Purple hot as hell
The day for the show was hot and steamy, but it was only going to get hotter as the greatest band in the world, Deep Purple took the stage and crowd by storm.
My day started by seeking out the Purps at the hotel they were staying at. First I met Jon Lord in the lounge and had a nice chat with him. Next I met Ian Paice, Roger Glover and Steve Morse. They all signed my ticket, Steve even signed pics I had taken of him on The Dregs tour and a Dregs t-shirt. These guys are sooo cooool. Big Ian was no where around.
Anyway, the show. It was an almost all LS crowd. They were well lit before Nug even played. (Wonder if they stayed awake for LS.) The venue was packed, only a few bare spots in the upper corners. The Purps took the stage at 7:35 at high speed and never slowed down. They had the crowd up and moving from the first sounds of "Woman From Tokyo" to the last note of "Highway Star". The LS fans knew DP was the better band by far.
The set list was:
1) "Woman From Tokyo
2) "Ted The Mechanic"
3) "Lazy"
4) "Knocking At Your Back Door"
5) "Fools"
6) "Pictures Of Home"
7) "Perfect Strangers"
8) "When A Blind Man Cries"
9) "Smoke On The Water"
Encores:
10) "Hush"
11) "Highway Star"
The band was the tightest I ever saw them. My first DP show was 30 years ago. Steve Morse is so much a major player in the band now, truly the best guitarist around. Jon Lord was outstanding as always, Ian Paice and Roger Glover held it together so tightly all night. Big Ian looked great, short gray hair and all. He sang I think the best I ever heard him in all the years I've seen DP.
Highlight was when Ian brought a little girl on the stage to sing "Smoke". Class act. Other noteables were Steve splitting time between his blue guitar and a new black one. The new one seemed to have a harder sound.
Great time, great show, great guys, great Purple fans - a GREAT NIGHT. Can not wait til the headline tour next year. (I'd like to say high to CatMan from Dallas, keep in touch.)
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