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Below Par at The O2
Date: 2011-11-30
: o2
: London
: United Kingdom
Having watched the band perform since Mk III in 74 through Knebworth and many times since (see reviews of Paris, London & Cardiff) I really had a lot of expectation of the fusion once again of Rock Band and Orchestra celebrating their greatest songs at the O2 in London 2011.
We had great seats but I have to say this gig whilst it had some great moments where the orchestra really works with the band such as Rapture, Perfect Strangers the mix and sound was awful at times and was obviously proving a difficult task for the sound crew. At times Ian was left low in the mix as I think he struggles with some of the classics such as Highway the opener. Unfortunately the band at times look tired and there were quite a few mistakes even from Steve (1st time I can remember) at the end of Contact lost and Don going into Perfect Strangers way early and ending up having to quickly divert.
It was nice to see the impromptu Happy Birthday from the Orchestra for Roger and the violin duel with Steve was superb. However, whilst the band are on record as saying it is difficult at times playing with an orchestra and Ian saying there are always plenty of mistakes, this show has been on the road for best part of a year. The musicianship is always solid and the performances from Ian and Roger were solid but in a huge tent they call an arena not dissimilar to an aircraft hanger I would rather see the boys playing the smaller venues with some new material! Come on we’ve waited for 5 years now and rehashing the greatest hits even with an orchestra is becoming worn out. Please get back in the studio! as I remember how fresh those new songs from rapture sounded in Paris!
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I tend to disagree, with Dave Bonner that they were below par and looking tired …. My son and I had seats in the Superbreak box which is high up and to one side. The sound up there was gpretty good and not as loud as I anticipated. I though the set was good and the orchestra worked hard and blended in very successefully.
I have seen Deep Purple since 1969 and most of the different line ups. Granted I hadn’t seen them live since the world tour in 1985 (I just happened to be in Cincinnati on 12th March 1985 and had a front row seat ) so I was really looking forward to his one and thought overall it was pretty good.
At the end we sat drinking with a couple of other people who were in the box with us – they had never seen purple live before and were both over the moon and thought that it was a really great performance.
A couple of my office colleague also attended and had seats down in the main arena pretty near the front and they also thought it was a really good gig (and one of them is a sold out Whitesnake/Maiden fan who had also never seen Purple!)
So to all the fans out there I know you can’t please everyone but dont believe that this was a below par gig – more than a few fans went away very happy. – ( If I have one complaint it was the lack of a tour guide /program!)
December 1st, 2011 at 21:14Interesting how opinions do vary. I don’t share any of the points this reviewer makes. Oh well lets see if more opinions come in!
December 1st, 2011 at 21:22I agree with David (1) were these last concerts are just the same setlists with really not much change. I really sick of hearing the same songs. With a catalog as large as theirs, they can mix some songs up. Ian says he won’t sing other singers songs. What about Hush? Their are Mark III an IV songs Ian could sing. Ian G. has been getting less friendly with the fans. This next tour with special packages to meet and greet some of the band, but not Ian G. I thing it is ubsured. I had the best time of my life backstage with all 5 members with just my wife and friend back in 2004, Banans Tour. We spent almost an hour with them and how great that was. Roger, Paicey, and Don were good old down to earth people. WE NEED A NEW ALBUM! Re-hashing the old stuff is getting old. Don sounds more like Jon Lord than Morse like Blackmore. And the solo stuff Morse plays before Smoke On The Water is CRAP. If he wants to play bits of songs, there are plenty of riffs of Deep Purple stuff instead of Hendrix, Guns and Roses, Led Zepplin and Lynard Skinard. I’m afraid that health reason will get in the way of a new album. Please someone agree with me.
December 1st, 2011 at 22:21A tremendous concert – the orchestra really complimented the band (and they all were having such a great time). I have seen almost every Purple London in the last 10 years and this was special. I don’t recall ever having seen them perform Hard Loving Man and Don got the organ sound perfectly. Likewise Rapture of the Deep was outstanding with orchestral backing. Knocking at Your Back Door was another highlight.
Given that this tour made no pretence at offering new material, I’ve no complaints – merely that we are keenly anticipating the forthcoming album.
