Well, we've hit the gig season again, can't go to see everyone one but we picked a good one here! Self, Memsahib & Kevin set off on the to be honest quite tedious journey to the 02 in Greenwich. Drove to Stanmore & picked up the tube there, at least we didn't have to change but I did feel like I'd grown old on the Jubilee line! About two hours after leaving home we arrived at the 02. I guess not too bad time wise but it felt far longer than it was. A refreshing pint of London Pride ( yes Alec a refreshing golden ale!) at the Slug & Lettuce soon washed away the tedium and I have to say I started to feel excited about the forthcoming gig.
Made our way into the 02, security was pretty tight. No problem with that, just took longer to get in. The first support, 'Cats in Space' had already started, they were only due to play half an hour but I liked what I heard! We all did! Quite 'progy' nothing wrong with that, a very new band only formed in 2015 they've supported afew bands & played Cropredy this year. I'd really like to hear more of this band. Their set finished all too soon & I went off to investigate T shirts.
You know I like a band t shirt & the Deep Purple offerings were quite nice, though I notice bands have moved away from one shirt with all the tour bands names on which I think is bit of a shame. Having been parted with my £25 I took my InFinite t shirt back to my seat & waited for Europe.
Wow! They could easily have been the headliners having dominated and filled the space on stage with aplomb. Of course we got the old barnstormers we expected and bloody good they were too. They finished their set with, what else but 'The final countdown.' Brilliant!
Off to the karzi again and then waited for the might Deep Purple. They were good don't get me wrong but there were far too many guitar and then keyboard solos for my liking. Don Airey is an absolute master of the keys & when he did his solo proper, that is his own keyboard solo, not another fill in on a different track, he was a marvel! The strains of 'Jerusalem' bouncing off the walls of the 02 was a thing to behold. Ian Gillan looked tired and quite frankly in pain when he was trying for the high notes. Not surprisingly they don't play tracks like 'Child in Time' any more & he did take frequent breaks it must be said. They played quite alot off their latest album called 'InFinite.' A fine album that continues to grow on me the more I play it, not perhaps 'classic' Deep Purple but shows a maturity and mellowness I think you'd expect from a band of this vintage. Their last song was of course 'Smoke on the water.' I think there's have been a bloody riot if they hadn't have played this one, & they did not let us down. They played an masterful rendition of this absolutely classic Purple track. Bellowing that one out will remain a highlight of the gig along with bellowing out (again!) Europe's 'The Final Countdown.' This led to an interesting encore. An inspired bass solo from Roger Glover was a nice surprise. The bass, it seems is a much maligned instrument where solo's are concerned anyway but Glover did well. Then abit of real vintage Purple. The track 'Hush.' Think I am right in saying their first hit way back in the 1960's! So ended the evening, it was a good night but those bloody solos! Interesting to note that Kevin, who has seen Purple six times over the years didn't think this was their finest hour, but hey ho! I don't know how long the Long Goodbye Tour is lasting, it was the last date of this leg but I think they will play on next year.
Tubes of course rammed with trying to get something like 15000 or so people away from the 02 ( capacity in the 02 is 20000 but the top stalls were curtained off). I suggested another beer might help to let the crowds go, this worked and when we did alight it was an easy & not crushing experience. Home about 1am. Happy but knackered!
Made our way into the 02, security was pretty tight. No problem with that, just took longer to get in. The first support, 'Cats in Space' had already started, they were only due to play half an hour but I liked what I heard! We all did! Quite 'progy' nothing wrong with that, a very new band only formed in 2015 they've supported afew bands & played Cropredy this year. I'd really like to hear more of this band. Their set finished all too soon & I went off to investigate T shirts.
You know I like a band t shirt & the Deep Purple offerings were quite nice, though I notice bands have moved away from one shirt with all the tour bands names on which I think is bit of a shame. Having been parted with my £25 I took my InFinite t shirt back to my seat & waited for Europe.
Wow! They could easily have been the headliners having dominated and filled the space on stage with aplomb. Of course we got the old barnstormers we expected and bloody good they were too. They finished their set with, what else but 'The final countdown.' Brilliant!
Off to the karzi again and then waited for the might Deep Purple. They were good don't get me wrong but there were far too many guitar and then keyboard solos for my liking. Don Airey is an absolute master of the keys & when he did his solo proper, that is his own keyboard solo, not another fill in on a different track, he was a marvel! The strains of 'Jerusalem' bouncing off the walls of the 02 was a thing to behold. Ian Gillan looked tired and quite frankly in pain when he was trying for the high notes. Not surprisingly they don't play tracks like 'Child in Time' any more & he did take frequent breaks it must be said. They played quite alot off their latest album called 'InFinite.' A fine album that continues to grow on me the more I play it, not perhaps 'classic' Deep Purple but shows a maturity and mellowness I think you'd expect from a band of this vintage. Their last song was of course 'Smoke on the water.' I think there's have been a bloody riot if they hadn't have played this one, & they did not let us down. They played an masterful rendition of this absolutely classic Purple track. Bellowing that one out will remain a highlight of the gig along with bellowing out (again!) Europe's 'The Final Countdown.' This led to an interesting encore. An inspired bass solo from Roger Glover was a nice surprise. The bass, it seems is a much maligned instrument where solo's are concerned anyway but Glover did well. Then abit of real vintage Purple. The track 'Hush.' Think I am right in saying their first hit way back in the 1960's! So ended the evening, it was a good night but those bloody solos! Interesting to note that Kevin, who has seen Purple six times over the years didn't think this was their finest hour, but hey ho! I don't know how long the Long Goodbye Tour is lasting, it was the last date of this leg but I think they will play on next year.
Tubes of course rammed with trying to get something like 15000 or so people away from the 02 ( capacity in the 02 is 20000 but the top stalls were curtained off). I suggested another beer might help to let the crowds go, this worked and when we did alight it was an easy & not crushing experience. Home about 1am. Happy but knackered!
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| Self sporting Deep Purple T shirt. |
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| DP |
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| Europe |
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| Nearly a nice photo of the three of us! |
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| a shaky DP The set lists were as follows: Cats in Space. Too Many Gods. Mad Hatters Tea Party. Timebomb. Greatest Story Ever Told. Five Minute Celebrity. Europe. Walk the Earth The Siege Rock the Night Last Look at Eden Election Day Superstitious Carrie Scream in Anger War of Kings Hole in my Pocket Days of Rock n Roll The Final Countdown Deep Purple. Time for Bedlam Fireball Bloodsucker All I got is you Uncommon Man (dedicated to Jon Lord) The Surprising Lazy Birds of Prey Knocking at your Back Door Perfect Strangers Space Truckin' Smoke on the Water Encore. Peter Gunn Hush Black Night |
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