Deep Purple Live at the Helsinki Old Icehall 6.4.2000

One hour after seeing live your biggest idols it is hard to be an objective in any way.
With no new studio album to support it was surprise to see more crowd (some 6000) than 16 months before during Abandon tour. Also surprising was the fact that there were lots of young kids maybe at their first DP gig. Certainly one of the reasons why the audience was so excited and rocking...
The gig lasted almost two hours and these were the songs they played:

Woman from Tokyo (proved to be a helluva opener, keep it there)
Fireball (somebody! fix the Hammond)
Into the Fire (no teasing, whole song played)
Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming (it's become a hit)
69 (new solo vehicle! included bits from 'Mule' and 'Paint it Black')
Smoke on the Water (before that Steve Morse solo)
Watching the Sky (IG invented some new lyrics during the song while the band was laughing behind his back)
Fools (Highlight! Great solo from Steve)
Black Night ("song for headless chicken to dance" (IG))
When a Blind Man Cries (Big Ian got emotional, was he really crying? another great Morse solo!)
Perfect Strangers (short solo from Jon Lord before, but no Sibelius' Finlandia this time around)
Any Fule Kno That
Speed King (solos from everyone and Gillan singing 'Fever' instead of 'Not Fade Away´ ;)
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Lazy
Highway Star

Not hard to understand what Roger Glover ment when he said at this website about playing in a happy band: everyone smiling during each song and every now and then trying to steal the spotlight from the other guy. The best part was during Highway Star when Jon was playing the solo with one hand and showing off to Steve: Do this if you can! Steve also had good duel during Speed King with Big Ian and Jon.

Steve was _the man_ on stage. I don't know much about guitar playing but his solos and new things he creates for old Mk2 songs are just getting better and better. Songs may be old but they sound fresh.

It was great to have 'Fools' included but still I'd like to see the setlist changing a bit more.
Jon had some problems with his Hammond during 'Fireball' which pretty much ruined the whole song. They fixed it but still the same problems occured during`Any Fule` and 'Speed King'. After Fireball Big Ian made some joke about his organ which had been misbehaving since the morning and he didn't know what it is...

What else to say? If you have seen them live during past five years, can you still believe that they can get any better?
You better believe it.

Thank You Chaps!

Janne Puska,
Helsinki

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