Another perspective
Rasmus asked me twice to write a "review" about Rostock. (Really funny, he should better ask the insiders.) [Not really! The only criteria for being able to write a review is that you went to a show. Rasmus]
Voilà, something about Rostock, well, everything stolen ;-)
I've no idea what the insiders of the Deep Purple scene think about the concert. I was alone in Rostock, two days off, no job and no family, great. In town during the days every now and then I saw someone with a DP t-shirt. On the parking lot at the station some people who obviously used it for camping and waiting for the show. Some people with the well-known clothes disappeared in direction of the youth hostel. In the hotel a few young people, looked like potential concert visitors.
Finally at the venue I was looking around if there's maybe someone I've met at other concerts, but nobody. Then I got to meet a few very nice people, some of them went for the first time to a Deep Purple concert, or brought their kids there, they didn't know DP, but they wanted to see a rock legend, and enjoyed the concert. So we talked all the time about new-five-land (ancient Eastern part of Germany) which was very interesting. A few people at the venue fan-dressed, most of them not.
In the hall a relaxed athmosphere, no pushing and shoving at all, even not near the stage, a warm day, after the concert nice to sit outdoors and have a beer. Everybody seemed to be completely happy with the concert.
Before DP came a German band Aprildaze, unknown for me, with electric and accoustic guitares, drums, the acoustic guitare sounded better, in my opinion, more accent on the singing. Later at home one my children told me that they are well-known to young people in Germany, they heard them on the radio, likes them and thinks that their music is a bit like Oasis, maybe, I don't know. A few days later in Bonn they played as well, this time my daughter was with me and was happy to see them live.
Before the DP show started, several men shouted "JON". Don Airey began to play, and then I didn't hear them no more. All seemed immediately persuaded that he played very well. Respect, challenging to jump in for such a rock legend. Super. Nevertheless not Jon Lord, different technic to hit the keys, different sound, and I remembered "If the music doesn't whisper in your ear and help you to create your own images, then it has failed..." - Jon Lord, maybe it was this that I missed, surely many other people experienced Don Aireys music completely different.
I was so curious about the Italian show of DP in May, and hoped to hear something of it, because I read before the concert on Caramba, about the lyrics of "Nessun Dorma": "So I re-wrote them, then I decided to do half and half, and it turned out OK." Ian Gillan; no screams, no congas with "Nessy", but maybe a new Sheherazadestory? Nothing, obviously not like the concerto tour where everything was possible.
And also on Caramba "No doubt he would disagree (Pavarotti), but the point I'm making is that I couldn't sing "Speed King" or "Ted The Mechanic" at the piano in the back room, nor in the bath, or walking down the street come to that (not without scaring the children anyway); no, I have to use every physical ounce of energy available and pound my way though a wall of rock, there's no way around it. " Ian Gillan.
Right, it frightens children, when they are very young, I've tried out with an old "In Rock" record long ago. But during the show I watched how Ian Gillan gets ready to sing difficult vocals, amazing. Fantastic singing. Like usual with transparent shoes. Waterfall. All the nonverbal communication.
"Ich habe ein Studio, und ein Teil von dem was ich mache, ist experimentelles Zeugs. Das hört sich nach nichts an was man kennen müsste. Es klingt sehr fremdartig. Manchmal klingt´s wie Minnegesang, manchmal nach Bee Gees, manchmal sind es nur Rhythmen, ein anderes Mal sind es Folksongs und bisweilen hört`s sich auch nach irischer Musik an. Es ist alles unwahrscheinlich vielseitig und doch ist es nur Roger Glover, der Spass hat. Und wenn ich Spaß habe, dann ist das der Grund für mich, ein Solo-Album zu machen oder eben nicht." Roger Glover (interview in the Aviator).
"I do love playing my guitar and I often sit around all night just playing and singing. It's not something that anyone would want to listen to, more of a work out really where I explore rhythms and weird tunes. I have quite a collection of percussion instruments at home and I often sit for ages tinkling away with temple bells or hand drums or claves." Ian Gillan (Caramba).
I burst with curiosity when I read things like this. Why not on stage?
Of course, it's always nice to see the old games, "I can't hear you", one handed drumming that sounds like a collection of several dummers, the imitation competition, etc., like old friends. Understandable that people who see DP only one or a few times want the DP classics. In Rostock the show was spiced up between the classics with a lot of comedian interludes, (I better shut up) it was fun.
And something new, Steve Morse playing more softly, so much concentration as if there's no audience and no stage, "The Well -Tempered Guitar" was wonderful. Sorry, during the RAH concert I had for a few moments fingers in my ears, too shrill for me. This time I enjoyed the guitar.
The medley was nice, Ian Gillan didn't sing "Voodoo Chile", I've listened a lot to Jimmy Hendrix before the show, but he sang a bit of "House Of The Rising Sun" - a nice and simple song that everybody could sing and play on the guitar in Germany in the 70s, long time not heard, memories of my youth coming up.
Again, Roger Glover's bass guitar reminded me of a cello player I saw last year in Amsterdam, a busker of the finest, who played in a tunnel and included the echo, absolutely enchanting. First time I heard Roger Glover playing in this way in Montreux, now I'm waiting for the solo album [Aren't we all?! Rasmus], maybe there's more of this kinda music on it.
Rock on and ciao
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