December 1st, 2011 at 22:50Shame this is up as a review on a DP site – everyone entitled to their own opinion but I’d like to wager an overwhelming majority of the O2 audience loved it – certainly the 6 people I took with me to see their first DP gig did (as I did too). My review below:
Deep Purple O2 Gig Review – 30th December 2011
“Just about as close to perfection as a gig could be”
First words for the support band Cheap Trick. I thought they did a stellar show and provided good entertainment. They also reminded you of some songs from the past that you’d forgotten that you knew and a great cover of The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour. I might even be persuaded to get a greatest hits album. Of course, you don’t really want the support to blow the main act off the stage – that would be a bit of an anti-climax – but good as they were they couldn’t do that to the mighty Purps.
First thing to say was that from where I was sitting the quality of the sound fantastic – clear and undistorted an opinion also shared in this review – http://www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/deep-purple-o2-arena. A lot of Rush fans were quite negative about the O2 acoustics so credit to the DP sound mixers/band.
I’ve only seen Deep Purple once before (LG Arena November 2009) and I have to say that the orchestra did make for a markedly different experience, regardless of criticisms of that are made of the ‘same-old’ set list in some quarters.
The orchestra were a superb compliment to the band making a fuller and heavier sound and adding a spine tingling quality to songs such as Knocking at Your Back Door and Perfect Strangers. Occasionally I’ve seen reviews suggesting that the orchestra was drowned out by the ‘sonic boom’ of the band, but that wasn’t my experience at the O2. The violin solo by the conductor on Lazy was another stand-out original component.
Deep Purple were also at the top of their game I thought – although that’s the norm. Ian Gillan’s voice seemed in better shape than in Birmingham 2 years ago and in my opinion gave lie to the view that he needs to retire Space Truckin and Highway Star – which were both highlights for me. I loved Steve and Don’s playing/solos and Roger’s and Ian’s short solo pieces were also excellent.
As I expected the top tier was not open (but it’s very tastefully covered with a curtain so you almost don’t realise it’s there) – I expected that because I didn’t see any original Level 4 tickets for sale from any agents prior to the show, which doesn’t of course explain the mystery of the handful of Level 4 tickets that were supposedly available on reseller sites. Using TicketMaster’s interactive map, I counted a capacity of 10,331 in the used area of the arena and I’d estimate that there were 10,000 present – so the floor and lower tier was as close to full as makes no difference. Of course, it rankles a little bit that lesser acts can shift more tickets but Deep Purple’s longevity and frequent tours maybe contributes to this. Anyway, the atmosphere was excellent and in other contexts 10,000 is a good crowd.
I went with six other people to the Gig (ages 20-50) none who had seen Deep Purple live before. I don’t know how representative these ‘virgins’ are at a Deep Purple concert but it does perhaps explain why so many truly classic songs stay in the set list for so long and most of us I suspect have our favourite classics we’d be disappointed not to hear. Just for the record on the set list though, since I saw them 2 years ago time out went – Not responsible, Wasted Sunsets, Fireball, Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming, Wring that Neck, The Battle Rages on. In came – Hard Lovin Man, Maybe I’m a Leo, When a Blind Man Cries, Knocking at Your Back Door, Perfect Strangers and Green Onions. So
December 1st, 2011 at 23:09Just saw this and felt that is more my experience.
http://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/t16267
Cheers
December 1st, 2011 at 23:20@3
You are obviously off the mark entirely… (Just read the MAJORITY). But in all your gibberish here, I will address your complaint about the ‘Riff Parade”. It’s relatively simple really….it’s supposed to emulate a radio being changed through stations looking for a particular song. Along the way, various other songs (Riffs) are touched upon while searching for that particular tune in question….AH, SMOKE ON THE WATER. That’s the one….
Get it now? Dude, they already play all the Purple Radio hits in their set. Your request would be pointless…just like the rest of your post.
Cheers
December 2nd, 2011 at 06:20Maybe I’m a Leo, why do you think Morse play those riffs before SOTW??? Because he wants to show the audiences that the Smoke riff belongs up there with those other classic riffs. He salutes the Smoke riff that way. I’m surprised that not all DP fans has got that by now.
