Deep Purple - Rio 1997

The show in Rio was a great one. The venue provided a very good sound and the artists could shine. Needless to say Steve Morse was the main focus of attenttion and he literally let it roll. Playing brilliant solos and many times occupying the centre of stage and sometimes sharing the right of stage with Roger, he was absolutely on his night.

After the beginning of the show, the venue became very hot and the band was sweating through all their pores, and maybe that's a reason why Jon's and Paice's solos were shortened. The audience also didn't help very much by repeatedly crying Jon Lord's name when he was playing the quietest notes of his solo, they could have listened instead.

They began with Hush followed by Fireball and the sequence was as usual. I wouldn't like to highlight numbers because I liked all of them.The Purpendicular songs they played are surely among the best on the album: Ted the Mechanic, Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming, Cascades and Rosa's Cantina.

I'm very happy about the show and specially how good Steve was. At the end of Highway Star he delivered to the audience all his stocks of plectrums and was tha last one to leave the stage, smiling of course ;-)

Cheers,
Joao Verleun

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