[% META title = 'Tour Reviews' %]
Getting head in Arizona
It was good to see DP headline this show, but after watching two blistering (and not because it was 105 degrees today) sets by Dio and the Scorps, I wondered if they could pull it off. The Scorpions have brought along a bigger stage set up and seem to be more popular in Arizona than DP (and I think Dio is also more popular here than DP). Of course, when you record a song called Arizona, that tends to happen. Anyway, they did the best they could.
The crowd was pretty big. I was in the third row and looked back and guessed it to be around 10,000. But the promotors did give two free tickets to anyone who went to the Diamondbacks baseball game on May 26, so that boosted attendance.
Ian was in good voice, Steve played his usual brilliant set, and Don Airey is a capable substitute for Jon Lord but doesn't have the stage aura he does.
The set list (may not be in perfect order):
Highway Star
Woman From Tokyo
Ted The Mechanic
Lazy
Fools
Well Dressed Guitar
Airey solo
Perfect Strangers
Speed King
Hush (introduced by Ian G. as being written "exactly 100 years ago")
riff medley/Smoke On The Water.
I also caught a drum head dated and autographed by Ian Paice, but he spelled Phoenix "Pheoxix". Probably his drum tech's spelling. Can't wait to hear the new album Ian promised.