Deep Purple - Hanau, Deutschland (Germany)
Saturday 30. March 1996
Newsgroups: alt.music.deep-purple
Subject: Concert Review - Hanau, Germany. 30/3/96
From: Rupert Williams <RWILLIAM@esoc.esa.de>
Date: Thu, 4 Apr 1996 00:31:32 EST
I attended DPs last concert of the German tour in Hanau last Saturday night
( 30/3 ).....here's a few general observations!
First of all I missed the support act, so I can't comment on them - although
IMO DP usually have dodgey support acts for some reason....maybe it's just me?!
I arrived around 9:20 p.m, the hall lights were still on, and I just heard
Steve Morse's guitar tech. ( I guess ) sound checking as I entered the hall.
The audience then had to wait another 10 or 15 minutes, and were getting rather impatient before DP hit the stage. The first things that struck me as they
started playing were how good the overall sound was ( not *too* loud ), and
how superb Ian Gillan's voice was! I was most impressed with how powerful
and how expressive Ian was still able to sing, and this really gave me goose-
bumps on occasions ( especially during When A Blind Man Cries - more later ).
Steve Morse played excellently, and I must say that the way he fits into
the band, both sound, technique, and attitude wise is uncanny! As I am myself
a lead guitarist in a band, I appreciated his overall sound and his tasteful
licks ( he said lick....huh, huh...! ), but it grated on my nerves a bit
that the same guitar lick kept popping up in many solos! 99% of the audience
wouldn't even notice this, but me being a guitarist, I did. Also Steve
should try to play a bit slower, on occasions where it would fit the song -
WABMC being a typical example. His second solo during this song was played too
furious, when a more simple, slower, laid-back and melodic solo would have
fitted more appropriately. This is just my observation as a musician, but
apart from this Steve Morse played very tastefully, and he fits very well with
the DP concept and sound. Well done Steve...and yes I have seen DP with
Ritchie Blackmore!
Jon Lord was as funny and good as ever. Ian Paice is still superb, and
Roger Glover was solid, without being too flashy, and was timing perfect ( I
think that IP and RG can probably tell what the other is going to do just on
instinct by now! ).
The audience lapped up every moment, but I'm not sure that they all fully
understood the song choice - where some of the more "lesser known" titles
were played. They all seemed to go a bit quiet, not knowing quite what to do!
All the hits were played with the crowd dancing and singing along, and every-
body was having a great time. I thought the song choice was good.
Highlight of the show? For me it was When A Blind Man Cries. Gillan's voice
was incredible, and the way he would sustain notes, then rise in pitch to the
next note ( without drawing breath, and pitch perfect! ) was fantastic. It
kind of takes the place of Child In Time, and as the lesser known of the two
( not to Purple fans, but in general ), I rate it as just as good a substitute!
They played for just over two hours, with one encore, so I think that it was
worth the admission price! Overall, I was glad I attended!
Ok, that's about it from me....feel free to ask any questions.
Rupert
P.S. Was Ian Gillan suffering from a cold or something? He wrapped himself up on a few occasions ( woolly jumper and hat! ), and was a bit more
subdued than I've seen him on other occasions. This didn't seem to
affect his voice at all though!
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