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Perfect Purple Day
Deep Purple live at Casino Rama (Rama, Canada 2014-08-22)
I expected the band would be sluggish,this being their 3rd show in as many nights.Not so at all. Deep Purple,2014 are 5 consummate professional still playing with passion and energy.
Ian Gillan was in good shape,kept the screams within his comfort zone ( kinda spoke the ” Music in our solar system” line in Space Truckin,a frequent stumbling block avoided )
A sold-out but absolutely sleepy crowd. Most folks stayed seated & largely quiet after Highway Star until Don played O Canada in his solo .From Perfect Strangers onwards,they at last began to come alive.
Vincent Price,Hell To Pay, Uncommon Man from ?! plus the usual set list suspects..Ian used red and green glowing sticks for part of his solo in The Mule.
Pre show stuff:We caught most of the guys outside early in the afternoon as their vans pulled up.I showed Paicey a picture of him & I from a Toronto Just Drums meet and greet in 2012.He signed it and the booklet from Now What.Also,true to his word in 2012,Ian took my Bananas Tour Book and had Don sign it for me. ( It only took 10 years,but I finally have all 5 signatures;freakin’ excellent ).I chatted with Steve for a bit,mentioned that I loved High Tension Wires (1989 ). He honestly looked astonished . My girlfriend Paulla took a picture of us.
I had about a 10 minute chat with Roger as he waited to send a fax at the hotel desk. He looked very tired. Paulla asked him how much out of the year DP tours.He said ” I don’t keep track,but it’ll be good to get home”.( They’ve a month off coming up).I asked if Above & Beyond was in the set,Rog explained the unfortunate reality…..”We can’t play too much new stuff in North America”.We spoke of Jon’s passing, both of us welled up..Paulla took another picture.
Later on,I saw Don coming out of the hotel gift shop,2 bags of stuff,looking very much the tourist.He said Hello,I told him that the Bananas book he’d signed earlier was mine.
I managed to get into the pre-show meet & greet,too. No Gillan..
A very quick “Smile for the camera” situation. I shook hands all around,turned back to Paicey and said ” I’m so sorry about Jon” He gripped my shoulder and replied “Thanks so much,nice to see you again.Enjoy yourself tonight”.
Despite not seeing IG,,it was a damned near perfect Purple day.I got 4/5 signatures in the Now What booklet,and a ton of great memories.
review by Mike Whiteley
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Awesome
August 24th, 2014 at 12:22I really don’t understand why the audience was so sleepy and tame, even Steve’s tech Tommy posted on Facebook that the definitely did not feel the love that night…. And that with the band being in top form!
http://www.faceboo.com/groups/stevemorse
August 24th, 2014 at 12:23Ofc they are.
August 24th, 2014 at 12:38Great review! Envious! 🙂
August 24th, 2014 at 12:45I was there with my wife,good solid performance all around,didn’t like the crowd so much,kind of stiff and not too much vibe good onbut hey every body feels the music differently.I used to live in NYC and crowd was much more responsive and loud.
One thing that i have to say about the set list: I would drop Hell To Pay from the list,for maybe some other song like Pictures of Home,or Weirdistan,kind of disappointing not to hear Above and Beyond though,but hey it is up to them.The highlight of the show for me was Don Airey! Wow what a performer and talent he is.You could not find a better replacement for the mighty Lord.A night to remember with my childhood idols.
cheers
August 24th, 2014 at 17:34I was there. Some people up where my Aunt and Myself were sitting were up dancing. But that was it. I would have stood up for the show but I didn’t want to be rude and block someones view. I know my aunt who’s 60 would have been standing through out the entire show, dancing and pumping her fist but she broke her shoulder a couple months ago and is still in incredible pain and discomfort. So she remain seated for most of the show accept during OH’ CANADA and at the end when people gave PURPLE a standing ovation. Which they so very much deserved. Just an absolutely incredible performance. Better than the last 2 times I saw them. Only disappointment was Above And Beyond Wasn’t Played. But IAN PAICE did THE MULE Drumsolo which for me was the highlight of the show. I’ve been a drummer for 26 years and Mr. Paice has been my biggest influence. When I heard THE MULE on MIJ for the first time some 24-25 years ago. I was Floored. I was blown away. Right then and there I knew how I wanted to sound. As a young drummer who had only been playing for about 2 years I finally found the direction I want to go in. And because of Mr. Paice I discovered the drummers that Influenced Ian and they became my influences. Sorry If I’m rambling a bit.
Something else I’d like to point out. CASINO RAMA has an age limit. You have to be of legal age to Gamble. Even If you’re just going to see the concert. Plus it’s a casino. It’s magnet for middle age people. No offence intended. I myself am turning 40 this year. I know I know, I’m still a baby to some of you BLAH BLAH BLAH.
August 24th, 2014 at 22:57Missed the Rama show this time around but went to see them in Windsor! Great show. I hope to post my review and some great pics as I was front row center stage.
August 25th, 2014 at 21:44Anyway – about the crowds. These are CASINOS! Free Complimentary tickets for the regular patrons. They go to most shows but don’t stay for more than half the show and never stay for an encore! We jokingly refer to the Casino crowd as a sea of BLUE HAIRS! I hasve made many comments here and to friends that there is no vibe at a Casino show because of comps. The only show (I have been to 50 or so shows there)I have ever seen at Rama where everyone stood up for the show was Kiss! And at $200 a pop most casino people did noy get a ticket unless they were high rollers. So more fans were at that show. The problem is the casinos pay well, fit there billing audience 4,000 to 5,000 people, and their target destination areas.
Acoustics in those places are GREAT! You can hear a pin drop onstage!
I know there will be no buzzz and the crowds will suck on most nights! At least in Windsor they let the crowd up for the last half hour or so of the set. Until then it was just people with first or second row seats. Rules is RULES and STAY behind the yellow line! (For those fortunate enough to be up front at Rama or Windsor)
NWO