Review of Deep Purple, Manchester Nynex Arena, October 18th 1998
I'm sorry to spoil the party, but here goes...
The show at the Nynex, whilst tight and obviously well rehearsed (even the "spontaneous" bits, I'm afraid), lacked the following: PASSION, EXCITEMENT, and that "on the edge" feeling. There was a great void on that stage, I'm sorry to say. I do think that Steve is an excellent guitarist, but his solos are a little repetetive, and don't send shivers up my spine in the way that the pre-November 17, 1993 Deep Purple did. After all Ian Gillan has said in the past about playing the same set on every tour, Purple have dropped most of the "Purpendicular" stuff, and the new "old" songs, adding only 4 songs from the new album to the "Made In Japan" set so often ridiculed by big Ian. And they don't play the best song from "MIJ" ("Child In Time").
I know I'm speaking heresy here, but if you guys think this show was superb, you should have been in Germany last month for the Blackmore's Night shows. As some of our German friends say (hello Helmut): THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE.
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