Roger Glover and Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

First on stage was Dream Theater, a progressive metal style band, who played a forty-minute set featuring a heavy rhythm section, lightening guitar licks, and strong vocals. They performed "Pull Me Under", "6:00", "Peruvian Skies", and "Hollow Years". Early on, they teased the crowd with riffs from Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine" and Metallica's "Enter Sandman". Their 40-minute set ended with a powerful version of "Metropolis Part I" which showcased each member's expertise. Check out our pre-concert interview with drummer Mike Portnoy.

Second up was Emerson Lake & Palmer. They opened with their signature hit "Karn Evil 9" and went into a rousing version of "Hoedown". They played "Time and a Place" for the very first time in concert. Other highlights included "Lucky Man", "Touch and Go", and Carl Palmer's phenomenal drum solo.

Last, and certainly not least, was Deep Purple. The audience roared when they opened their set with the song "Hush". They played four songs off their latest CD -- Abandon -- "Any Fule Kno That", "Bludsucker", "Almost Human", and "Watching the Sky". They tore through classics like "My Woman From Tokyo" and "Smoke on the Water". The band was very tight and seemed psyched to be playing together. Lead vocalist Ian Gillan was smiling and dancing throughout the performance. From our view, backstage with Dream Theater lead vocalist James La Brie, the camaraderie was obvious. Steve Morse's guitar work was impeccable. The stage was rumbling the entire night thanks to bassist supreme Roger Glover.

All in all, it was an evening of awesome rock music. Check out Deep Purple's latest record, Abandon, on CMC International Records. Be sure to read our exclusive after show interview with Ian Gillan as he discussed his latest solo effort titled Dreamcatcher (on Forbidden Records).

Deep Purple -- Hush, Bludsucker, Strange Kind Of Woman, Vavoom: Ted The Mechanic, Pictures Of Home, Almost Human, Woman From Tokyo, Watching The Sky, Steve Morse solo, Smoke On The Water, Lazy, Perfect Strangers, Speed King, Any Fule Kno That, Highway Star.

ELP -- Karn Evil 9, Hoedown, Touch & Go, Knife Edge, Piano Concerto, Lucky Man, A Time And A Place, Tarkus Fanfare for the Common Man, Rondo, Carl Palmer solo

Photos by John Perry

Review by Steph Perry

Rock Notes On-Line - http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5014/

Concert Calendar | Venue Information | Concert Reviews | CD Reviews | Links | Band Interviews | Email | Home