From: <n_d_young@compuserve.com> 
Date: 11 Jul 1996 12:55:13 GMT 
Subject: Montreux Jazz Festival - 9th July 1996 

We had booked the concert tickets on the internet, so all we had to do was arrange a holiday around it. We settled on Saturday to Wednesday, flying from Manchester to Geneva staying in Montreux at the Rene-Capt Hotel, near the casino.

The show started with an acoustic set by the lead singer of an English group, Shaker (?) and then at 9.30pm an introduction from Claude Nobs. The band were presented with medals of honour by the mayor of Montreux. This was to recognise that they had really put Montreux on the map and, despite the great number of famous musicians at the festival, they were the first musicians to receive such an award.

Fireball was really tight, Jon's solo after Roger's was incredible and it was a delight to see his hands on the keyboards via the two huge screens either side of the stage. (This begs the question: will the video ever be released ?) Closing with the Into The Fire riff, the packed, sold-out crowd went wild.

Ted followed (he's now a gardener). Ian seemed to lose his way in the lyrics in the second verse, Steve played an excellent extra-long solo.

All about the contents of Roger's pockets, Pictures of Home. Isn't it amazing that it took them 22 years to put this into the live set ? ... ditto No One Came) The song just flows. It could have gone on forever as far as I was concerned.

Straight into Black Night, the crowd are having a great time, the atmosphere is fantastic (and there are people here from all over Europe). They tended to play the bigger numbers under full house lights which reduced the impact of the video screens which were no longer so easy to see.

Someone in the crowd held up a banner for Rosa's Cantina. Ian apologised that it was a slightly shorter program tonight (with hindsight, a full set could have been done quite easily). So, onto Cascades. I remember a particularly nice bit of camera work when during Steve's solo they zoomed in on one of the wolves on Steve's t-shirt (it's obviously a favourite shirt of his) the crowd clapped along as he built up the solo back into the song.

Then we are into Woman from Tokyo, a song about a compilation woman, mostly Italian. By now the whole place is singing along with every word and the floor seems to be moving with us.

Next up, my desert island disc, No One Came, Roger and Steve moving their guitars in unison as if they are Hank & Bruce in The Shadows.

"You are fantastic, ..... wonderful, ..... superb, ..... magnifico" says Ian over the noise of the crowd. Then Jon leads us into Blind Man, Steve taking over as the intro builds and Ian sings "If you're leaving ...". And what a tremendous performance it is. Steve's solo more restrained than previously and all the better for it (touches of jazzy runs, very appropriate) but it's Ian's song and the cameras close in on the closing line as he gives it everything. Truly brilliant.

Pulled back from the encores we get Hey Cisco, Ian not doing a very good job of conducting Steve and Roger's backing vocals and losing his place towards the end of the track.

"The next one's an Italian ballad" and Jon leads Ian into Nessun Dorma. Its Speed King including brief drum solo via bits of Not Fade Away, My Aunt Nellie, Lonnie Donegan and Burn.

Naturally, they've reverted Smoke back to the encore for tonight. Ian precedes it with "we were just going back to the hotel when we realised we'd forgot something". He then made a little speech about how the fire that night was such a significant moment in their history. Jon first, then Steve bring us into the song. The place goes mad ! There's a brief sing-a-long towards the end and that's it. 11 songs clocking in at under 90 minutes.

Claude's back on at the end, the awards were back to be waved in the air. Claude shouting Deep Purple again and again. Ian says he hopes its not 25 years before they come back. There is then to be a firework display on the lake to recreate Smoke On The Water.

We did not bother going to see this as it was hard work getting out the venue. In fact, if there had been a fire in that venue I can imagine it would be extremely difficult to get people out quickly. We met, to our surprise, the head waiter from our hotel. He said he was at the Casino on the night of the fire 25 years ago.

The idea for the fireworks was to create a big enough gap for Purple's gear to be removed and ZZ Top to come on. The original bill had not mentioned ZZ Top and when they were added, the idea of a short set through their greatest hits before Purple took to the stage appealed. As it was, by the time they came on it was one o'clock in the morning. We stood 5 songs that all sounded the same and then left.

Debbie Harry was stood right next to us for ZZ Top, but she only stayed for one song (wise move).

Overall, it was a terrific show, all playing at their best. It would have been better if they had not had to reduce their set and it was unusual without Perfect Strangers, Highway Star and the new songs Screaming, Waltz, Rosa's etc.

Strangely, there was no merchandising other than CD's.

As an event, for its historical significance, to have been there was incredible. I know we'll never forget; Smoke on the water, fire in the sky. Smoke on the water, fire in the sky (repeat and fade).

Nigel Young

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