From Deep Purple, still high level rock

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Deep Purple in 2023, but it was a pleasant surprise. Even though all the veteran members are veterans, it’s still a very vital band.
Ian Gillan’s voice is surprisingly good considering he’s only a couple of years shy of turning 80. It’s strange for me to see Deep Purple without John Lord, one of my favorite musicians of all time. But if you can’t have John Lord you can at least have Don Airey who is also a magnificent keyboard player. Normally I have a strong dislike for all kinds of solos between songs, but Airey’s keyboard solo actually added to the show, ranging from thick passages of John Lordish Hammond, to classical piano and even a brief flirtation with ABBA’s Dancing Queen.

I’ve never been a big Purple fan. Traditionalists probably consider it sacrilege when I say that my favorite albums are Burn and Perfect Strangers. The older material always seemed a bit boring to me, especially the very long songs. But it’s in the older material that Deep Purple is at its best, while in some of the more recent material (if you can call 35 year old music “newer”), like Perfect Strangers, Gillan’s age is actually evident in his voice.

The Deep Purple 2023 are a very tight outfit and the sound is excellent. They seem to have fun on stage too and this explains a lot: if there’s one thing I don’t like it’s bands who don’t seem to care what they do, disrespecting their fans.

If you’re undecided whether it’s still worth going to a Deep Purple concert, don’t hesitate. They are excellent musicians and continue to be a great live band.