Though previously available in its entirety on the 2008 DVD box set Around the World Live, Eagle Rock has now made Live at the NEC accessible for those who don't have that set to own this stellar concert from September 14th, 2002 in Birmingham as a standalone DVD. In addition to being a spectacular performance from the now current line-up of the band, this concert is also noteworthy as being Purple's farewell to founding member & keyboard player Jon Lord as a member of the band, as he joins them onstage towards the latter part of the set to play alongside then new guy Don Airey.
Looking up and down the setlist, you can see a wealth of mandatory Deep Purple classics as well as some deep album cuts and newer tracks from the current line-up. Kicking off with "Fireball", the band races out at full throttle, driven by Ian Paice's rumbling double bass drum blasts, Roger Glover's beefy bass tones, and the acrobatic guitar work of Steve Morse. The guitarist is especially on fire throughout this show, displaying all the virtuosity he's always been known for but also keeping Ritchie Blackmore's traditional riffs intact throughout the older numbers. His tone is especially massive on "Ted the Mechanic", "The Well Dressed Guitar", "Black Night", and a rousing "Smoke on the Water". Alongside Ian Gillan's still strong vocals on the bluesy "When a Blind Man Cries", Morse adds some menacing blues rock licks, and his individual solo spot sees him throw out all sorts of riffs & licks from a few famous classic rock staples, such as "Sweet Home Alabama", "Heartbreaker", and others. Lord makes his appearance alongside Airey on a stunning "Perfect Strangers", and joins in on the fun throughout the rest of the set, which includes "Hush", "Speed King", and "Highway Star".
Expertly filmed and with great sound, Live at the NEC is a very powerful video document of a band still with plenty left to offer in 2002 (and that is still the case now 14 years later) as they and their fans say goodbye on stage to the legendary Jon Lord. Also included here is a bonus interview with Gillan & Glover as they talk about all things Deep Purple, which makes for an intriguing watch.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Fireball
2) Woman From Tokyo
3) Mary Long
4) Ted the Mechanic
5) Lazy
6) The Well Dressed Guitar
7) When a Blind Man Cries
8) Space Truckin'
9) Keyboard solo
10) Perfect Strangers
11) Speed King
12) Guitar solo
13) Smoke on the Water
14) Hush
15) Black Night
16) Highway Star
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