Deep Purple
The Battle

THE REVIEW

Splendid bootleg of one of the very first public appearances of Deep Purple with Joe Satriani on guitar, who had rushed in to replace Ritchie Blackmore, who had decided to permanently leave the band.
The American guitar hero managed to replace Ritchie brilliantly (in my opinion), also because he didn't just imitate the Master but brought his own soul to the stage, personally interpreting each piece. Sometimes you can tell that Satch is still searching for perfect harmony with the group and with the songs written by Blackmore, but it is precisely in this journey of exploration that he proves to be a great musician, able to make mistakes and not be ashamed of anything.

At that time, the band was experiencing a second (or third, if not even fourth...) youth, and all the bootlegs from '93 confirm a truly remarkable form (so why did Ritchie leave? Because he's Ritchie Blackmore, nothing more needs to be said).
Satriani, moreover, immediately tuned perfectly with all the members of the band, as Gillan and company have recounted several times (the rehearsal session to test out the pieces remains legendary, with Gillan giving up after a couple of hours saying, “We're doing great, no point in continuing to rehearse.” Satriani himself has said that it was one of the best and most intense moments of his career).

The concert starts with a bang, with an “Highway Star” that is nothing short of exceptional (fantastic the subtle reinterpretation of the opening part of the solo by Satch). The band moves like a train, firing one piece after another, and even if the Japanese audience is a bit irritated initially by the absence of Blackmore (in those parts, old Ritchie is the object of a real cult, and the local promoters hadn't informed everyone in time about the lineup change), after the first few pieces, the quality of the music presented by the group is such that the crowd applauds greatly!
Beautiful “Perfect Strangers,” “Pictures Of Home,” and “Anyone’s Daughter,” even though Satriani's very personal interpretation of this little purple gem doesn't fully convince me. “The Battle Rages On” is also very powerful and engaging, while “When A Blind Man Cries” is hit-or-miss, perhaps due to Satch's inability to bring out the right notes and sensations from his guitar.
From “Satch Boogie” onwards, the performance doesn't stop, with Ian Gillan straining his vocal cords as much as possible while Satriani makes his JS scream like a madman. Triumphant closure with “Smoke On The Water” (and what else?). A phenomenal concert, to say the least.

The audio quality is good, and the packaging is quite well-produced as well.