Deep Purple, Zlín, Czech Republic, 7th June 1999
On Monday 7th June Deep Purple came to Zlín to persuade Czech people who are the real kings of hard rock of the world. After six month they were back in Czech Republic and they gave another outstanding performance as in in Prague in the end of the last year. The venue was ice hockey arena that's not very good place for making concerts from acoustic point of view. The Purple crew made their best so it was OK with the sound for the first time here.
Back to the afternoon before the gig. I made an interview for local radio and local TV as well as for one newspaper with Roger and Steve. They were very friendly and we spent a fine half an hour chatting about the history, present and future of DP. They were always joking and laughing especially when I mentioned "new opener 'Boys Are Back In Town'".
I had one more possibility to speak with Roger in the tour bus and it was very informal. I told Roger that DP are very active with touring during the last years...and the answer...if the situation inside the the band is like nowadays, why not!!!
I am sure that at 23.15 there were no one in the arena that would not be fascinated with Purple powerful but very musical performance. They played more than two hours and they really gave the people ***** music.
Not surprising for readers of Highway Star but very surprising for others - they kick off with "Boys Are Back In Town". It took about one minute and Ian Paice started to work on "Pictures Of Home". Playlist was very similar to the shows they played in Germany. It is very difficult to find highlights because whole concert, every drum beat, every guitar riff, every Ian Gillan scream vere fantastic. OK, so I try to be more specific. From "Abandon" they took "69" - great guitar riff with very melodic chorus, "Watching the Sky" - very heavy song. "Purpendicular" already have some classics - "Ted The Mechanic" and of course SIFLS. Thousands jouls of energy came from the stage to fans during the "Space Trucking" etc... Encores - "Black Night", "Highway Star".
Ian Paice and Roger Glover - without one small mistake they roll the everything...
Jon Lord - English gentleman that celebrated his 58th birthday and still is In Rock.
Steve Morse - incredible (my English vocabulary is too poor to describe it).
Ian Gillan - I left Ian as a last but not least. His voice is so strong and it is a pleasure to listen to real powerful singing and screming.
Present musical scene is very rich. During the last month I have seen Metallica, Mercyful Fate, Monster Magnet, Scorpions, Jethro Tull...
Everything was perfect but Purple men in this form and with this spark are genial. Thank a lot for another beautiful night...
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