LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA 96

This gig was recorded as part of their Purpendiculair Tour in 1996....Blackmore already left the band, again and so he was replaced by Steve Morse....as can be heard a we'll talented guitarist....but no matter how you turn it, Morse is no Blackmore and not a guitar icon and one of the last still standing greatest rocklegends in the world. This is shown in for example the lack of long improvisations, where keyboard and guitar are playing in on each other.....resulting in lengtly improvisations....and long jams...sometimes extremely long jams (songs of 5 are stretched out to 30 to 35 min. (as Wring That Neck, Mandrake Root Space Truckin'). Deep Purple now is a far cry from that.....but no matter how you turn it..this is still one hell of a performance.

The songs played are all played with great skill and dedication..resulting in powerhouse performances that are sounding very refreshing due the influwence of Steve Morse....I think the departure of Blackmore did the band good, but certainly also the fans...We get treated by goodies that were seldom or never played before because Blackmore was always holding them back.....not to play them...Like the incredible beautifull When A Blindman cries (beautifull introduced by John Lord by Samuel Barbers Adagio Fir Strings and ended by Morse with some truly amazing guitarplaying), that didn't made the Machine Head album..a fast track as Fireball (that sets the stage for the rest of the concert right away) or Maybe I'm A Leo. But also tracks from Purpendiculair like Sometimes I feel Like Screaming (what a beautifull intro on that accoustic guitar, and what a different Gillan) or a beautifull extended Cascades: I'm Not Your Lover, thats lasts more than double as long, due a very amazing intermezzo, where Morse is showing some really suddle guitarplaying......that eventually develops is some really nice soloing. Here you can hear a bit of the glamour that DP once was playing for and where guitar and Keys go hand in hand.....as Lord and Blackmore used to do in the old days....although ofcourse its much shorter. It reminded me a bit of the Live Across Europe box, where Blackmore is beautifully extending Anya into a very lengtly version....

Other older tunes are often played with different intro's and in more extended versions, like Speed King is extended with a lengthly drum solo)...But in general I think the set really is balancing quite heavy on Machine Head....which is a good thing. Its interesting to hear them in a different way / with different influence....However...the only song I do miss here is what I think is one of the al time classics of rock : Child In Time...why it is dropped from the set after 1993 is totally unclear to me, but it can have something to do with Gillan's health conditions and not being abble anymore to sing the higher notes and to do the screamingparts...Regretfull....but I think something we all suffer when we get older....Anyway...whats left is enough to enjoy....

As to add to your collection....with all that other stunning live stuff....I think its highly recomanded.