BOMBAY CALLING

This concert was filmed during an unexpected concert in Bombay. India is not really a country known for the live albums recorded there (but sincePurple already did a few in Japan you might have have heard of, why not ? It still features a long haired Gillan and the very good Steve Morse. Several songs that were not (or less) played like "Fireball or less known songs will be integrated into this set : "Maybe, I'm A Leo" for instance (the latter being too heavy to really please me).

It's also amazing to discover the place of "Black Night" in this set list. Third position. It was usually an encore in their early days (but they have reverted to this tradition nowadays again). During this period, it was also the occasion of a karaokee session which is no longer my cup of tea (even when I attend). Actually, it is not too long here, so it's alright.

The whole set list is quite similar to the one available on "Come Hell or High Water" in the full lenght of these concerts (like featured on "Live In Europe - 1993"). A few additions like the new " Purpendicular Waltz" (not really great and unreleased at the time of this recording) or "The Battle Rages On" for instance.

It's a real pleasure to discover this live version of "When A Blind Man Cries". Very emotional and so different from their traditional repertoire. Almost prog intro ! A fantastic rock ballad (it comes from the "Machine Head" sessions but did not really fit on this somptuous album). Very good guitar solo preformance from Steve Morse.

"Perfect Strangers" sounds not really great, I'm afraid. Too heavy again (but the original sounded like that as well).There were better songs from this album that should have been featured on stage like "Mean Streak", "A Gypsy's Kiss" or "Wasted Sunsets".

And there is nothing to do; when you listen and compare with the next one, it just sounds really shy. Of course "Pictures Of Home" is one of their great songs (but almost each one of "Machine Head" was a great one). It opens a magical trio : both "Child In Time" and "Anya" will follow. This is heaven !

Of course, Gillan might not be any longer as great on the high notes as he used to be twenty-five years before this recording but he is still very good. He will play the bongos as during the early days during the fabulous guitar solo. Steve might not be Ritchie, he is a fabulous guitar player. With Kansas before and now with Purple.

At this time of their career, Purple scaled "Space Truckin' " a bit down to a more decent format. But it is followed by a guitar solo with Steve alone on stage. I have to say that this is not my max. He will introduce the great "Lazy" which will be the showcase for Ian Paice and another solo. I always have counted Ian as one of the best drummer in the rock history. He is not as demonstrative as Keith Moon or John Bonham but he is very skilled. This is an occasion to visualize this. It is seriously shorter than the ones available in their seventies concerts.

The last three numbers are absolute killers. The devastating "Speed King" (with no intro - sorry guys, I didn't decide), and then two encores : the incredible "Highway Star" (my Purple fave; on par with "Child In Time") and its demoniac introduction. I'm just nuts about it.

I am a lot less positive with the closing number : "Smoke" has never been a fave of mine. When I discovered "Machine Head" in 1972 it was just a track as another one; inferior to many others. As Roger Glover mentions in his interview in the "Classic album" DVD for "Machine Head" they didn't figure out of this growing stardom for this track until they reached the States were it was aired quite a lot. And the fans did the rest. They created an anthem the band was not aware of.

This DVD is a pretty good concert. Some weaker moments but not really much as you could have read. Four stars.