December 2nd, 2011 at 07:12A full house in the O2 arena has justified my previous recommendation to DP that they they should tour less but play in big venues. I just can’t believe how the guy are still standing and IG hasn’t lost his voice completely with that extensive touring. There are guys half their age and can’t cope with a calender that extensive. Have a break guys and chill out on a hot Caribbean island and do a chilled out album just like’ Bananas’ which was and still sound great. The future is still bright for DP they just need to make sure their fans are getting their money’s worth when they hear them gigging.
December 2nd, 2011 at 09:00Sorry, but I can’t agree with Dave’s review. I was first row right in front of Glover and the mix was perfect, Gillan sounding loud and clear. I agree with him in that I heard Steve make some mistakes, and that was certainly a first!
But it was a great performance, with many great moments like Maybe I’m A Leo, No One Came, Knocking At Your Back Door, Perfect Strangers and Rapture Of The Deep. Loved Contact Lost and the contagious energy on Space Truckin’ too.
Extra points for the judicious use of the orchestra, which adds in at certain times and doesn’t play when it’s not needed, contributing wonderfully with the appropriate style and instrumentation on Strange Kind Of Woman and Lazy, for example. Personal highlight was Hard Lovin’ Man; I never thought I’d hear that one played live!
Downer of the evening was the crowd in my area which seemed as if they were sitting home having a cup of tea. They might as well just stay home and watch the dvd, they showed no enthusiasm at all until Smoke On The Water, when everyone finally stood up.
Great show, though; from where I stood, the band seemed to be having fun for sure, often joking among themselves and it contributed to making the evening all the more enjoyable. Incorporating an orchestra into the context of a hard rock band is not easy, and the results of that combination all too often range from messy to sheer trainwreck; Deep Purple are still the only active band who’s understood that there’s a difference between playing together and playing at the same time. They pulled it off brilliantly last decade and they’ve done it again.
As a final note, a BIG thumbs-down to the O2 security, who handled some of the fans with absolute violence when a handful of them wanted to get closer to the stage during Smoke. Roger witnessed it and tried to get the bouncers’ attention but to no avail, he looked well frustrated and angry about it.
December 2nd, 2011 at 09:25Seems like the London’s O2 Arena show attracted a lot of people who hadn’t ever seen DP live before. The renovated interest in the band seems great! 🙂
what about the attendance? I read two different reviews in online newspaper, one of them saying O2 was full, with 20,000 people, whilst the another saying the O2 was full with 8,000 people, as upper tier was not used.
Anyway, all of the reviews from the show (excluding this one) say that it was fantastic!
December 2nd, 2011 at 09:36I forgot to add, the third review said there were 10,000+ people. I rely on this version most, because the reviewer said, capacity of the O2 during seating arrangement and excluding upper tier is 10,331 and if the house was full, it means 10,000+ people attended it
December 2nd, 2011 at 09:39I was in the front block in the sixth row and the show was fantastic from my point of view. OK Ian didn’t talk to the crowd much between songs as I’ve seen him do many times before, but it was still a very good show. Cheap Trick the support were excellent and they did do two extra songs which is why Ian maybe had less time for chat as the show has to end at a certain time. I thought the sound was good and the mix about right, but with arena’s of this size there’s always a area where sound won’t be good. Ian has said on record that a lot of their back catalogue wouldn’t work with strings so their choice was perhaps limited. If I were to mark the show, I would give it 9 out of 10. All we need now is a new album, but if a studio visit is too much, put new songs into a live show, like Highway Star in Portsmouth in 1971 was done whcih became the opener for Machine Head. Well done lads!
December 2nd, 2011 at 12:23@Maybe I’m a Leo, how can you agree with David if you weren’t even at the gig?!
Steve Morse hasn’t played other bands’ songs as an intro for Smoke since early in the South American tour. It’s been scrapped as an intro, they now, including the O2 gig, go straight in to the song.
Also, I’d say having the orchestra constitutes a pretty big change!
I think touring schedules will get in the way of a new album, not health reasons (hopefully).
