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Band on Fire!!!
Deep Purple live at Orange County Fair (Costa Mesa, USA 2014-08-06)
Saw DP at the Pacific Ampitheater (outdoor, modern facility, holds 18,000 and was full) and they were in TOP form. Blue Oyster Cult opened with a tight and rocking set playing most of their hits and ending with Don’t Fear The Reaper. Relaxed and very tight. Great opener. Then the drum beat we all know for Highway Star. Let’s start with IG… His voice was spot on. Ian seemed to be energized from the crowd and commented about getting “great energy”. During one scream, you could hear him push for more and for a few seconds he had the scream we all love from the earlier years. Steve and he gave each other a great look of satisfaction afterward. I was so happy to see Ian at his finest. Into the fire, Hard loving man followed and I was in seventh heaven.
Steve. Wow. Been following DP since I was 12 years old when I borrowed my older brothers MIJ cassette. I am a Blackmore and Morse fan and was absolutely jaw dropped by Steve’s playing on this night. He had some new runs and riffs that blew me away…me thinks some of this will be on the next album. I am still amused by watching him smile through the whole concert. A DP guitarist smiling? Whooda thunk it. Don. Wow again. Had my wife, 21 year old daughter and 20 year old son with me, which was a treat, and my son was blown away by the sound and ferocity of Don doing his thing. The torch couldn’t have been passed better 10 years ago. (R.I.P. Jon). As is the tradition, Don threw some California themed and Beach Boys Nuggets into his solo. And smiling too (will I ever get used to DP being a happy band?) Roger. Come on, it’s Roger. Solid and enjoying every moment of it, singing along to much of the music. A rock, in rock. Ian Paice. Seriously. No one person should have those skills. Together with Roger, the low end was handled like Swiss time. It is fun to see IP run the show too. It all comes back to him pulling the band back into the fold following their improvisation moments.
Someone else has posted the setlist from Ventura, and this was the same as far as I can remember (what beer?). 3 Now!What? songs. Vincent Price seemed to fit best (IMHO) in the live set. Uncommon Man was special to those who know the song and meaning, but the crowd relaxed a bit during the new numbers as would be expected. It was a joy to hear the new stuff live.
The band seemed to be having the time of their lives, like new kids with fun toys. Sound and lights were spot on. Ian had a bit of a verbal encounter with an A**hole up front, but it was brief and Ian let it go after a few seconds. I went in with great hope, as this was the first time our kids got to see the band their dad plays constantly at home, and DP did not disappoint. It was fun for me to see my kids see the very best of musicianship, live, with no audio trickery, or big flashy production numbers. Now they know why dad’s neck and voice is always hurting after a show.
On a scale of 1 to 10…. a solid 11
review by Chris Blackmore
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I hope it was a great show,emergency circumstances kept me from going! m/
August 9th, 2014 at 09:46To be success…..!!!!
August 9th, 2014 at 09:47Cool
August 9th, 2014 at 11:03Review by Chris Blackmore? Really. What are the odds?
August 9th, 2014 at 13:33The Boys were in great form that night. Great weather, great crowd, great show.
August 9th, 2014 at 13:54Set list please? Can’t wait. Going to Jersey!!
August 9th, 2014 at 15:21Hey Chris,
August 9th, 2014 at 15:21Great review, I was there with my wife and friends and it was a killer show but to me Gillan’s screams were off and on.I felt he struggled in Highway Star yet he pulled it off in Into The Fire. Don was the man, his solo was insane.Paicey and Glover are locked in as well.Steve’s guitar could’ve been louder but again his mellow solo going into Uncommon Man was beautiful and a highlight for me.One thing, there’s no way Pac Amp holds 18,000 I think more like 8,000.My wife and I are seeing them in Vegas as well.
Steve Hunt
Nice to see a current review – great stuff. Looking forward to seeing the lads in Saratoga!
August 9th, 2014 at 17:46BOC *and* DP? Wow.
August 9th, 2014 at 20:22– Great review!
August 9th, 2014 at 20:45That was the same line up that played there in 2007. I was there !
August 9th, 2014 at 21:42Nice review Chris Blackmore (?! This has to be a pen name?! Is it really your name…?)
August 10th, 2014 at 02:40Just saw them at the next show in Lincoln , CA. on 8/8. I will write my review when i have more time to reflect and get my thoughts in order. I’m not the greatest typist so it can be a chore for me. Let’s just say it was very enjoyable and the quietest concert since Blackmore’s Night at the Independent in San Francisco on Feb 1, 2005!
See, there are (diehard) American Deep Purple fans, we just seem to be a rarity.
August 10th, 2014 at 03:04I am one of them, too.
Thanks for the review, Chris.
There a lot of those fans in the mid-Atlantic region of the US (between Maryland and North Carolina). Skipping over that region sucks….
