Deep Purple - Montreal

**Warning: This is a 'very' long post, but it had to be told, especially if you aren't seeing DP. If you are seeing DP later on this tour, I hope this doesn't ruin it for you!

     It's 12:15 am, 15 minutes into the 22nd of November. I'm writing this on a paper and plan to post it as soon as I get to a computer. I have just arrived home after a deep religious experience...(to say Deep Purple concert would not suffice). I am not a very religious man; religion & politics usually divide people, but rock n' roll can unite souls, break any border, and reach many hearts.(At least that's what I learned tonight; although I suspected it all along).

     I had never seen Deep Purple live before (except on video). I really got into Purple in 1990 (late bloomer!) after knowing that they were the main influence of my favorite band: Iron Maiden. So, I went out and bought the the entire Deep Purple collection after first buying "Deepest Purple" (I'm still missing "22 Carat Purple", "Powerhouse" and "HOBL") and was blown away. When tickets went in sale, I rushed early in the morning to get my front row seat.

     So here I was, November 21st, alone because nobody could make it: either working, broke or just not interested (their loss). After a long day, I made my way downtown on this quiet, cold, and 'misty' (hi! :)) night When I got to the theater, there were a few people at the door, and scalpers galore! The show had sold out. This surmounted any sales expectations and late comers were lining up to scalpers with sky rocketing mark-ups.

     By then, I wasn't alone anymore: I was with family, with the Montreal Deep Purple family, I was home. As we made our way inside, there was a relaxed atmosphere, the beer was flowin', the crowd was talkin', and the ladies were...ladies! :) 8:10 pm, the opening act comes on. "Wild T and the Spirit" started things off with a warm, bluesy jam that would last 40 mins. Each song better than the first, a mixture of Hendrix, Kravitz & SRV. These talented musicians were setting up what would be a very, very special night.

     At intermission, talking to people, I made new friends as the place was filling up to 2200 fans between 14 and 64 yrs old. The crowd was getting jittery and I could begin to tell that the seats in this place were going to be useless. Before the lights even faded, fans were ready to rush the stage. The security staff (all two of them :) ) were going to overwhelmed, but i couldn't believe what was to be...

     The lights went dark, the deep organ grind emanated from the P.A. system. By then I was leaning against the stage, and Roger's sweet subtle bass line started juicin' the sneaky "Hush" on us. The gorgeous, beautiful Deep Purple women of Montreal were dancing wildly like women in love (the most awesome sight any man can experience). By the middle of the song, the band looked up from their instruments (or microphone) , gazed into the sea (well actually a small lake) of rock n' rollers, and glitter struck Ian Gillan and Roger Glover's eyes ( I couldn't see Paicey's and Lord's eyes behind their glasses!) Both they, and us fans knew that no matter who you were, tonight was not going to be just another night.

     With the loud, crystal clear sound of Purple, people were in a dancin' mood, even me( that never happens!). The crowd was unusually flirty :), I felt like a chicken alone in a coop full of foxes! By the end of "Hush", the cheer from the flock put in gear what was the kickstart to a mindblowing night": Fireball!

     The Band played with energy, and huge smiles on their faces; they truly seemed to be having fun. This would go on for the next two-plus hours with different variations in mood and emotion, sorta like a two-hour condensation of life. The band apprceiated the fans and the fact that most knew the new album very well, they thanked us repeatedly. I cannot start enumerating each song as there were many(yet still not enough :) ) but to mention a few: Ted, Speed King, Pics of Home, Sometimes I feel like Drinking (that's what Ian said :) ), No one Came, I'm not your lover, woman from Tokyo, The Aviator, Rosa's, and more...

     Throughout the show, each musician displayed exceptional talent and versatility. There were jams in the middle of songs that displayed feeling, and a "this is now" kinda thing, where these jams felt right and actually embellished the songs, keeping everyone dancing; including Ian with his bongos, tambourine thingy and harmonica (yee-ha)...which brings me to Steve Morse.

     Steve...well...was brilliant! (but will fit in even better if he keeps going the way he is). After hearing all kinds of rumours, and reading posts that he was a good technician and mechanically perfect axeman but was way too sober and reserved (some even called him Steve Bores), I was sceptic. This is my feeling tonight: Ritchie who? :) Actually, to me Blackmore is a god, but mostly in Rainbow. After seeing Steve tonight, I can't help think that maybe Ritchie's volatile and creative soul may be a solid factor in why there has been so may line-up changes that may have hurt Purple, but still help put out good music(e.g. Burn) (Please-read this paragraph with an open mind, and don't flame me too much! :), you had to be there tonight!) Steve surpassed my expectations! Even signing an autograph in the middle of a guitar solo ( you have to see it to believe it!). >From soft to heavy, each note to each song was appropriate and, as with Glover & Paicey's rock-tight-siamese-like rythm, his (Steve's) solid anchor presence fit like a piece of the puzzle that is in no way loose or forced-in. All this brings me to this hypothesis. (Oh-oh, you'll hate me :( ): Even though there would never have been a Deep Purple without Ritchie Blackmore, I can't help wonder that if it was Steve Morse that played and recorded all albums till "wdwtwa", the band would have never have changed line-up up till now and we would have more Purple records than we actually do. The down side is that we also would not have had Coverdale, and hence, no whitesnake :(. Ok, you may (and I know you do) want to argue, that if it was Morse, the albums would not have been the same. Actually, you never know, if you take "Purpendicular" , for instance, (this album grows on me each listen) I have trouble believing it would have been any different had it been with Ritchie. Ok, maybe slightly different, like what "Anya' did for TBRO, but I still think you get my point (after all, RB is only 1/5 of DP). Please remember I said i love Blackmore.

     Okay back to the show, (still reading? Thanks!). after a couple of hours, which really felt like 10 mins., the guys got offstage. WoW! What a roar! The 2200 people sounded like 12200. You just knew that this show was not even close to over. Oooooh...*shivers* Motion picture-soundtrack-kinda-moody-keyboard-solo-thing that, after a few minutes, jumped into Perfect Strangers (...can you remember, remember my...) **more shivers**. This ten minute version of Perfect Stranglers :) made the room an ever more partyin' party-house (if that's possible!)(see my 'beautiful women' comment earlier :)). The band then proceeded, like a bunch of youthful lads, into a foot-tappin', finger poppin', heart pounding, move-whatever-you got version of "Hey Cisco"; the "Lazy" of the '90s. Although there was still more to this, I don't want to give the end away just in case you still haven't seen the tour yet. Let me just say: even the expected can impress, surprise, and move you.

     Strange thing, even when it was over, when the lights were on, the crew working the stage, and a shitty techno version of DP playing on the P.A. (I think it was "Smoke", but I really don't want to remember), the crowd was still cheering loadly like if there was no going home, there was no other home than here, right now.

     Maybe this awe is due to the fact that this was my first DP show, but I was on a high (no drugs.). I left the theater that night with the satisfaction that rock n' roll ain't just another kind of music, it 'is' music. I feel "alive" and there is no other word to describe it. (Hey! I'm finally speechless!)

Hey! AMD-Pers that were there, am I off on this one? Perhaps it's 'cause I was right in the middle of the action frontstage, if so, I'm glad I was. (Babes all around!)

Darn! No review on Friday's paper. What did I expect? When "The Gazette" reviewed "purpendicular", it was a one word review: 'square'.

I love you Purple people ( no, I'm not drunk!)

MIKEY

[ reviews home ]