Review by Shawn Perry
Photos by Joe Schaeffer
Going on two years, Deep Purple’s The Long Goodbye Tour swung through Southern California for three dates — September 3 in Riverside, September 4 in Los Angeles, and September 6 in Temecula — and demonstrated why they still pretty much wipe the floor with many of their contemporaries. Their last two studio albums, 2013’s Now What?! and 2017’s Infinite, are solid proof that the band are perfectly capable of writing, recording and performing new material on caliber with their classic catalog. And hearing it played live with “Highway Star” and “Smoke On The Water” really drives that point home.
The last time Deep Purple came through these parts, as recently as 2018, they were co-headlining a their tour with Judas Priest that included dates in Irvine and Chula Vista. The year before, they closed a bill with Alice Cooper and Edgar Winter at the Greek. So, it was rather special this time to see the band on their own in smaller, more intimate venues like the Wiltern and the Pechanga Theater.
Deep Purple were at the Wiltern back in 2004 when they played Machine Head in its entirety and had a lineup of Thin Lizzy (without Phil Lynott, of course) open the show. Tonight the honor went to Joyous Wolf, a young Orange County-based quartet with a thirst for retro classic rock pushed along with sharp, edgy riffs from guitarist Blake Allard and excitable singer Nick Reese, who took a lap around the floor of the Wiltern near the end of their six-song set. Promoting Place In Time, their debut EP on Roadrunner Records, Joyous Wolf are regulars on the hard rock and heavy metal festival circuit and they seem to have the potential to move up in the ranks. Sharing the same stage as Deep Purple is definitely a giant step forward.
When it was time for the main act, the lights went low and rumblings of “Mars, The Bringer Of War,” the first movement of Gustav Holst’s The Planets, began to echo through the theater. It segued right into “Highway Star” once everyone was in place and ready to roll. For the next 75 minutes or so, the five members of Deep Purple picked through the cream of the crop, covering prime early 70s tracks like “Pictures of Home,” “Bloodsucker,” and “Demon’s Eye,” then making a quick left to 1996’s “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming” from Purpendicular, the first album with guitarist Steve Morse. With everyone on their mark and in full stride, it was a pleasant inclusion.
Singer Ian Gillan, staying well within his range for the most part and minimizing the high notes he once mastered, dedicated “Uncommon Man” from Now What?! to Deep Purple’s original keyboardist Jon Lord. It’s a classic example of modern Purple with a vintage sheen, putting both keyboardist Don Airey and Morse under spotlight. The powerful orchestration that carries the song would have made Lord proud.
The other only “newer” song played was “Time For Bedlam” from Infinite. Not a bad choice, though there are others this reviewer would have preferred, namely the epic “Birds Of Prey.” Last year, they bypassed anything from the new album, so you take what you can get. Obviously, Deep Purple is obligated to play certain songs, and on that note, they did not disappoint.
However suitable, they did a rather lazy version of “Lazy” and it actually worked. Airey’s mighty and diverse keyboard solo virtually swam right into the river of “Perfect Strangers,” garnering one of the biggest roars from the audience. The main set concluded with the one-two punch of “Space Truckin’” and “Smoke On The Water,” keeping everyone at the ready with their air guitars since 1971.
The encore had Morse exploring Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck before bringing the rest of the band with him for “Hush.” Deep Purple’s first single has become a showcase for the undiminished musicianship of Airey, Morse, bassist Roger Glover, and drummer Ian Paice, who each took a turn at wowing the house with their talents. The interplay carried into the night’s final number, “Black Night.” Before you knew it, the lights came up and the show was over. Based on the performances witnessed at both the Wiltern and Pechanga, it might not be such a bad thing if Deep Purple’s “long goodbye” lasts a little longer.