I thought the O2 show was fantastic and didn’t see or hear any of the issues raised in the original review.
It’s strange how both of the negative reviews here mention and dwell on the lack of a new album. It’s almost as if they went in to the gigs with their minds already made up, reviews already written and heard what they wanted to hear to support their agenda.
December 2nd, 2011 at 12:55My 16th time (first in1970) Agree with lot of the comments. Same old songs albeit they are and have always been great. The orchestra helped a lot and def spurred Paicey on though he clearly needs to keep things very simple with 38 players behind him. Band clearly still enjoy themselves but lets face it,how can how make fresh and hammer into Black Night /SKW /Highway Star etc when you have played these songs for nearly 40 years. Steve Morse has been in the band himself for nearly 20!!! (Def looking a bit weary now). They are my all time fav band and I enjoyed this much more than Hammersmith 2 years ago when Gillan looked ill and the band plodded. Kinda think this will be my last time though. Personally think its prob about time to call it a day although loads dates for next year already. Would be very surprised if another album came out. Would be great if they finished with a proper british tour though to say goodbye Not just 4 dates!! Sadly not gonna happen.
December 2nd, 2011 at 13:47@ 3 I agree totally.
December 2nd, 2011 at 14:32I ve got to be honest ive been saying this for a while about the new material stuff, but the concept of the Frankfurt Orchestra backing the band gave the evening in Manchester a twist……I for the first time went to the gig on my own….I know Billy No -mates hahaha but my mates just coul dnt afford it….and there s perhaps the problem the 1 st three gigs were very poorly attended….the band I think saw this hence, the grumpy old men attitude, new album ! new smaller venue tours ! its got to be or else DP will become a very boring caberet band .
December 2nd, 2011 at 14:58@3 Leo,
We’ve been through this before. We don’t want Don to sound like Jon, nor Steve like The Black Guy. They are DISTINCT INDIVIDUAL TALENTS. As for Steve’s ongoing riff raff, most, if not all, of the audiences dig it. Do yourself a favor. Go see The Dregs or SMB keeping Purple completely out of your mind. Your jaw may fracture while it hits the floor….
Peace,
Ted :>
December 2nd, 2011 at 15:13O’boy, compare (youtube) the south american dp crowds witk the british.. not favorable for the brits. He, he.
December 2nd, 2011 at 15:46Guess the age difference is 50 years or so! 😉
Just a little side discussion about cheap trick and a band they evolved from , take a look at youtube and look for a band called ‘fuse’ fuse 1969 will bring up the tracks from their only album , check out some of the vocals and they sound similar in style to early Gillan .Also check out the track “show me” very similar in style to “no one came” from fire ball , this album is quite rare and apparently disliked by the group members but I quite like it .
December 2nd, 2011 at 17:21Well . What can I say. DP at the O2 after Glasgow ,Manchester , Birmingham , could I really be bothered listening to the same old songs again??
December 2nd, 2011 at 18:33Eventually decided to go , only because my 17yr old son said he wanted to go , so bought 2 tickets off ebay 2 days before the gig.
And am I glad I did !!!!!!
I can believe any negative comments I’m reading here. Deep Purple were ..king AWESOME!!!!!
Ive seen them many times and Iv’e got to say never better. Maybe I say that after every show?
Gillans voice was strong and clear with only a couple of squeeky bits , but on the whole right on the button. SKOW superb!! The rest of the band seemed happy and relaxed and amazing as always except for Don. He always leaves me feeling a bit cold . Actually went for a wee when he was playing.
The O2 was near enough full . Tickets where still available on the day , but not many.
All in all a night to remember . Roll on the new album!!
Why is it that when somebody posts an opinion that says the Purple gig they went to wasn’t that great, it is called gibberish? Certainly when I saw them in Sheffield a few years ago they were not very good, totally blown off the stage by Styx. People have a right to an opinion, please respect that. Just look at the set list to see how many tracks they play post Ritchie Blackmore. It should be the other way round. Isn’t that what a band does to move forward? If you don’t agree with this opinion, fine. Crack on. You aren’t going to change mine.
