Deep Purple - Vigo, Spain, 24th July
The perfect setting for a perfect concert - an open air park, the stage surrounded by trees, and in memory of Mudworth, torrential rain all day... Although it let up just before Purple took the stage on the last night of a two night tour - Montreux and Vigo.
Oh yes, the ticket price - 9 Euros for the area close to the stage, free a bit further away. The local paper reported 30,000 people, and even if they exaggerated a bit, they weren't far wrong. There were two Spanish support acts, although Purple insisted on playing before the second one (they came on at 11:15), so the poor second support guy had to contend with thousands of people leaving as he came on...
Ian was barefoot for most of the show, and actually apologised for his trousers (his luggage hadn't arrived). As you know, Purple are not on tour, this was one of two nights, and the whole atmosphere was like a big party - lots of on stage banter and joking between members. It was also very very loud, just like it should be.
Paicey and Steve seemed especially happy, we were even treated to a one hand drum solo. There were two giant screens, but during the first song, Ian gently pushed the on stage cameraman off (well, backstage) explaining that the two cameras in front of the stage were enough.
The set had no surprises, except for "Fools" - a truly majestic performance. They opened with "Woman From Tokyo", the "Ted The Mechanic", and then in no particular order "Into The Fire", "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming", "Pictures Of Home", "Smoke On The Water", "'69", "Perfect Street Rangers", "Fools", lots of instrumental bits - Jon and Steve battled it out, as did Steve and Ian (with rooster impersonations included), then "When A Blind Man Cries" and "Speed King" with a Buddy Holly medley. The encores were "Lazy" and the best "Highway Star" I've ever heard. 1 hour 45 minutes in total.
This is the third time the boys have come to this rather out of the way corner of Spain in 6 years, and the audiences just keep getting bigger and bigger. All in all, a great show, very relaxed and just great fun.
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