Deep Purple: Live in Europe 1993

This new 4-CD package from BMG presents two live shows from Deep Purple's 25th anniversary 1993 tour, just weeks before Ritchie Blackmore bolted from the band. The first disc is an audio version of the infamous Birmingham show that was previously released in 1994 as the Come Hell or High Water home video and later on DVD. Audiowise, it's nothing special, Gillan's voice was also not at its peak, and Blackmore kept his solos short. This is the show where The Man in Black was upset when he saw cameras on the stage and was late for his entrance for "Highway Star". 90 seconds that were snipped from this song and the "Hush" encore have been restored for the audio version. (For more information on the VHS/DVD, visit http://www.deep-purple.net/tree/mk2reu2.htm and http://www.deep-purple.net/review-files/comehell/come-hell.htm). However, the real treat is the full, unedited Stuttgart show, which partially released in 1994 in edited format on the CD version of From Hell or High Water and now supersedes it.

The setlist for both Stutgart and Birmingham is almost identical, however, the Stuttgart show is superior to it in nearly every way and is the best place you will find the classic Mark II lineup performing reunion-era songs. ("Nobody's Perfect" and "Knebworth '85" also pale by comparison). Along with the classic favorites from the seminal Made in Japan setlist are newer material sucn as "A Twist in the Tale" (an Ian Paice highlight), the powerful "Anya", and "Perfect Strangers." New to the 2006 version of the Stuttgart show are "The Battle Rages On", "Knocking at Your Back Door", and "Paint It Black", which at one time was a regular staple of the pre-Made in Japan live sets in the early 1970s. "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (later recorded with vocals in the studio for Rainbow), and the majestic "Beethoven's Ninth / Difficult to Cure" (a holdover from the mid-1980s Rainbow live sets) also make an appearance here. The Stuttgart show alone is worth the price of the ticket as the entire band was in peak form, especially Lord and Blackmore. An essential document in the aural history of one of rock's best bands.

Track Listing
Disc: 1
1. Highway Star
2. Black Night
3. Talk About Love
4. Twist in the Tale
5. Perfect Strangers
6. Mule
7. Beethoven's Ninth
8. Knocking at Your Door
9. Anyone's Daughter
10. Child in Time
11. Anya
Disc: 2
1. Battle Rages On
2. Lazy
3. In the Hall of the Mountain King
4. Space Truckin'
5. Woman from Tokyo
6. Paint It Black
7. Speed King
8. Hush
9. Smoke on the Water
Disc: 3
1. Highway Star
2. Black Night
3. Talk About Love
4. Twist in the Tail
5. Perfect Strangers
6. Beethoven
7. Jon's Keyboard Solo
8. Knockin' at Your Back Door
9. Anyone's Daughter
Disc: 4
1. Child in Time
2. Anya
3. Battle Rages On
4. Lazy & Drum Solo
5. Space Truckin'
6. Woman from Tokyo
7. Paint It Black
8. Hush
9. Smoke on the Water

Added: August 29th 2006
Reviewer: John Larocque
Score:
Related Link: Deep Purple Website
Hits: 5403
Language: english

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