There’s not many classic bands from my era left. OK, I was only 10 years old when “Machine Head” was released, but it is still one of my absolute favourite all-time albums.
Deep Purple will be playing in Ottawa in February. Part of me is saying “Hell yeah! See them now 'cause it’s the last chance at an era!” Another part is saying “They’ll sound old and shitty and it’ll ruin it for you forever.”
Ritchie Blackmore isn’t in the line up, neither is Lord, but Gillan, and Paice and Glover are.
Anyone else seen the current line up lately? Will I be impressed or disappointed?
Glover, Paice and Gillan would have to be really forgiving guys to play with Ritchie again, IMHO. He’s gone on to smaller and happier gigs anyway. Perhaps it’s all for the best.
I guess it all depends on how much of a Morse/Airey fan you are. If you go, spend the extra $$$ and get the closest seats you can. Get up in the front and stand up for a song or 2 or three…that’s rock and roll, and that’s why you’re going, right?
Some things are better left in the past. I’m in the camp of definately don’t go.
Ritchie (I think) still does Japan every year. Not sure if it’s with any of the originals or not. Talk about dinosaurs - I passed on that in the early nineties and it’s *two decades *later.
See, I have the opposite attitude … the money doesn’t matter. Would you see them at $80? $60? $40? If the answer at any of these levels is Yes, then go the hell to see them. In 20 years time will you remember how much you paid but fondly remember the show? Even if you see them but are disappointed, will you be glad you saw them at least once, even if not at their peak? Or will you be thinking “I had the chance but was too cheap to pay” … you will regret that the rest of your life.
That is to say: a show you saw but was disappointing is still better than a show you didn’t see. You can always say to yourself “at least I frickin’ saw then when the chance came by”. One of my few life-regrets is not seeing Deep Purple AND Free when then came here in the 70s … precisely because I thought they were too expensive. At maybe $20 a ticket.
I would. But, then again, I think “Purpendicular” and “Rapture of the Deep” are as good as any album Deep Purple ever produced (I was 15 when Machine Head came out). The current line-up recorded a live performance in Montreaux in 2006 and some of it can be found on Youtube if you want to see them for yourself. That same line-up, I would point out, has made the last two studio albums as well. They are not the New Deep Purple, just the current incarnation. There have been many, all with their own contribution to the history of the band. (Only Ian Paice has been in every incarnation.)
As for the $100 price tag, only you can decide if that’s too much for you to spend, but it’s not horribly excessive by the standards of the day. I don’t like it, but that’s just what bands (or rather, promoters) are charging. Some “VIP packages” are selling for $1000 or more. (I see on preview that others have made this point. Oh well, I’m too lazy to re-write it.)
Yeah I agree. I flew to another city to see Metallica when they came to India. And when that show got canceled at the last minute (incompetent ^#%&*@ organisers) I flew to the next city and saw that one. And I make very, very little money.
I was going to write something similar to the OP. If the $100 is not too dear, go for it. If it’s disappointing, you’ll still have a memory and a story. You already know they weren’t always bad, so if they are, you’ll just be sad that you missed them in their prime. It shouldn’t RUIN them for you. If they’re good or great, well, there’s something you won’t soon forget.
I’ve seen many concerts by artists that haven’t had a hit in 20-30 years. These guys were still IMMENSELY talented, and had decades of experience under their belt. If they gave a shit, (and most of them did) they were still capable of putting on a great, fun show. After decades of ups and downs, I think they appreciated their audience more than ever.
I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan about a year before he died. I saw Roy Buchanan months before he died. Those memories have lasted me decades, and I can relive the experiences in conversations with the friends I saw them with. In the late 90’s, I had the chance to see Kitaro, and I LOVE the work he did in that era. It would’ve meant driving across the state to an area I didn’t know, and missing a day of work. It’s one of my biggest non-life-altering regrets that I did not go.
There are not many things you can do with relatively small amounts of money that will give such great, long-lasting memories. I’ve never seen the members of Deep Purple in concert, either together or individually. I envy you.
I saw Meatloaf about 5 years back and it was just sad. I’m not about to speculate on what was going on but he could not remember some of the lyrics and was in poor voice. The only good bits were his band, and the in between song banter.
It didn’t ruin my appreciation of his music, but it was a little depressing to see him like that.
He passed out on stage in Pittsburgh a couple months back. Maybe he’s just not up to the strain of performing like he does for months at a time. He’s 64, after all. He might have to dial it back some, or not tour as much.
I saw him perform in late '93. Got his autograph afterwards. Gave a great performance and was nice to his fans.
I’d go, because in High School there was a persistant rumor that the freshman biology teacher / football coach used to be a member of Deep Purple, and it would finally be my chance to solve the mystery!*
I was listening to a talk show this morning, and the host was remarking on how “horrific” ticket prices were. The sports guy chimed in and said that Bruce Springsteen shows were some of the best, most exciting nights of his life, and they were worth every penny.
Good on them if they’re still bringing in crowds willing to pay that much. I figured Deep Purple must have by now been mainstays of the state fair circuit (province fair circuit for our northerly neighbors, eh?).
Anyway I’d be curious to see what they do with Smoke on the Water. I mean they must have done it like a ka-jillion times by now. Hell I think I’ve heard it at least that many. Are they still rocking out with it or just going through the motions? I don’t know if that’s worth the price of this particular admission but that would be my motivation in seeing them.
$100 a ticket? Sounds cheap compared to other concerts nowadays. I paid $23 a ticket to see the Police 30 years ago. Yeah, the seats were in nosebleed heaven, but…