Review of Solna concert, October 3rd
This was my third Purple concert and clearly the best one. I saw them the first time just before Blackmore was leaving in Stockholm 1993 and although TMIB himself did a magnificent concert that night the others underperformed and as a whole the concert was a disappointment. I got to see them a second time i Nuremberg in June this year and this time it was a band playing! Everyone was enjoying themselves onstage and the group dynamics that always been a part of the "great Purple" was back. The band was a bit tired though and Gillan's voice OK but not top notch following a three nights in a row streak of shows.
That's why I went to Solna. I had the feeling that this time around it would be something else. And I can tell you I wasn't disappointed! The setlist was the same as the previous shows so they started of with a killer version of "Ted" and it was clear at once that Gillan was in form. I don't think he missed a note all night and I am very happy that I have seen him at his best. Jon Lord was higher in the mix this time and it affected his performance to the better. He was smiling, interacting with Steve and gave his trademark sound to the whole concert including a great solo and intro to Lazy. Paice and Glover did a great job of course. Paice solo was quite short (I am not a big fan of drum solos anyway, that's the part I always skip on MIJ) but good. Steve Morse...what can I say. I really hate his style BUT, he is so talented and gives Purple so much energy that you have to forgive him. His solo was about the most amazing I have seen. He looked really happy all night and did a great job! I have now accepted him as a member of Purple and he seems like a really nice guy as well (nice with a change there).
Ted
SKOW
Bloodsucker
Pictures of Home
The opening four songs were executed to perfection.
Almost human
Watching the Sky
Although great performance I think they should include Don't Make me Happy, Fingers to the Bone or Evil Louie from Abandon instead. The concert slowed just a bit here.
Woman from Tokyo
Any Fule
It so heavy, this version of WFT and I'm glad they keep playing it. Followed did a very heavy, extremely funky Any Fule Kno That. This is the way it should have sounded on the album! Not constrained and overproduced like the studioversions of these songs. Too bad really. This was a killer version and it lead into:
Morse solo
SOTW
Lord solo
Lazy
PS
"A Swedish, Korean, Scottish lullaby I still sing for my daughter though she's fourteen"
Steves solo was just stunning, everybody in the place stood amazed and watched and he got a big ovation. Then: SOTW, a crowdpleaser, not a highlight but nice to hear with Gillan in form and nice solo by Steve. Lord then had his moment in the spotlight. Alternating classical stuff on the piano with his trademark Hammond lead into the best song of the night. Lazy was just magical! This was Purple as I always wanted to see them. The best band in the world!
Perfect Strangers was good (especially Gillan) but the sound was getting worse now. I think they did the same mistake in Nuremberg, when they raised the volume to much at the end with a little to much guitar in the mix. "The Lullaby" was next, and was again great to hear with Gillan capable of the high notes and the interaction between him and Steve. The whole concert felt like an encore after Steves solo but of course they gave us the encores:
Seventh Heaven
HS
Only a comment here. Steve made a car-roaring sound with his guitar at the beginning of HS! Great opening to a great finish!
I just hope that everybody else who was there agrees on my opinion of a great concert! They got lukewarm reviews in two big swedish newspapers. One of them liking the support HAMMERFALL better which explains his review, the other labeling Bloodsucker as a brand new song, explaning his!
I know that every real fan had a great time!
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