Gig review/ Deep Purple in Bengaluru

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR 

Deep Purple at Bandland 

Genre: Rock

Details: Bandland rock festival, Embassy International Riding School, Bengaluru, December 17

Organisers: BookMyShow Live 

Rating: **** 1/2

We all came out to Bandland, on a Bengaluru riding ground, to shoot videos on a mobile, yeah, capture the classic rock sound. Ian Gillan and the Purples, were at the best place around, space-truckin' on a black night, we danced on dusty ground.. singing, Smoke On The Water, drones in the sky, Smoke On The Water... taan taan taan, taan taan tadaan, taan taan tadaan, taan taan...

Three days after British rockers Deep Purple enchanted the crowd at the Bandland rock festival in Bengaluru, the gooseflesh lingers like the whiff of cologne. For many, they have been college heroes, cocktail companions, the kings of melodic power, the epitome of hard rock. Older-generation fans or youngsters, they knew many of these songs by heart. Every word, every instrumental passage, every back-up vocal line. Na na na na na, Na na na, Hush, Hush.

It was the band's fifth tour of India. Vocalist Ian Gillan was 49 when they first played in April 1995. The Mumbai concert can be seen on YouTube and heard on the streaming platforms. The frontman was 56 when they played in May 2002. On the current gig, he had gracefully turned 78, his hair a long silvery delight, his shirt glistening in the blue light. The question was: Could he still hit those trademark high notes? Could he do the 'Child In Time' banshee-screech effortlessly? Could he bounce around like a young puppy, as he had told this writer 21 years ago?

Obviously he couldn't. 'Child In Time' wasn't on the set list, and the puppy bounce had made way for a languid soft-shoe shuffle. Yet, maturity and experience can lead to wisdom and discretion. If he didn't get the screams of the opening song 'Highway Star' the way we're accustomed to, he more than made up with the golden rule of staying totally in tune and managing one's range. The middle register was immaculate, impeccable. His hand shook while holding the mic on the brilliant 'When A Blind Man Cries', but his voice didn't waver. His singing on 'Anya' was a museum model of magnificence. For those hearing him for the first time, it was a dream come true. A story to be shared years later with grandchildren. "I saw Ian Gillan in the flesh". "You're serious, grandpa?"

That brings us to the band. Drummer Ian Paice, now 75, and bassist Roger Glover, 78 last month, were in India with Gillan on the earlier tours. Paice was the first seen on the giant screen, his sleeveless shirt reminiscent of a distorted chess board. From the opening of 'Highway Star' to the 'Black Night' encore, he was spot-on. Because of time constraints, Glover didn't get the bass solo that he's known for, but his playing was proverbially tighter than the Calvin Klein jeans worn by Brooke Shields.

The other two members were much younger. Kiddos, in comparison, in their 40s. Irish guitarist Simon McBride, 44, came in as a replacement for Steve Morse, who quit for personal reasons last year. Morse had come to India on the earlier tours, and naturally Purple fans were wondering whether McBride would match up to him or his iconic predecessor Ritchie Blackmore or even Tommy Bolin, who had a brief stint in the mid-1970s. He looked too clean-cut too, a normal haircut to boot.

McBride is rooted in classic rock, metal and the blues, having played with Sweet Savage, Snakecharmer and keyboardist Don Airey's band. Many at the show may have heard his name only when Gillan announced it. And he was a pleasant surprise on his PRS guitars 408 and Fiore. He had his own style, blending touch-artistry with shred-sizzle, excelling on 'Lazy', 'Space Truckin', 'Perfect Strangers' and the evergreen 'Smoke On The Water'. Talking of 'Smoke', even those who felt it had been burnt with overplay would have loved the fiery rendition the band did on Sunday. 

The fifth member, keyboardist Adam Wakeman, came in as a last-minute and temporary fill-in for the indisposed Don Airey. For the 49-year-old, it must have been a huge challenge, playing with such an esteemed group for the first time. But he's accompanied the other monster Ozzy Osbourne, and moreover, is the son of the great Rick Wakeman, keyboardist of prog-rock biggies Yes. He had some amazing parts, from the opening of 'Lazy' to the interlude of 'Pictures Of Home'. Being the third Purple keyboardist to visit India would invite obvious comparisons with the maestro Jon Lord and Don Airey, but that would be a meaningless exercise.

The set concentrated on the classic songs, with the 1972 super-hit album Machine Head being represented by five numbers. From 1970's In Rock, there was 'Into The Fire'. The newer songs were 'Uncommon Man' from the 2013 album Now What?! and 'No Need To Shout' from Whoosh! (2020), both co-written with producer Bob Ezrin. Most were unfamiliar with these tunes, but the mood picked up with 'When A Blind Man Cries'. The song was originally recorded in 1972 during the Machine Head sessions but released only as a B-Side, and not included on the album vinyl. It was put in years later on the remastered CD.

The rest of the show was like a champion athlete in motion. Gillan got a few short breaks during the instrumental jams, as McBride and Wakeman did some great improvisations on their solos. The band has been on the scene for over 55 years, featuring various member permutations and combinations, but what's remained constant are the boundless energy, and the intricate blend of virtuosity and subtlety.

If anything, one missed songs like 'Woman From Tokyo', 'Speed King', 'Demon's Eye', 'Ted The Mechanic' and of course 'Child In Time', but with such a large repertoire, how much can one pack in within 90 minutes? Some people were overheard cribbing that they didn't perform 'Burn' and 'Soldier Of Fortune' but bhaiyyon aur behenon, these were originally sung by David Coverdale during his stint, and not by Gillan.

Deep Purple's appearance provided the finale of the grand two-day festival, which featured The Goo Goo Dolls, The War On Drugs and Amyl And The Sniffers from abroad, besides Indian acts Parikrama (simply inspired), Thermal And A Quarter, Aswekeepsearching, Parvaaz, Skrat, the F16s, Pacifist and The Earth Below. The event was organised by BookMyShow Live, which did a perfect job with the schedules, the sound and the facilities. Their Lollapalooza in Mumbai in January this year had many goof-ups, and one hopes they learn from the good things of Bandland and get it right with the next Lolla edition next month.

Till then, and maybe even after, one can bask in pristine Purple glory, fondly reliving 'Lazy', 'Smoke On The Water', 'When A Blind Man Cries' and all those magical moments that took us to another planet. So come on, come on, come on, let's go space truckin', come on, come on, come on, let's go space truckin', yeah, yeah, yeah, space truckin'...