December 2nd, 2011 at 19:48@3
There was no “riff parade” of other bands songs at O2 – not that I would have minded if there was. But then you weren’t there apparently
December 2nd, 2011 at 21:16there were not 20.000 people there? I knew it was sold out…
December 2nd, 2011 at 21:26@20 never liked cheap trick but I liked Fuse…
December 2nd, 2011 at 21:26@ 18
Jumping the bandwagon? : )
If they are those distinct individuals you suggest why dont they play a much bigger percentage of their own songs?
December 2nd, 2011 at 23:43Steve didn’t do his usual riff-raff bit, but at some point (before Black Night, if memory serves) they played a bit of Zep’s How Many More Times.
Regarding song choice, I’d welcome a tour with a main set all made up of Morse era songs, leaving a handful of classics for the encores. Won’t happen, but it’d be nice for those of us who seriously appreciate post-Blackers Purple. Purpendicular, Abandon, Bananas and Rapture: it’d be real easy to make up a 70 or 80 minute set of top-notch stuff from just those albums.
December 3rd, 2011 at 01:01Full house, or 10,000 -which is it? The photo from the stage I saw looked a hell of a lot closer to capacity than half, so one didn’t have to be there to see that. Attention to detail at the time comes to mind.
December 3rd, 2011 at 11:14@22
The subject of this thread is the London O2 gig – some on here are posting negative ‘gibberish’ comments on a gig they didn’t go to. I did go to this gig, and I’m pretty sure that the overwhelming majority found it an awesome show. My evidence for saying this – well my party of 7 all loved it, all the comments I heard on the way out of the venue were all very positive and most people commenting on the Internet seem to be of a similar view. A number suggest (me included) seem to think it might be the best gig they’ve ever been to
If 10,000 found it a great night then that is the raison d’etre for MKVIII – to give a lot of people a lot of pleasure. However, if people don’t get pleasure from DP now (or ever) that is their right but it seems a little sad to somehow try and diminish the experience of those who do
December 3rd, 2011 at 11:28Re: #7, #22
Tracy
You have often suggested that I modify my handle in a certain way. If you check #22, you will see that an impostor has hijacked my handle, a brazen usurpation akin to identity theft. I have used “T” as my identification on this site for many years, constructing a reputation with a wide range of points and ideas.
Yet someone feels that they can misappropriate–if not outright STEAL–that body of posts and the ideas therein by pirating my screen name. This is why I am obligated to put the moniker “a.k.a. ‘T'” within the handle StratKat (a.k.a. ‘T’). THE POSTER AT #22 IS **NOT** “T”. I considered your suggestion and appreciate it–but am not able to use it for the reason stated above.
It should be impossible for someone to pilfer someone’s handle since the posts are connected to an email address. This is an issue that the webmasters may need to investigate.
As for Maybe I’m a Leo @ #3, I have suggested for a very long time that Purple ought to pay homage to their legacy by doing a medley that runs the length and breadth of the band including snippets from all line-ups. Gillan would not have to sing anything, and the fans would get a smattering of songs that would fill the gaps in Purple’s history that the current line-up chooses to ignore. I believe that was the point that ‘Leo was trying to make. I “get” the radio-switching idea with “Smoke” coming in as the Riff That Conquered the World”–but would still like to see such a medley make the line-up.
As for “T” at #3, get another screen name. I wouldn’t be opposed to “T2”.
The Real “T”
December 3rd, 2011 at 20:25Oh come on T @22,
I presume you are referring to me. You know I am the first to express “to each his own” and I have always stated that everybody has different tastes, but when one throws out such a broad blanket of complaints which are grossly contradictory to the views of 90 percent of the ‘fans’ here, then one must expect some backlash. Gibberish was putting it nicely my friend. Plus, I would have to bet that once again, the whining complainer hasn’t even seen one of these shows. Seems to be the norm here regarding the cranky complainers. The first to bitch, the last to go…..
I’ve seen STYX a couple of times….they by no means blow Purple off any stage. They are a great band, and I have been a fan of theirs since around 1976, but to come on, they are no Deep Purple. Sure, sometimes there can be technical glitches. Some venues have terrible acoustics. Sometimes the sound is not mixed properly, but the Band always forges miles ahead of anybody else regarding their performance.
