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Music in Your Face
Deep Purple live at Montreux Jazz Festival (Montreux, Switzerland 2013-07-19)
Getting blasted by SOTW in Montreux, always a special experience.
For the rest, a typical, high-energy concert, with only three new tracks (Vincent Price, Above and Beyond, Body Line)
(Editors note: All the Time in the World was also played, so four new songs!)
and some new twists in the solos, which was more than welcome. The old stuff was belted out in the usual professional manner and kept the crowd energized. Like many others, I was there with my kids, and they just loved it. For me, I think the highlight came from an odd place: The Mule was – dare I say it? Better than on Made in Japan.
My only regret: not enough new stuff. I’ve always held DP in my “top spot*, hardly a day goes by (since 1973) without me listening to their music. So for me, a concert is many things, but hearing new stuff should always be part of the experience.
Finally, a note on a long-running topic: IG’s voice. It was perfect. He managed old and new material without a strain and I wondered why there are so many words written about this in the comments!
review by Another Martin
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Good to hear that one-third of the new album is in the set,early on.Let’s hope they don’t revert to the usual Greatest Hits /Machine Head setlist if they tour North America next year.
July 20th, 2013 at 17:18On IG’s voice: I have the idea IG is in a phase, where some nights his voice can be brilliant, and on other nights horrible. That’s nothing new. I saw the televised show from Morocco, which was horrible. I saw some parts of of the Russian shows, which were great. I’m not critisizing. Just see it this way. The man turns 68 next month. Generally his performances are alright. It’s no shame, that some nights are not brilliant. Name me any rock singer of that age who still has a voice range like IG has. I heard some recordings of recent Black Sabbath shows. I don’t even find words to describe what Ozzy sounds like.
July 20th, 2013 at 18:39Absolutely right about Big Ian`s voice ! Everything was there, his tone, some screams, the fun ! I attended the gig in Burg Clam, Austria , July 17, and it was a fine, high energy and heratfelt warm concert , and it was the right mixture of old and new Songs. I loved every second, like i did when i saw DP firts, back in `84 !
July 20th, 2013 at 19:25Just watched a couple of vids…Smoke & Lazy, and you are dead right, IG’s voice was spot on! Powerful, and good range…Best I’ve heard him sound for a while 🙂
Also, Steve seemed to be playing things a bit heavier than I remember hearing him recently…Great booming opening to Smoke! (watch it and see what you think)
Can’t wait to see them when they come to the UK later this year! Fantastic that they can still put this amazing quality of music out there after all these years…Incredible!
July 20th, 2013 at 20:02@ Kazz
July 21st, 2013 at 01:44Dude I was checking some live songs from Sabbath tour in Australia on youtube,and I don’t know what to tell you or even describe Ozzy’s singing! Ok we can agree that Ozzy was never the best technically singer and a powerhouse,but still watching him singing,or trying to sing, out of tune made me cringe and feel sorry for him! what a disaster! The album is really good and Ozzy( which I never took seriously in his solo career) had his best singing effort in a while,but this thanks to Iommi and Rubin output.And yes Gillan style of singing has changed with time,and that is normal for the age,but I can still listen to him in his worst night,than that deplorable nightmarish by Ozzy!I still think that Deep Purple should tour less and record more,but that is their choice and so be it !
Given that Brian May was the support act I had wondered if he might join Deep Purple on stage at some point in the show.
The lack of comments on this suggests that this did not happen.
Any thoughts?
July 21st, 2013 at 06:18Egg on my face! yes, four new tracks. I’ll just have to go to another concert and do better next time.
July 21st, 2013 at 06:41I saw several cameras at the concert, which was recorded for a DVD?
July 21st, 2013 at 07:09What was Deep Purple’s full Montreux 2013 set list and are there any links to videos from this performance?
July 21st, 2013 at 07:17The Montreux shows are always filmed, primarily for the festival’s extensive archive. Many of them are also released later.
