•
Rating: I must be honest, I approached this concert with a certain sense of awe. The Deep Purple remains the only one of the great early historical hard rock bands that never gave up. Different line-ups have always revolved around the good Paice, and throughout history, departures and returns have always characterized the life of the band, and inevitably, there have been repercussions on the music, but it must be admitted that it never fell below average.
For some years now, the band seems to have stabilized around the figure of Steve Morse, haunted by the shadow of the man in black.
This winter tour was incredibly sponsored by the media, with newspaper articles, live radio broadcasts, and interviews that seem to have brought new life to this band of sixty-year-olds. The Milan concert follows closely after those in Jesolo, Bolzano, Rome, and Perugia and precedes the final act in Bologna, a tour reminiscent of earlier times for a group of this stature.
The first real surprise, although anticipated the same morning by an article in Repubblica, is the presence of fathers in their forties and up accompanied by teenage sons and daughters, and even elementary-aged kids. It's unbelievable, but it certainly makes you breathe a sigh of relief, wishing them all the best for their future in musical listening. The beginning is perfect.
Preceded by the performance of Maurizio Solieri and his band (with Michele Luppi), who had the honor of opening this long Italian tour of the Purple, the start is breathtaking for the numerous audience at the Forum. "Highway Star" is blasted at full throttle, and unfortunately, Gillan's voice, which you impatiently wait to soar to the high peaks, will never arrive. Gillan, after an uncertain start, will manage to find the right path, giving his best on mid-tones and compensating for the lack of voice with good-naturedness, charm, and good movement on stage. "Machine Head," much to my delight, was sifted thoroughly, "Lazy," "Picture of Home," "Smoke on the Water," and "Space Truckin'" represent one of the best rock albums of all time and timeless classics.
In contrast, someone who does not seem affected by the passing time is Roger Glover, always perfect, technical, constantly moving, and charming, delivering a beautiful solo, as do all the members, with solos that are measured and never overwhelming or boring. Special mention for Don Airey's performance, increasingly at ease in front of the keyboards that once belonged to the monster-Lord. Airey mixes classical escapes with Christmas tunes that match the decorations present in the stage's simple yet effective set. "Thing I Never Said," "Bloodsucker," "Strange Kind of Woman," "Fireball," "The Battle Rages On" are just some of the titles featured in the two-hour intense concert.
Then, along with great classics, some gems like "Wasted Sunset" and "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming". It's a pity for the exclusion of "Speed King", but it was played in Bologna on the last concert date.
Of course, the presence of Morse, some sound problems slightly overshadowed his performance and his mood, has brought modernity to the Purple sound for the comfort of purists and nostalgic Blackmore fans, who are increasingly lost in his woods inhabited by gnomes and fairies.
The audience participates enthusiastically, and the finales "Hush" and "Black Night" are torrential and a fitting seal to a magical evening. The Deep Purple still manages to transmit warmth and above all humanity, in short, they still enjoy playing, and the exhausting tours they bring around the world confirm it. Still captivated by these charming rock granddads, the kids hand in hand with their parents leave the forum, and in 2009 they can say they saw the Deep Purple, the ones from "Smoke on the Water"... that's not something everyone can say at that age!!
Loading comments slowly
