FOR THE LAST TWO I have been permanently fatigued with ME or 'Yuppy Flu'. For the last year I've been 90% bed bound. When I heard about the Deep Purple tour 6 months or more ago I was particulaly sensative to noise and could not hand music at any volumn. The bands nearest gig was 50-70 miles away but I thought what the hell, go for it. What a great decision.
About 2 months ago I discovered I was able to tolerate music at low volumns again. I bought _|_ on the day of release and even on first listen my foot was tapping and I liked it. I am normally very slow at evaluating music. This album is the best album I have bought in the last couple of years.
When I got my ticket six months ago I was particularly pleased to discover it was half price because I was disabled and using a wheel chair. I was also put in a box on the right side of the stage, no more than 10feet away and about 20foot up. I could not see Paicey because the speakers where in the way but I got an excellant view of everything else.
I first saw Purple at Knebworth and then at Wembley arena. This close I could see Jon Lord dusting down his keyboards when not playing and Gillan going of for a Drink out of green can. I assume Hieniken. I also got a perfect view of Steve Morse's foot pedals. At times Gillan moved the mike too far away from his face and I was amazed to still hear his unamplified voice. I hope the declining venue sizes is because the band are being good to their fans and not because they can't full the bigger venues.
The same songs were played as reported in the Reading Review 17 February. From Gillan's interaction with the crowd they had been re-odered that night and unfortunately from my point of view Rat Bat Blue was missing.
I got the disinct impression everyone in the band liked each other and were having fun. It was particularly nice to see Morse going up on to Lords upriser for the 'jam' sections. They were both smiling every time they passed a lick from one to the other.
I hope the band are planning another video for this tour. With such a great set list it would be a shame to let it go by unrecorded. A person next to be said he thought it wouldn't be a Purple concert if they did not do 'Child in Time' but I didn't miss it. The only slight flat spot to me was 'Purpendicular Waltz' and 'No-one came'. The excitment in these 2 songs and their late position in the set meant my pain from sitting was a bit too strong during these numbers.
Given that programs are always over priced I was also particulaly pleased with the Studio diary. I like programs to have a lot of reading and this was great.
I got one of the security guards to take my program up to the band and they were good enough to sign for me. I suspect I could have hung around and seen the band but pain and my driver persuaded me otherwise.
Before the show I caught the Deep Purple tour report on VH1. This is on again and I have reported when before. It was a clip almost 5mins long. It started with a clip from the 'I feel like Screaming' video. This then transformed into a studio/rehersal clip of the song. Then some talk. Then a studio/rehersal clip of 'Cascades - I'm not your lover'.
When is 'Sometimes I feel like Screaming' to be released and are there any bonus tracks?
Jon Hinchliffe
Newsgroups: alt.music.deep-purple Subject: Cambridge/UK 24/4/96 - Review From: jonhinch@mail.anglianet.co.uk (Jon Hinchliffe)
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