@26 Priest,
I for one have stated how much I would love for more MK7/8 songs in the set list, BUT since you are using the ‘percentage’ aspect here, there happens to be a larger ‘percentage’ of Purple albums that aren’t MK7/8. There are 18 Deep Purple albums, 6 of which Gillan and Co. did before MK7/8. Yeah, again I would love to hear more MK7/8 material too, but as I have also stated, It’s All Deep Purple Music. They have every right to pick whatever Purple songs they wish to play. As long as they play for the proper amount of time, I truly don’t really care what songs they play. Hell, they could play the whole “Slave’s and Masters” album (my least favorite) as far as I’m concerned. Would love to hear MK3/4 tunes too. IT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN. It’s all Purple, they are the band, the songs are theirs to pick from.
Cheers
December 4th, 2011 at 01:54I’ve been watching DP live since the Come Taste the Band Tour when I was 15.
I start from a position that I don’t much the like the O2 for seated gigs. We had reasonable seats in a middle block on the floor. The only thing that really detratcted from the gig was the Security Staff insisting that people sat down until the encore. If the O2 don’t get the fact that rock gigs are for standing up (even if you are over 50, you’re not dead!) then they are missing the point.
The sound was fine.
My only comments on the set list was that I would have liked Sometimes I feel like screaming and some reference to DP mark III would be nice – even if it was instrumental. (I did see Glenn Hughes cover Burn at Victoria Park this summer I it has the how factor)
The plus point at the O2 is the beer is easily accessible so I was in a good mood.
Purple themselves still enjoy the perfromances, that rubs off and I will be back next time!!
December 4th, 2011 at 11:43I agree with Javi regarding the song choices, chose not to go to the O2 as felt that Purple shows since the 2002 tour seem to be a case of the band going through the motions, would be nice if they made the brave decision to tour with a Morse era based set list as those songs must be more comfortable for Ian Gillan to sing but would it sell tickets ? Ian Gillan moans about Purple being labelled a Classic Rock (MTV song from Rapture) band then they go out and just play the classics.
December 4th, 2011 at 14:36Why did the original “T” change his “handle” to its current form?? Quite possibly the new T didn’t know there was an old “T”, might I suggest a lawyer or counseling………….
December 4th, 2011 at 22:50cheers
OK “T”@30….
Funny, I actually did suspect something fishy with #22. Didn’t quite seem like your typical structure. I agree with you regarding that the Webmasters or moderators should be able to protect against ‘Blog Identity Theft or Imposters’. As for your handle…..the T inside the quotations, hence Strat”T”Kat takes care of that. Combines your T with the name, plus when pronounced, sounds like the guitar. I don’t think anybody here wouldn’t tie it into who it is.
As for the Fake T, fix it and fess up. Get your own identity.
Cheers
Cheers
December 5th, 2011 at 02:09Yeah, fix it or do just like me, adopt a multi-faceted personality which(…)can always fall back in regression if desired : )
December 5th, 2011 at 20:56Just what we need…..another Sibyl…….LOL.
Cheers
December 6th, 2011 at 23:00And, can someone please define PAR regarding the requirements for a Purple show?
Cheers
December 8th, 2011 at 02:50Re @ 31.
Blimey, somebody’s a bit touchy, eh?
For the record:
Saw Purple at Sheffield arena with Styx & Thin Lizzy. Tour was billed as the ‘Machine Head’ tour. They were supposed to play the whole album in order. Didn’t happen. They played 75mins, including encore, bass solo, drum solo & Morse solo. Sheffield holds 13,500. It wasn’t even half full. Never seen Styx before and they were really good and they DID blow Purple away that night. Can’t speak of any other. That’s my opinion, guess you’ll have to lump it.
As for stealing somebody’s ‘identity’ on here, didn’t realise there was a ‘T’ on here (should I have? smacks a bit like a z list celeb saying ‘don’t you know who I am?) and I do read here quite often. I’ll put my real name, there can’t be anybody on here called Tibor. Happy? Hope so.