July 21st, 2013 at 07:54Montreux setlist:
Fireball
Into the Fire
Hard lovin’ Man
Vincent Price
Strange Kind of Woman
Contact Lost
All the Time in the World
Well Dressed Guitar
The Mule
Body Line
Lazy
Above and Beyond
No one came
Don Airey Solo
Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin’
Smoke on the Water
Hush
July 21st, 2013 at 07:57Black Night
They have songs like ‘uncommon man’ and ‘aprez vous’ that would be majestics in their live rendition but they keep on playing a song like ‘body line’…tomorrow I’ll be in Rome…I would have listened to more NW songs…
July 21st, 2013 at 13:37Montreux 2013 was a very special gig! So much fun from the band and a perfect mixture of old and new songs. For me, one of the very best concerts of the band in the last years! I enjoyed the show from the first second to the last… and felt sometimes like 40 years ago. Keep rocking!
July 21st, 2013 at 20:34Hopefully a completely different setlist in october. How could they chose the weakest songs from Now What?
Not that I am that much a fan of that album anyway, but there are better songs to play live.
Cheers Eric
July 22nd, 2013 at 06:53I’m a little surprised Hell to Pay is not in the set list yet. One of the best tracks from the new album. At least in my opinion.
July 22nd, 2013 at 10:28al @ 5 – Myself & other friends attended the Sabbath Brisbane gig back in April & Ozzy’s vocals were fine. Other people I know went to the Sydney gig 2 days later & said the same. I have watched youtube clips also, as well as these friends of mine who attended both concerts I have mentioned & we don’t recall Ozzy sounding like the youtube clips. There was ‘one’ moment during ‘Electric Funeral’ when Ozzy dropped the vocal pitch too low & Iommi looked at him laughed. Overall though he was good vocally.
July 22nd, 2013 at 10:39I have been critical of certain songs from Purple recently regarding Gillan’s vocal performance from youtube clips. Maybe we shouldn’t judge from such a crappy recording from someone’s mobile phone or whatever suspect device they may be using. It does sound very different being there in the moment, ‘live’ at the concert.
Regarding Gillan singing old ‘harder’ edged songs like Into The Fire & Hard Lovin Man, I do feel he struggles with those vocal ‘tour de force’ songs though! But I am judging from youtube type clips & maybe he does sound ok with those songs ‘live’ as well.
It is an entirely different Beast, a live concert, as many of us know. I have a good musical listening ear & if Ozzy was crap at the concert I attended, I wouldn’t hesitate to say so. Gladly he wasn’t, because that was the very thing I was worried about before the gig. Cheers.
What a night!
I came to Montreux in the afternoon and paid the traditionnal visit to Freddie Mercury’s statue and guess what… Brian May stand right beside Freddy! The real one, mind you! Probably the only chance to meet these guys together, nowadays!
Both shows were enormous! The accoustic May/Ellis show was the best opener you could dream of for a DP show!
And Deep Puple were great! The set is made for Ian Gillan: he didn’t sing that much, in my opinion, but really good! During almost every song, he went to the backstage (probably to have some rest?) while the others played extended instrumental parts and then he came back and blew us away, everytime! In shape and everything!
My favorite song on NW?! is Above and Beyond – I couldn’t say if it’s because of Jon, the song or both… – and the live version really stands out!
Of course I don’t have to speak about the other guys of the band, because there’s not so much fight about them being able to do it or not. But anyway, they were incredible.
Purple are back (again :p) and they’re gonna kick your ass! I was really sceptic about the voice of IG, but with the way of making it now, it can last a few years more! Enjoy them as long as you can, because it is still worth it!
I wonder if a DVD, BR or anything is gonna come out of this?
@ #6 sjc
July 22nd, 2013 at 14:42No, Brian May didn’t show up on stage during the Purple show. It is just a little frustrating because I was hoping for it during quite a while… =) But then it is not so sad because it was really a great gig!
