hour and more concert. Great!
November 9th, 2008 at 23:29@ JOE
November 10th, 2008 at 11:48ICH DANKE DIR SEHR!!!!
The Frankfurt show sounds amazing, Gillan shined throughout the night… win some, lose some I guess, but I also heard the contrary from someone who was at Efurt who said when she talked to him he wasn’t feeling well but he sang just fine that night.
November 10th, 2008 at 16:00i like that set list now throw in some Anya Castle full of rascals and a lil whatsername and we got a deal
child in time ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
November 12th, 2008 at 03:49Yes Patrick, maybe they could play child in time with the second and third high -pitched screamed vocals just done by a backtape. I’m sure people and especially the audience will very understand this, as Gillan couldn’t do it like in his heydays.
Child in time might still good even Gillan just singing the verse and the first ‘reff’- I love the melancholic part of this song – but Steve Morse solo here with the band is what we want to see.
November 14th, 2008 at 07:53im very confident gillan can do child in time ….. i mean … he doesent have to scream at 10000000 desables any more just do the best that he can and every-1 will be happy
November 14th, 2008 at 17:15Come on!!!!!!!!!!
I dont want them to do a QUEENIE plus Rodgers
Can it get more emberassing
November 18th, 2008 at 22:21Wait till he’s dead before your superimpose his voice……………Jesus!!
Are you for real!!!
November 19th, 2008 at 09:46