Back to business…………………….when can we get Blackers back in the band……………………
Cheers,
December 10th, 2011 at 14:11Tibor.
Actually TIBOR,
I don’t need to lump anything. I saw them on a similar tour and yes that is what you get when there is a split Head-lining Bill. Shorter shows due to sharing the time equally. As for the attendance? Makes no difference to me. I look forward to the stage and enjoy the music. How many vacant seats there are behind me is of no concern to me. That’s their problem. Again, I have seen both bands. Actually all 3 you have listed. They Ain’t even in Purple’s league. But again….JMHO. I will take bets here that I’m not alone.
As for your moniker, my point in the end was that the Moderators should be able to catch these types of mix-ups due to the info that is divulged to them in order to participate here. But since you state that you do read here quite often, the moderators aren’t the only ones who aren’t paying attention.
I don’t think the one who actually wears the trousers in the house is willing to allow the Man in Tights to go back to Rock. Plus I don’t think Purple wants the pointy hat wearing, lute player returning with all the drama and interrupting their good times that are well deserved. Plus, there is plenty of ‘Blackers’ music. Jump on the Blackmore’s Night train. They have plenty of Rockin’ tunes to jam out to…..
Cheers
December 10th, 2011 at 21:12Gotcha.
December 11th, 2011 at 07:14I presume ‘gotcha’ is meant in the way of ‘you get it’….
Glad to see you understand my point.
Cheers
December 16th, 2011 at 20:02I was there from Malta with my 16 yr old daughter 🙂 It was my 4th time and her 2nd! Absolutely great stuff (6th row from the front) and I agree that most people were too ‘calm’..it’s probably that they were in a trance enjoying the all round talent!
New tracks have to come from new albums so how do you expect them? When they come, we will enjoy them as well…. these guys are so good that all tracks, old and ‘relativley’ new ones just sound so fresh…and when you see the orchestra musicians just stare at the talent playing, makes you think how there are very few great musicians of DP calibur around..
Keep it up DP and hope to see you in Malta AGAIN soon!!
December 18th, 2011 at 22:57Oh go on! I’ll add my bit as well… I thoroughly enjoyed the show although from where we were sitting couldn’t hear the bass too well although the bass drum was very prominent. At one point the guitar needed turning up (Well dressed guitar) and the engineer did just that but with a little too much enthusiasm.. Wasn’t sure if they were having difficulties over there however the band played tighter than I’ve seen before and I must defend Don Airey as playing skillfully while taking his solo and making it his own. Gillan, top performance. Excellent during duets with Steve. Paicey, a poor mix for the kit but what a great, minimilist solo. Roger’s bass solo takes me back to when the band had Joe Lynn Turner in the band. Back then he played a solo with strobe lighting. Guess they couldn’t do it this time as the strobe came out for “No one Came”. Steve’s nods to Ritchie’s parts in “Hard Lovin’ man” show what a respectful guitarist he is while using a harmoniser to create Ritchie’s double track guitar sound. Great. Oh and the orchestra? Audible over the band but I still question the concept of “augmentation” with a loud rock band. Is this “Everything louder than everything else” being taken literally? The prelude is a nice touch though and work on “Lazy” brought a simple 12 bar blues to life. Must be nice for Steve to relive his days with violinists in the Dixie Dregs. I’d already bought the Blu-Ray at Montreux and the show was pretty much the same. I enjoyed the live show for the atmosphere and the Blu-Ray for the quality and looking up Ian’s nose whenever he sang with added passion..This is not a review, it’s my own opinion. Feel free to agree/disagree/point finger at etc…at £55 a ticket I am not going to find negativity for the sake of it…
December 19th, 2011 at 01:56@43…
Great entry. Hopefully only those whom have actually SEEN this tour LIVE will respond. But unfortunately you will more than likely be inundated with bashers whom haven’t a clue, making their opinions from the comfort of their computer where they compile their info from YOUTUBE.
Cheers
December 20th, 2011 at 02:03Correction….@44 was my reference in #45.
Cheers
December 21st, 2011 at 03:33