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Fule Profile
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Purple fan

Registered: 10-2005
Posts: 402
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Manchester Evening News Arena - 29.11.2011


This is my fourth time seeing the band, the first being at the Astoria in 2006, the other three being Deep Purple's most recent three visits to Manchester.

The arena is one of my favourite venues in the UK, but tonight it was only around a quarter full. Unfortunately this was particularly highlighted by the fact that they'd used the entire arena (the stage was at the end). The result was the entire upper tier being curtained off, and black sheets being thrown over the rear half of the arena. This looked extremely bad and I don't know why they couldn't have moved the stage forward as they did in 2007. £45 is frankly too much to charge, and I think that had the biggest effect on ticket sales, that and generally poor promotion. It's also £15 to park in the official multi storey, which is outrageous. The 'event rate' which applies during events was exactly the same as the 24-hour rate, a complete joke!

I enjoyed Cheap Trick, or rather the two songs that I knew, they were energetic and entertaining.

So to Deep Purple, they played for nearly two hours, around 9pm-11pm. The orchestra element was fantastic, adding new dimensions to many song. They were particularly effective against Perfect Strangers, Lazy, Rapture of the Deep (by far), the intro to Knocking On Your Back Door and Smoke on the Water. The conductor was VERY charismatic and his duet (with electric violin) with Steve on Lazy was a particular highlight - the crowd really took to him.

Apart from the orchestral element, the setlist is typical of what you'd expect these days. Hard Lovin' Man was quite a good 'recent' addition to the set, and the dramatic finale of No One Came is always enjoyable. They desperately need to make a new album to introduce some freshness into the set once again. The orchestral element to tonight's show breathed new life into a tired old way of doing things, but new material and more obscure, particularly Morse-era songs are desperately required.

Gillan's voice continues to diminish, I only discovered the band around 2004, and saw them live for the first time just under seven years ago, but even to me and since then there has been much decline. Space Truckin' simply needs to be removed from the set as it's just unachievable in MANY parts for him these days. He's also struggling with Highway Star (although we're getting the two sylable delivery of ground/sound/end/bend/etc) which disappeared for the last few years), so they should keep that as the opener until they quit now as he'd never be able to cut it at the end of the set.

I know they're not a band into fancy !@#$ and what have you, but the video screens could use more modern graphics etc, apart from that it was good to see really good close-up footage of the band from various camera angles and I noticed that 1972 came up at the start of Highway Star, but saw no more years come up against songs. I thought it was going to be like a little walkthrough or narration to go with the whole 'The Songs That Built Rock' thing. Their light show and other aspects of stage presentation could also be improved.

Merchandise on sale included a signed drum skin for £50 - each five band members had signed it and I was tempted, but ultimately decided against it as the quality of the actual drum skin was poor. I regret not getting one now having just looked on eBay. Paicey's signed drum sticks have also gone up to £25 (from £20) since the last Apollo show, but I'd buy these again without hesitation.

Last edited by Fule, 30/11/2011, 4:02
30/11/2011, 4:00 Link to this post Send Email to Fule   Send PM to Fule
 
David Meadows Profile
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The Fountain Of Useless Knowledge

Registered: 09-2003
Posts: 5670
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Re: Manchester Evening News Arena - 29.11.2011


Good review (fair and balanced).

I'm happy to see that the orchestra was a success with most people, even though it didn't do anything for me personally. But having an orchestra on stage must have been a factor in the high ticket price this time around.



---
At a lewse end...
30/11/2011, 12:17 Link to this post Send Email to David Meadows   Send PM to David Meadows
 
saturns rings Profile
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Purple fan

Registered: 01-2009
Posts: 85
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Re: Manchester Evening News Arena - 29.11.2011


I was at Manchester as well (for the first time) and it just reinforced my dislike for arenas. The approach, the concourse, the arena itself are all souless and don't give the vibes that a theatre does.

Also having most of it unused was rather embarassing. Obviously Purple aren't the draw they once were and tickets are much too expensive. Don't forget the £45 face value soon increases by about 25% with booking and processing fees - rip off Britain indeed!!

I must admit to not looking forward to Cheap Trick at all, but found myself actually enjoying it. That bass guitar is something else!! I did feel though that the guitarist (sorry don't know their names) wasn't taking it seriously, spending more time flicking plectrums into the audience than actually playing. Anyone know why the keyboard player is hidden away?

And on to the main act. I was interested in the idea of using an orchestra, was looking forwarde to it and glad I went. But I wouldn't like to see it repeated. With them being placed higher than the band it moved the visual focus away from the group, who normally totally dominate a stage.

Thought Knocking took on a completely new lease of life with the orchestra's backing and was the highlight of the collaboration. Also the violin/guitar duel was superb, just wished it had gone on a little longer.

We even got a Paicey solo. And for those in Glasgow I'm pleased to say that Manchester stood up from the off!!

It felt last night like a line being drawn. The setlist (well most of it) has done its turn time and time (and time) again, and this latest chapter brings it to an end. The band should (indeed must) return next year with a completely revised setlist. Okay I know there are one or two songs that they have to play, but Steve has been there 17 years and Don 9, isn't it about time their songs took prominence.

And in answer to the band's comment that the audience come along wanting to hear the hits, not so. If that was the case then the arena would've been full with "floating" fans, not a quarter full of Purplites (sorry to use that term).

Deep Purple still have much to offer the hardcore fans, and rock fans in general, but need to rediscover the zest for adventure and risk taking. The Astoria gig in 2006 was notable for the new songs that were played, but as each year has gone by so the same ones keep turning up. And how many years have Hush & Black Night been the encores????

I hope they come back to the UK in 2012 and I'll certainly be there, just want to hear something different.
30/11/2011, 15:17 Link to this post Send Email to saturns rings   Send PM to saturns rings
 
Fule Profile
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Purple fan

Registered: 10-2005
Posts: 402
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Re: Manchester Evening News Arena - 29.11.2011


They need to do a UK theatre tour again and bill it as 'songs from all eras' or something. But that's too inventive for Bruce Payne, he's a cock.
30/11/2011, 18:05 Link to this post Send Email to Fule   Send PM to Fule
 
Rezi Profile
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Registered: 04-2004
Posts: 16629
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Re: Manchester Evening News Arena - 29.11.2011


Thanks for the reviews, guys!

£15 for parking? emoticon
1/12/2011, 8:53 Link to this post Send Email to Rezi   Send PM to Rezi
 


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