I think a lot of the shall we call them veteran rock vocalists are going thru the same thing as Gillan. Some nights off some nights like old times. Coverdale seems to be, so does Joe Elliot, and quite a few more. At their age now they might need a few nights off between shows. But like I always tell people if you are going to see a band and none of the members are over 50 chances are they will suck!! LOL!!
July 22nd, 2013 at 20:40Above and Beyond is beginning to sound good live!
July 22nd, 2013 at 22:59But Body Line – a fave on the record – does’nt work very good, judging from the youtube clips.
It takes a bit more energy than Paicey and Gillan has to offer these days.. As he did the first time they tried the song live, Gillan gives up before the end of the song:)
…that said; I think this setlist is good!
July 22nd, 2013 at 23:00And Gillan is generally in good voice!
@18 Yep. I agree. the best bands started at around the mid 1960’s or so….and still putting out quality music. The older the better…
July 22nd, 2013 at 23:35I heard they did a little bit of Bohemian Rhapsody.
July 23rd, 2013 at 09:13videoman190@18 – I have to agree there, but I also think it has something to do with looking after ones self during a career of ‘rock’ music singing. Both Gillan & Ozzy haven’t actually fallen into that situation over their careers. Gillan especially with his ‘full on’ vocals in the early stages of his career, that would not have helped his vocal prowess over 40 years. Ozzy from being a party animal, say no more.
July 23rd, 2013 at 10:373 of the greatest lead vocalists I have witnessed in concert in recent times were, Jon Anderson with Yes in 2003, he was 60 then & still had the same vocal quality from his younger days. Ronnie James Dio with Heaven & Hell in 2007, mind blowing vocal performance at 65 & charismatic front man also & Roger Daltrey with The Who in 2009, awesome to say the least at 65, say no more. These 3 guys have looked after themselves throughout their respective careers, so that would help no doubt. Cheers.
MacGregor @16 & 23 – I saw Sabbath show in Perth this year and, whilst it was top notch overall, Ozzy really struggled in the 2nd half. He went out of tune after an hour or so and never got it back. The new Perth Arena is an excellent venue acoustically (and in all other respects), so an off-key singer has nowhere to hide. But it was a good gig and I found Ozzy’s zombie-like movement around the stage particularly entertaining! Not the most graceful mover is our Ozzy…
To your list of vocalists who have held up well I would add Paul Rodgers, who supported Alice Cooper on an Australian tour in 2001 – he was outstanding (and Alice did very well too).
July 24th, 2013 at 08:51I think they should drop “The Well Dressed Guitar”, replace it with “Uncommon Man” and do an extended middle section of improvisation. To me “Body Line” is a rather weak tune and the live version is even weaker. “Hell To Pay” is definitely a better choice. Although “All The Time In The World” doesn’t compare to “When A Blind Man Cries”, it’s still good to have a change there. “A Simple Song” would be a nice opener like it is on the new album. Together with “Vincent Price” and “Above And Beyond” my setlist would include 6 songs from NW?!.
July 24th, 2013 at 12:26Am I the only person who doesn’t think much of Bodyline as a song? It is the only track on NW that I consistently skip over. Maybe I’m just tired of songs about chasing girls…or maybe don’t want to hear them from a 68 year old front-man.
Musically I think it is pretty generic, relative to the rest of the cracking material on NW. Of course they add this song to the live set. 🙁
July 24th, 2013 at 14:31I can’t understand why if they have strongers songs in Now What that remind in a magnificent ways the halcyon days of Deep Purple (Like the solo in the Middle section of “Hell To Pay”) , songs like “Weiderstan”, “Uncommon Man”, “Out a Hand” , “Apres Vous” (Like Roberto (#12) said : “that would be majestic in their live rendition”) they insist playing the WEAKEST numbers of NW .. is really frustrating and dissapointing to see why they choose “Body Line” or “All the time in the World” instead of one of the others songs i mentioned above.. I cannot understand it really.. I would like if Roger read this lines bring us an explanation… DP is wasting the great opportunity the excellent new album has given to band . and i think that i am wasting my time as well, hoping to see Gillan singing such pieces alive.. Sorry , I feel very very dissapointed.. I prefer to listen (and see) Uriah Heep (with Bernie Shaw as lead vocalist who mantains his voice intact across the whole concert) if I want classic Heavy Rock sound or “Beardfish” (from Sweden ) if I want to listen innovations.. Sorry my dear friends.
