Deep Purple – Chalk Farm Roundhouse – 17^th October 2013

Having not seen Deep Purple for twenty-six years, I was a little apprehensive about how ‘new boys’ Steve Morse on guitar (a member of the band since 1994) and Don Airey on keyboards (a member since 2002) would live up to the legends created by their respective forbears Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord. Opening song Apres Vous soon saw off any worries that I might have had, with Morse and Airey exchanging solos in time-honoured fashion.

Indeed, it appears that little has really changed since their 1970s heyday. The collective musicianship of the band remains astonishingly good. Steve Morse particularly is on fire, which begs the question: Ritchie who??? The set list is pleasingly eclectic, with relatively obscure early Mark II album tracks Into The Fire and Hard Lovin’ Man; single Vincent Price and Above And Beyond (touchingly dedicated to “our beloved Jon Lord”) amongst others representing the new album Now What?!, together with a smattering of the classics.

During Strange Kind Of Woman Ian Gillan duets with the guitar as in days of yore. We get Lazy, Space Truckin’ (considerably shorter than the Made In Japan version) and Ian Paice’s showcase The Mule. During this he uses sticks fitted with LED lights. Technology eh? One of the striking things about this gig is the sheer enjoyment the band get from playing. It’s a joy to behold! They have nothing left to prove anymore, they’re just up there having a blow! It’s inevitable that any Purple line-up will be compared to the classic mark II line-up, but the current band doesn’t just equal the classic line-up, they give it a run for its money!

Set closer Smoke On The Water suggests that the fun may be coming to an end, but thankfully that’s not the case. The band soon return for a wholly unexpected cover of Green Onions. Next up we have Hush from their 1968 debut, and following a bass solo from Roger Glover, Black Night (featuring an excerpt from ZZ Top’s La Grange) brings proceedings to a close.

Tonight the Roundhouse has been treated to a masterclass in hard rock. Purple show that as well as sturm und drang there is also room for subtlety, dynamics, and last but not least, humour. I certainly won’t be leaving it twenty-six years till I see them again. Neither should you.

                                                                                                             Mark Kelly