Cheers my dear fiends! I just came back from São Paulo's September 7 Deep Purple concert and I fell a little sad. Okay, the São Paulo orchestra was great, Deep Purple, as usual were amazing. But I feel sad.

The concert started punctually, with an amazing piece by the São Paulo orchestra, and then Purple came on, to play the "Concerto". During the first movement, the crowd was impressed with their competence, and everybody screamed the hell out of their minds. The second movement began, but the energy wasn't the same, and in the third movement the crowd started to fell a little bored, and some unfair comments were heard. That made the musicians visually unhappy (okay, all but Morse, wich had an enormous ovation each time he played a note).

There was a break (half an hour!) at the end of the "Concerto". Then, Jon Lord came back with his friend to play "Pictured Within" (Jon Lord's friend was just like Pavarotti!) Okay, everybody was disappointed (I'm sorry to say that), because there was zero per cent from the 'Purple Catch', zero per cent from their characteristic days, but then, kind of 'saving the day', Dio came in being greeted incredibly.

He plays very good songs like "Sitting In A Dream" and "Love Is All" and then, when he played his new song from "Magica", the entire auditorium was standing up, and brought the energy from the concert to the top. When he played "Rainbow In The Dark" that was it! Nothing could have been better than that! Oh yeah, Deep Purple playing his song was much superior than Dio's band, but anyway...

Then Gillan came back and sang a cool headed "Via Miami", and a *country* song; "That's Why God Is Singing The Blues". See? *Country*! Once again, the public made fun of the song, screaming like in a rodeo. A shame... Stupid crowd...

Finally, the band played a very nice "Wring That Neck", in wich the horn section of the orchestra seemed not to have practised (they missed the stops!). I would like to say that I was one of the few people that recognised that song! What a shame, Brazil... I think I was the only one who had "The Book Of Taliesyn". However, it was good!

I was sad when I learned that Morse wasn't going to play "Take It Off The Top"! For me, that was one of the most respectable tracks from the "Concerto" album. What a pity!

Finally, after "Wring That Neck" some rock and roll came up. They played a perfect "Ted The Mechanic", an astonishing "Watching The Sky" (once again, I think I'm the only one who has the Abandon album), and an emotive "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming".

For the encores, what a surprise! "Smoke On The Water". Not that I don't like that song, but I think I am getting a little fed up with it. And why were there so many people there, if they just want to listen to "Smoke on the water"? Come on! Deep Purple have done like 30 album and you want to listen to "Smoke On The Water"? Come on! I think the people there didn't even know "Into The Fire"! What a shame!

Here comes the tracklist:
"Concerto 1"
"Concerto 2"
"Concerto 3"
Break (Santana's "Supernatural" was played over the PA)
"Pictured Within"
"Wait A While" (with Jon Lord's friend Luciano Pavarotti on guitar with Morse)
"Sitting In A Dream" (Dio came to save the day)
"Love Is All"
Dio's "Magica" track (sorry, still don't have the album!)
"Rainbow In The Dark"
"Via Miami" (Cool headed Gillan!)
"That's Why God Is Singing The Blues" (Country? Is there a Garth Brooks hidden in Gillan's heart?)
"Wring That Neck" (no "Take it off the top!")
"Ted The Mechanic"
"Pictures Of Home"
"Watching The Sky"
"Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming"

Encore:
"Smoke On The Water"

That was it! To be honest, I liked the concert, but I felt more like I went to a Dio Concert with Deep Purple as Special Guests. You know, a perfect encore would be: "Fireball"/"Into The Fire" medley, "Perfect Strangers", "Speed King", "Hey Cisco" (love that song!), "Strange Kind Of Woman", "Highway Star", and "Black Night". Oh, yes, "Smoke On The Water" - or the audience would wreck the theatre...

Just to finish, I would like to say that good seats in the theatre suck! I had the most expensive seats in the audience, and I couldn't stand up during the good tunes, or dance, or jump. The other bastards wouldn't let me!

Oh, and Gillan, please answer me about this! I miss "Burn" and "Might Just Take Your Life"!

And, at last: To hell with Blackmore! Morse really rules!

Goodbye friends!!!

Vinícius José S. Gomes,
São Paulo, Brazil

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