July 24th, 2013 at 16:34Above and Beyond is not one of the weakest numbers on NW – It’s my favourite.
July 24th, 2013 at 22:52purpoz @ 24 – good to read your comments from the Perth Sabbath gig. I read about Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth from online reviewers, but most people just waffle on with ‘the best gig I have ever been to” sort of thing. Yes, Ozzy was comical indeed on the stage presence thing. Watching him when he was ‘singing’, every time he went to move away from the mike, his vocal volume level would suddenly drop & he would quickly move back to the mike again.
July 25th, 2013 at 06:34We were all joking about this & thought he needed the teleprompter really badly, so he had to get back to it quickly. Or as soon as he stopped leaning on the mike stand, he was worried about falling over or maybe it was the FOH guy turning the level down, so he wouldn’t start wondering about all over the stage. I noticed this happening at the other gigs I looked at on youtube!
Yes, Paul Rodgers in another fine vocalist who has looked after himself over the decades. Cheers.
Glad to see at least 4 tracks from NW being played. Still not enough though and I have to agree with pulling Body Line. Though I will not make my evaluation off of these YouTube versions, I can just feel that it isn’t quite right. Love it on the album, but it is not one I would have picked for a gig. Hell to Pay is definately one that needs to be added. Especially the Album version with even longer solos from Don and Steve. A ‘no-brainer’ for audience participation. Should become a staple tune……”It’s gonna be HELL!” Come on guys.
Plus I would love to hear “Weiderstan”, “Out a Hand” , “Apres Vous” and “Blood from a Stone”. Hell I want to hear them ALL!!!!! They should open with ‘Out of Hand’. That keyboard intro is awesome. Starts off a little suttle and sinister, then BAM!! Perfect way to start the show. Something new right off the bat.
Look forward to the DVD of this. Oh and I guess they didn’t do that ‘rumored special SOTW out by the shoreline’ as was hoped. Too bad. Would have been a fine touch and great for the DVD if it comes out. Oh well…..
Ch-BeerZ?!
July 25th, 2013 at 16:48Body Line has quite interesting Steve Morse guitar line intro (I really like it), but yeah maybe overall it don’t suit the live concert… But let’s take it like this, 4 new songs is much better than the greatest hits sets over there years
July 26th, 2013 at 06:17Looks like they switched up Body Line with Hell o Pay at this show…
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/deep-purple/2013/area-concerti-majano-italy-43c69707.html
I like Bodyline. I don’t think there is a weak song on the entire Now What?! CD. Play ’em all!!!
July 28th, 2013 at 08:40Well, I was at Montreux, and I’ve seen the band dozens of times since 1972. I would say this concert, everything considered, was in the top 5 I’ve ever seen! Gillan was brilliant and didn’t sing any less than any other concert I’ve been too – he sang a lot better than some I’ve been to (And that’s the minority). There’s always someone who’s going to want this song or that, this oldie or that. If they played everything everyone wanted, they’d be there for umteen hours! They’re playing songs like Fireball, not Brown Sugar. Give them a break. I thought Bodyline was just fine, nice and bluesy – a proper song for a Jazz festival. Maybe people don’t like it because it’s different. I thought it blended in well with everything else, and considering they didn’t do the Jazz intro to SotW, it was their tip of the hat to the festival. Coming after The Mule and Paicey’s solo might show more change-up than if it was placed elsewhere. It was still done really well. Brian May was excellent, and there were rumours that he was going to join the band for a number, but with those rumours, you have to take them with a grain of salt – they happen far less than anticipated. I’m no fan of Stravinski Hall for a few reasons, but I’d fly back there to see another show like that in a minute! BTW – Youtube never reflects what the band is really like on stage. I don’t even bother looking at those clips anymore, as I’ve been to many shows in the past where the Youtube clip didn’t give the song, or individual performances justice at all! Just be happy the band is still out there playing very, very well, and still having a great time doing it. Cheers! Jim.
