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Rating: I was full of doubts before seeing the Deep Purple concert last night.
Remembering a not too brilliant concert by their contemporaries Jethro Tull in Udine last July, I was expecting a really poor performance from the English quintet, but I had to change my mind. The Deep Purple showed the warm audience in Jesolo that they are still in shape despite their advancing age, performing in a two-hour concert with a really excellent setlist.
When the group started playing half an hour late, all my doubts and concerns about the intensity of their performance evaporated. "Highway Star", "Strange Kind Of Woman", "Space Truckin'" and the inevitable "Smoke On The Water" are the highlights of the evening, which turned out to be truly electrifying.
Gillan is in shape. Slightly sluggish during the first songs, he warmed up over time and managed to sing excellently, especially considering he is sixty years old. The range of his voice has undeniably decreased, he can barely hit the high notes, but overall he did his best. He also interacts with the audience and hops barefoot on the stage. Well done.
Glover is bold. He occasionally indulges in quick solos and spends the rest of the time playing and joking with the audience, making his perfect playing style seem extremely simple. A great bassist, as always.
Paice is tireless. The fundamental pillar of Deep Purple, this drummer is like a steam train. He doesn't miss a beat and plays amazingly, though he doesn't show off much except in a few quick solos.
Morse is devastating. Compared to the other band members, he seems like a youngster, but he is not inferior to any of the other musicians. He knows perfectly well when to shine with amazing technical performances and is in perfect harmony with his colleagues and the audience. I like him.
Airey is a quote-maker. Perhaps the member who convinced me the least, Airey tends to reference his predecessor Lord too often, especially in the solos, during which he gets lost in classical-like digressions, which in my opinion are quite boring and avoidable. I do not doubt his technique, but he does not convince me.
In short, these Deep Purple gave us a great concert. The aforementioned setlist is truly excellent, capable of connecting the group's classics with songs of a more modern and Hard 'n Heavy attitude. Not everyone can play like this, especially considering the age of the band members. Well done.
I did not expect it.
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