August 10th, 2014 at 09:49Spot on review, I wish I’d written, I was there. By the way, Ian sounded good and this was his third gig in a row, very tough on a singer. Can’t wait for Saratoga. Costa Mesa truely was amazing. Looked to be sold out also.
August 10th, 2014 at 11:11Judging by this review and YouTube links in another thread,the Purps certainly appear to be firing on all cylinders.I hope this holds true for the entire North American tour.Too bad that Above & Beyond is not in the set,though.Dropping the road-weary Space Truckin’ would make room for this new Purple classic.
August 10th, 2014 at 12:40Blue oyster cult and Deep…houlala! If they could only do a world tour together.
August 10th, 2014 at 12:55Remember seeing BOC once in a festival Le Bourget Paris in ??? 1983 I think! Anyone was there? Was BOC, Ronnie, and Gary Moore, + many…more Unforgetable…
Long live BOC n DP.
@4 and 12 Chris Blackmore is my real name… sorta kinda sorta. I am a professional magician (not a typo) and I took the stage name Blackmore as my real last name conflicted with a famous magicians name of the time. I was 18, DP was my band then and always, and I thought Blackmore was a great stage name to use. So, to everybody but my family, the police and the IRS….I am Chris Blackmore. Ironically, I am often introduced for shows as Chris “Black stone”, one of the most famous magicians in American history…Who do I think I are ? : ) George Martin, how are Paul and Ringo these days : )
@7My bad on the 18,000. Wikipedia ( I know, I know ) listed 18,000 in their fact box, but then I read the actual copy and they mentioned the grass seating was changed and the seating was reduced to 8,000. As far as the screams, it was just one particular scream I was referring to. The rest of the night was his scream we know for the last few years, aided by Steve with cleverly timed high notes lifting them up. Agree totally on Into The Fire. Just so glad he was on his game that night. And yes, it could always be louder (than everything else).
@6 http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/deep-purple/2014/pacific-amphitheater-costa-mesa-ca-bce914a.html
August 10th, 2014 at 13:16Roseburg rocked, meeting and pit photo shooting as well. What a blast!
August 11th, 2014 at 04:26I was there
August 11th, 2014 at 04:44I am so disappointed. I was going to go to the Elgin, show in Illinois when I got the jury duty notice in the mail. No other US shows near Cleveland Ohio.
August 11th, 2014 at 16:40Been waiting for these guys to come somewhere close for years and now I’m denied again.
Hopefully they come back to the States again soon.
Saw the show in Lincoln. It was great! Too bad most of the crowd was unfamiliar with Now What!? because they played a lot of it. I loved every minute of the whole thing!
August 11th, 2014 at 22:05Bopper…Windsor
August 12th, 2014 at 01:51Great review and it was indeed a great show by both bands, but put a gun to my head and I think that BOC had the better 45 minutes. Maybe it was because they only had 45 minutes but they were tight and played a great set that had a few “Classic Rock” hits (Burnin, Godzilla, Reaper) and a few fan nuggets (Red/Black, Buck’s Boogie, Last Days of May) and a little of what the bass palyer used to do (Joan Jett and Meatloaf medly). Maybe Purple was tired, it was their third show in 3 days after all. Maybe I was just upset that they ran out of X-Large 2014 tour shirts BEFORE they even hit the stage! (If you are going and want a shirt buy it early!!!) I don’t know, they just did not seem all that dangerous to me, more like just going through the motions. Not blasphamy, just an observation. I would not tell anyone not to go, far from it. If fact I wish that I could get the time off to go and see them again.
And STEVE, I went looking to meet you at what I though were your seats (Row L, Sec 3 to right of stage) and sat there for BOC and 2 of the people that were there before the show said that they knew “Steve” and the other 2 that showed up during the set said that they didn’t. I guess maybe I had the wrong location.
And BOPPER, not that I want to discourage anyone from doing their civic duty, but unless they sent it certified or registered mail (they do not in CA) they cannot confirm that you got it, and trust me they should send another. I live in an apartment building and our mail gets messed up all of the time.
Jerry
August 12th, 2014 at 16:41Hey Bopper , don’t know what they do in Illinois , but in California , you call into the jury line the night before each day for a week . A lot of the time , they tell you won’t be needed that day and you don’t report . Hope you get to see it …… IF YOUR somebody going to Saratoga, CA. on 8 /13 . DON’T BE LATE ! 7:30 Showtime .Davey Pattison has put together a band called GAMMA + .They do Gamma and Robin Trower numbers .He sang in both bands for years . This will be their debut gig with the two new guitar players . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-PXsi0m0yI . and thanks to all , for your reviews , this will probably be the only large show I’ll see this summer .Could very well be my last time for Deep Purple .You just can’t count on them coming back through in less than a year at best .
August 12th, 2014 at 18:07