Review by Shawn Perry
On a cool, late summer night on the banks of the Ohio River, straddling the Ohio and Kentucky state line, the 4,000-seat PNC Pavilion, itself adjacent to the larger 20,000-seat Riverbend Music Center, welcomed not one, but two major bands who ruled the 70s and beyond — Deep Purple and Yes.
Either Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band could have headlined, but on this tour, Deep Purple tops the bill, celebrating the 50th anniversary of their 1971 opus Machine Head and the flagship hit “Smoke On The Water,” along with the release of a brand-new album called =1. There was plenty of time allotted for each band, along with a brief opening set from Hannah Wicklund, to keep the Pavilion humming.
The 27-year-old Wicklund, who joined the tour on August 17, is an interesting choice to open for two older legacy bands. Armed with a white electric guitar, Wicklund was striking with her hair cascading over the back of a floral velour robe. She sang and played her folksy, electric songs without accompaniment or reservation, arousing various claps and cheers from the mostly older crowd. At the end of her 28-minute, six-song set, there was a subtle, positive response. She might have made a bigger impression if she’d had her band, the Steppin Stones, behind her. Such is the challenge for a performer who has to compete with audience members still looking for their seats.
Yes was on stage at 7:25, with daylight still visible from the covered pavilion. It was the first time I’ve ever seen Yes open for anyone, and it felt awkward. Nevertheless, working within the confines of an “opening” slot, the members of Yes made the most of it by playing songs strictly from their back catalog. “Machine Mesiah” was an intriguing choice to begin the group’s 75-minute set with. Of course, both guitarist Steve Howe and keyboardist Geoff Downes played on the original, so its inclusion made perfect sense. From there, it was a matter of rolling out the best of the 70s.
Howe used his Vachalia (or lute) and trusty Gibson ES-175 to deliver the goods on “All Good People.” The guitarist also raised the stakes on “Yours Is No Disgrace” and “Clap,” an acoustic coup de grâce of his talents. Collectively, the group really came together for “Going For The One” and “Siberian Khatru” to end the main set. Singer Jon Davison, bassist Billy Sherwood, and drummer Jay Schellen — the young Americans of Yes — each came to the fore and easily won over the assembled.
It was almost too obvious they’d encore with “Roundabout.” The addition of “Starship Trooper” was most definitely the cherry on top to end Their time on stage. It’s a shame they weren’t able to roll out a myriad of other classics, plus play perhaps a song or two from their recent albums, The Quest (2021) and Mirror To The Sky (2023). Time and circumstance set the terms, so this sampling would have to do.
It was Deep Purple’s turn at 9:15, and they were welcomed in grand style to the cadence of Gustav Holst’s “Mars, The Bringer Of War.” From there, they were off running with “Highway Star.” As a fan of both Ritchie Blackmore and Steve Morse, I must admit I was a bit weary of new guitarist Simon McBride. After hearing the new =1 album and seeing him perform live tonight for the first time, my initial assessment has changed. From the get-go, McBride clearly had a solid grip on the songs, old and new, breathing new life into the classic material and the band itself. It was only too apparent with “Highway Star,” where the guitarist easily played the trademark solo, then took it even further.
As if the make a point that the new album is a rebirth of sorts for Deep Purple, they played five songs from =1. It’s rare that an artist of Purple’s pedigree and history would include more than a song or two from a new album in their live repertoire. From the =1 graphics and video on the overhead screen to a new-found fire in the band’s chemistry, there was a sense that Deep Purple’s once-touted “long goodbye” has turned into “we’re just getting started.”
So out came the new “A Bit On The Side” as part of a four-pack pummeling of “Highway Star,” “Hard Lovin’ Man,” and “Into The Fire” that singer Ian Gillan called a “little bit of chamber music to get you in the mood.” Though he’s struggled to hit those high notes in recent years, tonight Gillan turned the melodies on their head and effortlessly sailed through the often mischievous lyrics without losing his balance. He now trades the piercing screams with well-placed yelps and low-registered grunts — and it burnishes the material with a well-aged, well-lived sheen.
It was obvious Purple would feature their best and brightest from the 70s alongside the new stuff, but they also managed to include “Uncommon Man” from 2013’s brilliant Now What?! album. Though the song is officially dedicated to the band’s original keyboardist Jon Lord, it also served as a reminder of just how great the guitar work of Steve Morse was in Deep Purple. His contributions are often overshadowed by Blackmore’s despite Morse being a member of Purple for twice as long as his predecesor. Of course, the band peaked commercially in the 70s, but they carried on for nearly 30 years with Morse and now with McBride to stay in the game. Whether Now What?! or =1 will ever earn the long-term impact of Machine Head is hard to say. They might have a fighting chance.
It’s also hard to say if the new “Lazy Sod” was purposely placed before “Lazy” as if to assert the band’s flair for “lazy” humor, as well as a jazzy sensibility. No one could help but laugh when in the middle of an intense solo, keyboardist Don Airey was served a glass of wine, which he cheerfully gulped down before returning to his keyboards. No one but Airey could had replaced Lord and elevated the role of keyboardist within the band to a new plateau. Giving all props to his mentor Lord, Airey’s keyboard solo with a spot of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Mr. Crowley” (on which Airey originally appeared) and “Rondo alla Turco” enraptured the pavilion with a cold slap of good old fashion musicianship.
During previous tours, Airey’s solo would usually segue into “Perfect Strangers.” However, “Perfect Strangers” was put on the sidelines (no way it’s because it’s Blackmore’s favorite Purple song) for “Bleeding Obvious,” the radiant closer from =1. Of course, the now all-UK quintet (McBride is Irish) had to show more love for Machine Head and its 50+ years, so they appropriately finished things off with “Space Truckin’” and “Smoke On The Water.”
Naturally, everyone was on their feet at this point, their phones out-stretched to light up or capture the moment. Bassist Roger Glover chugged out those first few notes and drummer Ian Paice, as he had done all night, kicked the pace into overdrive. McBride stuck to the script for his solo on “Smoke On The Water” without breaking a sweat. The group cooked up an encore of Booker T’s “Green Onion,” and fell right into a nostalgic slice of “Hush.” It all came to a crashing end with “Black Night,” their biggest UK single from 1970 and a staple in the setlist.
It’s not often you get to see bands like Yes and Deep Purple together at one concert. While both seem to be operating at full capacity, there is a sense that opportunities like this won’t likely come around again. Yes is still making new albums, so hopefully they’ll be back on a tour of their own. As for Deep Purple, it looks like there’s still plenty of fuel left in their tank. What they have planned after =1 remains to be seen. When it comes to either of these bands, or a few other of their peers still doing business, you’ll never know really know it’s over until it’s over. And it looks like they’re not ready to hang it up just yet.
