Deep Purple
Live At Montreux 2006

THE REVIEW

Millionth live album by Deep Purple. The question arises spontaneously: is it worth talking about? It depends on your point of view. To those who don't adore them, it probably won't mean anything, after all, it's just another record where you can listen to "Smoke On The Water". For someone like me who has immense affection for this band, this record can only be fundamental. First of all, it's the first official live album of the latest lineup (Gillan-Morse-Glover-Paice-Airey) and that should already be enough. Furthermore, something that fans will greatly appreciate, the live versions of their last stunning album "Rapture Of The Deep" and the unreleased "Things I Never Said" appear, which is truly a beautiful track. Then it's worth mentioning that Deep Purple live are always the best band of these times: great stage presence, timeless tracks, impeccable technique, and even more perfect performances. By now, they have developed a certain routine: they make records to embark on endless tours from one end of the planet to the other.

One of the fruits of this mindset is undoubtedly this live, recorded during the renowned Montreux Jazz Festival last year, a musical event where Deep Purple have always been regular guests (the lyrics of "Smoke On The Water" are proof of that). To begin with, a few words about Don Airey who has the heavy task of replacing the legendary Jon Lord on keyboards. Airey is certainly one of the greatest keyboardists of all time, having worked with the best (Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Colosseum II, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Jethro Tull, and even with Andrew Lloyd Webber [how not to remember "Variations"]) and now with the Purple, he's achieving great success without making Jon Lord too missed. From an emotional point of view, things change, seeing Lord in action is one thing, seeing Airey who is less present and seems not yet perfectly integrated into the group is another. This is demonstrated by the fact that the cross solos between keyboard and guitar we used to see from Lord and Morse (and before him obviously Blackmore) are less "daring", almost cold, essentially shorter.

The setlist doesn't spare the classics, from "Strange Kind Of Woman" to "Lazy", through an intense version of "When A Blind Man Cries" and a rousing "Space Truckin'". New tracks are "Rapture Of The Deep", "Wrong Man", and "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye", performed strictly one after the other. The concert opens in the best possible way: "Picture Of Man", one of their best tracks. Compared to the DVD version, several tracks are missing which unfortunately affects the actual value of this live album. Objectively, had there been the entire guitar solo by Steve Morse with "Well Dressed Guitar" (a track performed live and in the "Tour Edition" of "Rapture Of The Deep") instead of a not-so-excellent "Highway Star" due to Gillan's vocal drop (otherwise impeccable), it would have been much better. The fact is that Eagle (the record label) aimed at a product that could satisfy everyone, fans and non-fans, summing it all up in just one CD (there are no encores where they perform the inevitable "Hush" and "Black Night").

The rating is given with reference to the band's last decade, from Steve Morse onwards, because Deep Purple has recorded significantly more historic live albums (what was it? Made In Taiwan? "Made In Japan" there we go). The performance, as I said, is perfect and the individual members of the band are at the peak of their performance. One wonders how Ian Paice, who is no longer a youngster, manages to play drums like he did thirty years ago! There's no lack of improvisation, a trait that always distinguishes Purple from other bands in the sector. It must be said, to better understand the rating, that the group in the past recorded a fantastic live: "Live At The Olympia 1996" where they superbly revisit most of their career, in two CDs. If Eagle had marketed this concert in its entirety, it would have been even better than the one in 96. Too bad, I could have given them the maximum rating. Better the DVD where nothing is missing.