July 29th, 2013 at 14:14@ ao.
That,s very good news, ”Hell To Pay” should’ve been in there right from the beginning, it’s bound to be a live classic right beside giants like, ”Lazy, Black Night, Speed King, Highway Star”, to name a few.
If only they could put tunes like, ”Out of Hand, Weirdistan or Apres Vous”, in their live set then i would be a very happy man.
”Out of hand” or ”Weirdistan”, could easily replace songs like ”Perfect Strangers” or ”Knocking on Your Back Door”, and ”Apres Vous” could easily replace ”Speed King”, with the Morse/Airey dual section in middle.
Songs like, ”Ucommon Man” or ”A Simple Song” could do great as a set opener, to start of with a bang.
I see that the set is already slowly moving towards the new material, if i was the person riding the Purple train, i would go full force on this new record and put at least 6 new songs in the set of their ”Now What?!” tour.
Chears!!,
July 31st, 2013 at 12:24Thunderhawk.
@28 Paul,
Beyond majestic song in every way, shape, and form. If one is not moved while listening, one borders on robotic….
Peace,
August 1st, 2013 at 13:04Ted
Strictly my opinion but Wierdistan and Apres Vous are the two best songs on the new CD. Body Line comes in third for me – the bass and drum mix on the CD on Body Line are outrageously perfect. At least for me Body Line is a keeper probably would throw All the Time in the World out though. As for the vocal work of Gillan over the years. What could anyone say about the GREATEST HARDROCK VOCALIST OF OUR LIFETIME. Yeah, he aint as good as he used to be but in his lifetime he has done more for hardrock vocals than any man, any woman, anyone period. When it comes to vocals as a vocalist there are three that stand out above the rest. Ian Gillan, Little Richard and Edgar Winter have taken vocals where no man has ever gone before. Feel free to disagree if you so choose but those three are my Mount Rushmore of Vocalists. To use a Blackmore Quote they wipe the floor with most vocalists. Love Elvis, Sinatra, and Dio right nearby those three. Not as much vocal range the latter three. Peace my brothers.
August 6th, 2013 at 07:37As Purple has stated themselves many times… some songs just don’t come off well live. Body Line is a good example. Great studio track that just doesn’t transform well to the stage. I’m actually surprised they chose that one ahead of some of the others. There should be at least 6 songs from ?! being played. These would be my choice from a live aspect. Hell to Pay, Après Vous, Simple Song, Weirdistan, Out of Hand, Blood from a Stone. They should be opening with Out of Hand. The song was meant for that. The intro to it is awesome for it. Take a listen to it with this in mind…. The stage is dark, Don Airey hits the keys with the intro and then BAMM, the lights blare and the band kicks in. Basically stating, “Here we are with our New Album. This is who we are, NOT who you think we are”……. ?urfect!
Ch-BeerZ?!
August 7th, 2013 at 14:26No Tracy…..
August 24th, 2013 at 17:43We agreed on Sun Goes Down!
Well , here I am back on HStar listening to my Bros speak of what’s wrong/right with DP these days .I am particularly interested in the opinions about “Bodyline” . I did see a version of it on Youtube and it’s been said it comes off lackluster live . I would love to hear them do it , but it looks like it has been dropped . A pity but It didn’t look that great on YouTube . I have tickets for a show in August 2014 in California . They apparently have dropped the tune to my disappointment . And no Highway Star ? Can’t believe that one . Well , it’s just one of those shows , if I passed I would likely kick myself .I’m hoping it knocks me dead as it has in the past .
May 19th, 2014 at 11:07