DPAS LIVE REVIEWS

Deep Purple
Newcastle City Hall.
11th September 2002

"When did they get so good?"

That's a quote from a friend who came along to Newcastle with me. We had seen Rainbow,
Gillan and Whitesnake together in the late 70s/early 80s but he'd never seen Purple.
What an introduction!

Four of us down at the front, on Steve's side. I was wondering whether they could improve on Hammersmith... Well, they did. The crowd seemed to lift them to another level right from the start. It was the same set list with minor variations. Lots of interaction between Don and Roger, with everyone obviously enjoying themselves. When you're that close you can see all the little things going on between them.

The most poignant moment was the start of When A Blind Man Cries. I was so into the concert that I had forgotton about the day's news and the September 11th commemorative events. Instead of his usual intro, Steve played a beautiful variation on the Star Spangled Banner, using the melody, going off on a variation, coming back and heading off again and again until drawing it to a close. It looked like there wasn't a dry eye on stage and it was an amazing, moving moment for the audience too. Understated, subtle and very fitting.

Later, Don's solo included a few local tunes (the Keel Row, Bobby Shaftoe and the inevitable Blaydon Races) - something for his home crowd, and Jon's changeover raised the equally inevitable cheer. The riff medley was back in for the start of Smoke on The Water - maybe Steve puts it in when he thinks the crowd is up for it? I still preferred the intro from Hammersmith 1, but you can't have everything.

Back for a powerful version of Hush, another great improv intro to Black Night and watching the drum kit almost shake apart in Highway Star! I also managed to shake hands with Big Ian and Jon. Nearly 2 hours had passed and it felt like a few minutes. On the way out we had the post-mortem. It was the first time my friends had seen Deep Purple and now they were beginning to understand why I could easily see them four times in a week and a half, and if I heard it once I heard it a dozen times…. "When did they get so good?" I just smiled and thought of Birmingham.

review: Brian Jackson
photos + scan: Nick Naylor

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! They just seem to keep getting better. No weak links
and everyone playing for the good of the band.

Be honest, it hasn't always been that way. Steve is amazing, The Well Dressed Guitar proves he has few equals (if any!) The changeover from Don to Jon was magical and seeing them play together later in the evening set the seal on a fine performance.

I don't get to travel to see the band so I've only seen them the last twice at the City Hall, ( still one of the best halls in the country!) so I was a tiny bit disappointed at not hearing Fools - always one of my favourites but never seen them do it live - and I was quite surprised at the lack of Morse era stuff. Black Night seemed a bit subdued. Not complaining though, short of a five hour show it really couldn't have been much better.

review: Trev Robinson, Co. Durham

I last saw the boys on the Purpendicular tour when Steve first toured
and I thought he was amazing, adding something new to the band.

I love Purpendicular as an album and enjoyed hearing it played live. Come forward to 2002 and we were hit with a "Greatest Hits" gig. I did enjoy the gig but must admit I came away thinking "move on for God's sake". Ian Gillan won't sing any Coverdale Purple material, yet Steve is stuck playing Blackmore with the exception of Ted the Mechanic and Well Dressed Guitar. He did look like he was enjoying himself all the same so maybe he's happy playing all the old stuff.

Paicey was awesome as usual, I still rate him as one of the top three rock drummers. Don Airey, well, as good as he ever was in Rainbow, seems happy with his lot too. Farewell to Jon, sad to see you go. Didn't see a lot of Roger thanks to my crap seat but he sounded as solid as ever. Mr.Gillan; the voice sounded really good but what's with the pyjamas and bare feet?????

So in conclusion, not the best gig they've ever played, certainly not the worst....BUT....1972 was 30 years ago and it's really a shame there wasn't more recent stuff in the set in order to let Steve play more of the songs he's performed on. Leave the "Greatest Hits" to the tribute bands.

review: Jimmy S.

I never mourned the passing of the green-tight wearing banjo player (I think he lost it big-time in the early 90's, and doesn't show any sign of getting it back), but Steve Morse just gives more and more to the Deep Purple sound. His arrival for Purpendicular kicked more life into Deep Purple than they'd had for decades! In the intro to When A Blind Man Cries, Steve gave us a beautiful rendition of The Star Spangled Banner - just perfect for the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedies.

And now we've also got Don Airey - and more life!!! Don't get me wrong; Jon Lord was and is The Boss, but Don fits in perfectly, and he surely adds to the band's sound - his stunning solo before the switchover with Jon was awesome. "Star Wars" and "The Blaydon Races" in a Purple concert? Well, why the hell not! Don even included a few bars from Jon's Concerto - a perfect tribute?

Ian Paice just gets better and better with age (sorry Ian, no disrespect intended)! I got so tired of drum solos a few years ago, but now I can't get enough, especially his one-handed snare roll. Wonderful stuff! Roger Glover is becoming a real lead bass player! His solo in Speed King was astounding, neat use of both his fabulous playing and a couple of well-placed effects. As a bass player myself, I really rate this guy.

And that just leaves the Lord himself. Well, he's going out in style! Perfect Strangers is such a showcase for Jon's classic Hammond sound and style. and the duet with Don for the solo in Highway Star was great to see (and hear). Jon will be very sadly missed, and I wish him well in all his future work, but he need have no worries about what he leaves behind - his legacy is in good hands. Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers? Well, yes and no: they don't look like strangers to me (witness the constant grins on all of them), but they're as near perfect as I can imagine!

review + all photos on this page: Nick Naylor
See More Of Nick's Newcastle Pics