Went to see them last night at the Manchester Arena. Bearing in mind the original members are now over 70 they could still deliver and had the crowd standing for - you guessed it - Smoke on the Water Cracking version of Bloodsucker and encores of Black Night and Hush. Could have had a few more classics and perhaps dropped one or two newer sets but hey a good night was had by all . Blimey even the support Europe was decent.. Anyone else been to see them?

The live in Japan double album from 1972 does for my occasional Deep Purple Fix, but never saw them live.

I got talked into seeing Europe live back in the 80's on the "Final countdown" tour but was never really a fan.

I started watching the Richie Blackmore's Rainbow live in Germany blu-ray released last year and turned it off after the first song (Highway star), just no comparison at all to that Deep Purple performance from '72.

How is the sound quality in the Manchester Arena these days? I saw Rush there once and sound was excellent, probably best I've ever heard in a venue of that size. Equivalent venue up here now is the Hydro but sound quality has been very inconsistent on the 4 times I've been so far, from very good to truly awful.

From my era, one of my all time favourite rock bands, back in the day when music & hair meant so much....... Happy days.

They are on tv at 4.45 on BBC RB1 today.

Didn't realise until recently that RB is touring again and the reviews have been good - apparently the front man is a bit of a find.
Sound quality was fine but as a venue a bit impersonal imho but I don't go to too many large venues tbh so they could all be like this. I though the Hydro was ok? Better not tell my eldest as she's planning to go to either Glasgow or Strathclyde Uni's next year and it's this sort of fact that could put her off. Teenagers..

Saw them in 72 at the Roundhouse in Dagenham. Queued for 8 hours to make sure I was at the front, well worth the wait.

Managed to get on stage and relieved Ian Paice of he's drum sticks... still got them.

What a night.

IP still doing epic drumming - No21 in Rolling Stones best 100 drummers with Jon Bonham No1 and Keith Moon No2.

All the rest of the band seem really good, I was more impressed with them than RB himself. Maybe it's being a bit harsh to expect the same genius level performance for 40+ years but when the old 70's and 80's recordings are still there it's hard not to make comparisons.



I was really impressed with the sound on that one time I was there, also saw Rush in Glasgow on the same tour (at the SECC) and the sound sucked in comparison, as it always did for rock/metal bands at the SECC.



The Hydro is certainly way better than the SECC (the other "arena" sized venue next door and until recently the only one), at least the Hydro is capable of good sound. Of the 4 times I've been to the Hydro twice the sound has been great, once mediocre and once awful and I was in the same spot in middle of standing section each time. Seems to be down to who's setting the levels on the mixing desk on the night, rather than the venue or sound system itself.

The music scene here is pretty good, seems the best in Scotland for touring bands anyway, loads of good small and medium sized venues and a few big ones.

For local gig listings check out:
http://tickets-scotland.com/

I've been to gigs all over the UK but for me the best sound and atmosphere is still at King Tut's in Glasgow, though it's only a 300 capacity venue so you don't see many "big" bands playing it unless you're lucky enough to catch them there before they become popular.