I saw Deep Purple last week in Lyon, second gig of the tour. The venue was sold out which means something like 16 000 people!
I have to say that I'm more than pleasantly surprised because I never expected the guys to have still so much fun and energy left in them! I learnt the lesson well : never underestimate legends
They were all smile and having fun, playing tight like they always have and I was very much into the setlist. I don't have a problem with them playing more newer songs this time.
They had the Rapture of the Deep cover art as back drop and also big video screens at each side of the stage, plus very good lights production.
One of the most positive points was the incredible crystal clear sound, one of the best live sounds I have ever heard, smooth, powerful yet not too loud and so well mixed. In one word : per-fect. Especially Morse's guitar sound, and the guy is also so much more than a Blackmore wannabe! "Contact Lost" sounded like something coming out of Gary Moore and he was spot on playing the classic material.
This great live sound is the reason why the songs from the latest album sounded better (and heavier) than on record, for example "Rapture of the Deep" with its beautiful oriental theme, the catchy "Wrong Man" or the dark & gloomy "Before Time Began".
Don Airey was jaw-dropping all night and even his solo grabbed me, usually live keyboards solos bore me to death but not this time and that's a first! Amazing, really. Just like Ian Paice showing no signs of age, now that's a drummer.
As for Ian Gillan, even though he cannot hit the high notes like he used to he's still good enough to sing his heart out and give me the chills, "Perfect Strangers" and "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" being highlights as usual. Ok, he forgot a few lines in "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" and sang "hallelujaaaah" instead
A few weeks ago I was a bit reluctant to attend the gig (no Lord, no Blackmore, etc.) but I'm glad I changed my mind, it was money well spent and now I can't wait to see them again.
Deep Purple are still a pure class band!!!
Setlist :
Pictures of Home
Things I Never Said (japanese bonus track from the latest album!)
Ted the Mechanic
Living Wreck
Rapture of the Deep
Wrong Man
Before Time Began
Contact Lost / Guitar solo
Well-Dressed Guitar (a Steve Morse Band's song)
Lazy
Keyboard Solo
Perfect Strangers
Junkyard Blues
Back to Back
Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming
Space Truckin'
Highway Star
Smoke on The Water
-----------------------
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Black Night (including an extended guitar solo)
(They also played "Speed King" in Paris during the encores, but not in Lyon )
I have to say that I'm more than pleasantly surprised because I never expected the guys to have still so much fun and energy left in them! I learnt the lesson well : never underestimate legends
They were all smile and having fun, playing tight like they always have and I was very much into the setlist. I don't have a problem with them playing more newer songs this time.
They had the Rapture of the Deep cover art as back drop and also big video screens at each side of the stage, plus very good lights production.
One of the most positive points was the incredible crystal clear sound, one of the best live sounds I have ever heard, smooth, powerful yet not too loud and so well mixed. In one word : per-fect. Especially Morse's guitar sound, and the guy is also so much more than a Blackmore wannabe! "Contact Lost" sounded like something coming out of Gary Moore and he was spot on playing the classic material.
This great live sound is the reason why the songs from the latest album sounded better (and heavier) than on record, for example "Rapture of the Deep" with its beautiful oriental theme, the catchy "Wrong Man" or the dark & gloomy "Before Time Began".
Don Airey was jaw-dropping all night and even his solo grabbed me, usually live keyboards solos bore me to death but not this time and that's a first! Amazing, really. Just like Ian Paice showing no signs of age, now that's a drummer.
As for Ian Gillan, even though he cannot hit the high notes like he used to he's still good enough to sing his heart out and give me the chills, "Perfect Strangers" and "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" being highlights as usual. Ok, he forgot a few lines in "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" and sang "hallelujaaaah" instead
A few weeks ago I was a bit reluctant to attend the gig (no Lord, no Blackmore, etc.) but I'm glad I changed my mind, it was money well spent and now I can't wait to see them again.
Deep Purple are still a pure class band!!!
Setlist :
Pictures of Home
Things I Never Said (japanese bonus track from the latest album!)
Ted the Mechanic
Living Wreck
Rapture of the Deep
Wrong Man
Before Time Began
Contact Lost / Guitar solo
Well-Dressed Guitar (a Steve Morse Band's song)
Lazy
Keyboard Solo
Perfect Strangers
Junkyard Blues
Back to Back
Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming
Space Truckin'
Highway Star
Smoke on The Water
-----------------------
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Black Night (including an extended guitar solo)
(They also played "Speed King" in Paris during the encores, but not in Lyon
)
