Deep Purple/Chiba,Japan 2018

DEEP PURPLE celebrates their 50th anniversary with the meaningful “THE LONG GOODBYE”. People all over the world are wondering if this will be their last performance, and the performance in Japan has finally been realized. The latest and best live album vacuum-packed from that scene is now available. This work includes the “October 14, 2018: Makuhari Messe” performance. This time, it is the best audience recording of the only Kanto performance. First of all, let’s check the show position on the Japan tour schedule, which may be the last. ・October 14th: Makuhari Messe [This work] ・October 15th: Century Hall, Nagoya International Conference Center ・October 17th: Osaka Festival Hall “OSAKA 2018” ・October 18th: Osaka Festival Hall “OSAKA 2018”・October 20th: Hiroshima Ueno Gakuen Hall ・October 22nd: Fukuoka Sun Palace A total of 6 performances. The final Fukuoka performance just ended yesterday. The Makuhari performance of this work was a concert that marked the first day. This work, vacuum-packed from such a scene, is truly a masterpiece. It’s an original master work only for this work, which is a work by a master who has been showing off his skills in the hard rock genre that has come to Japan in recent years, but the lively core and delicate details are exquisite! The clarity is overwhelming, worthy of being called a so-called “sound board”. If you listen closely with headphones, you can hear the slight sound of the scene, but it doesn’t create a sense of distance, and it adds to the luster of the sound. In addition to the beautiful sound, the balance is also wonderful. The sounds produced by the five members are neatly separated, yet intertwined with each other without any of them jumping out, boasting an exquisite symmetry. It’s a sound that feels like weaving together a beautiful tapestry, with each instrument and singing voice clearly defined. To be honest, I’m surprised that such beautiful sounds could be recorded at Makuhari Messe. When I got the news that they were coming to Japan, I was half-hearted, thinking, “Why not Budokan?” and “Why not at Makuhari Messe, it’s so boring…” but it was outrageous. Even if it was Nippon Budokan, it is doubtful whether it would have been recorded with such a good sound. Although it is not possible to decide on the best masterpiece since the recording has not been exhausted until the final performance, perhaps this work will be the pinnacle…It is the finest sound world that crosses over to such a pre-emptive thought. What is depicted with such a perfect sound is a passionate performance by a traditional band that has come to announce “THE LONG GOODBYE”. On the North American tour just before, it was a surprising set with no new songs, perhaps because of the double headliner with JUDAS PRIEST, but the Japan performance was an impressive full set. It follows the European tour before North America, and although “Knocking At Your Back Door” was cut, new songs from “INFINITE” are also played neatly. Let’s organize the numbers for each era here. ● Past numbers First half (5 songs): Highway Star, Pictures of Home, Bloodsucker, Strange Kind of Woman, Lazy Last half (4 songs): Space Truckin’, Smoke on the Water, Hush (Going Down in the intro), Black Night ● Reunion era (1 song) Perfect Strangers ● After Morse joined (2 songs + 3 new songs) Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming, Uncommon Man, The Surprising, Birds of Prey, Time for Bedlam The composition of the show is a combination of these famous songs. Also impressive. The highlights of the opening and final stages are a rush of famous songs from the 70’s, while in the middle they concentrate on playing numbers after the reunion. It is roughly color-coded as “70s → Post-reunion → 70s.” What’s more, the new songs in the middle are solidified into three consecutive songs, and the highlights are exciting at the beginning of the performance, and the contrast in the middle is vivid as you listen carefully. It seems to cover a wide range of long history, and does not give the impression of being scattered. It has been 46 years since the first visit to Japan that created “MADE IN JAPAN”. Our 16th (7th with the current lineup) and possibly our last performance in Japan has come to an end. This is a book where you can stand at the scene and enjoy the best sound of all-time masterpieces. This is a masterpiece among masterpieces that will be the first report and a masterpiece. Live at Makuhari Event Hall, Chiba, Japan 14th October 2018 TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc 1 (43:26) 1. Mars, the Bringer of War 2. Highway Star 3. Pictures of Home 4. Bloodsucker 5. Strange Kind of Woman 6. Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming 7. Uncommon Man 8. Lazy Disc 2 (56:54) 1. The Surprising 2. Birds of Prey 3. Time for Bedlam 4. Keyboard Solo 5. Perfect Strangers 6. Space Truckin ‘ 7. Smoke on the Water 8. Going Down 9. Hush 10. Black Night Ian Gillan – Vocal Steve Morse – Guitar Roger Glover – Bass Don Airey – Keyboards Ian Paice – Drums