Fun loving originals

Went to see Deep Purple at Cliff's Pavillion, after being a fan of the band for 25 years (since the age of 11). This was the first time that I had seen them live, and it won't be the last.

My only disappointments are that I had not seen them live before and the tour programme. "Good luck in 2001"...? It's 2002, and it would be nice if a new programme was produced for the UK tour, preferably before I see them again at the Hammersmith Apollo on the February 23.

Other than that, the gig was tremendous, even the support. Planets were a semi-classical octet (playing classical numbers that were embellished with electric guitar solos etc.), four lads, four lasses and the lasses were georgeous, the clarinetist/keyboardist showing more than a passing resemblance to a certain miss Lisa Snowdon. Lovely!

I will not reiterate the Purple set list (which has been more than adequately covered by other reviewers), except to say that the new tracks Up The Wall and The Well Dressed Guitar (an instrumental) were good and excellent respectively.

My personal favourites of the night were Child In Time, When A Blind Man Cries, Lazy and Speed King (with guitar/organ battle and bass and drum solos). The reason that this night was so good was not the small and intimate venue, it was not the standard of the musicianship on display, nor was it the reaction of the crowd. It was the fact that Deep Purple were unashamedly having FUN, and it felt great to be at a concert where the band that you had been waiting all your life to see seemed just as pleased to see you!

I can't wait to see them again at the Hammersmith.

Russell Thorndike

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