Deep Purple/London, UK 1987

From the 1987 UK tour of DEEP PURPLE, who released the second reunion album “THE HOUSE OF BLUELIGHT”, the performance at London’s “Wembley Arena” on March 3rd has been released as a 2-CD set, completely recorded from the original cassette master and featuring the best audience sound ever! Please enjoy the famous live performance revived with the best audience source that is not inferior to PURPLE’s ’87 tour, which is known for many soundboard sound sources! Immediately after reuniting with “PERFECT STRANGERS”, DEEP PURPLE had a fulfilling album and tour, but the freshness of the subsequent “THE HOUSE OF BLUELIGHT” faded, and the members (i.e. Gillan and Ritchie) were at odds again, making recording difficult. However, when they went on tour, the live performance was so fulfilling that the members recalled “it was fun”, and the performances known from various recordings such as the European tour in February and the US tour from April to May are wonderful. A notable feature of this ’87 tour was the tour of their home country, the UK, which took place in March. At the time of the previous “PERFECT STRANGERS”, the only live performance in the UK was the appearance at the “Knebworth Festival” on June 22nd, so this tour delighted British fans. Although there were only five live performances, BAD COMPANY was appointed as the support, and two consecutive performances were booked at London’s “Wembley Arena” and Birmingham NEC, making it a fitting content for DEEP PURPLE’s triumphant return. In this work, the audience source of the first day of the “Wembley Arena” performance shown on March 3rd is made into a CD with the original master provided by an overseas taper. The performance of this day has been released in “ALIVE AT WEMBLEY” (Langley-167), which is supported by enthusiasts, and has already appeared in analog bootlegs in the past, but this recording boasts sound quality and ease of listening that clearly surpasses them. The clarity that allows you to check the state of the stage in detail, the direct feeling and good separation that makes the performance enjoyable with a texture like a line sound source, etc. are excellent, and it is amazing that it is comparable to the classic “MASTER OF BLUELIGHT” sound source of the same period. Of course, you can enjoy the realism unique to a good audience recording, and the sound with a moderate atmosphere and depth is irresistible. This recording will let the listener know the greatness of the Wembley performance from a new aspect! This work is a sudden listening point from the pre-show intro that was not recorded in the past sound source. Here, you can hear the instrumental version of the Christmas carol “Wassail”, which Richie will later record as “Magical World” in BLACKMORE’S NIGHT’s “SHADOW OF THE MOON”, with exquisite clarity. However, when this “Wassail” ends and the usual opening theme flows, the excitement of the venue immediately rises, and the opening is explosive with “Highway Star”. The next song, “Strange Kind Of Woman,” has a gap between Richie and Pace in the intro, but the rest of the performance is full of groove and great playing. The listener will be overwhelmed by the band’s performance from the beginning, such as the realism of Richie’s plucking tone in the middle of the song, “Jezus Christ Superstar,” and the screaming of Gillan that roars from the call-and-response to the coda of the song! The “only this tour” songs selected from “THE HOUSE OF BLUELIGHT” all have a shining presence in the sound of this work. The power of “The Unwritten Law,” which includes Pace’s drum solo, and the melodic tune of “Dead Or Alive,” which is also common in the RAINBOW era, are the true essence of the mature sound of the fifth period of PURPLE. In “Hard Lovin’ Woman,” where Gillan’s personality is fully expressed, a passage from “Under The Gun” is inserted in the middle of the song, and the speedy development that combines lightness and hardness will make the fans numb. “Perfect Strangers” and “Knocking At Your Back Door,” which have already established their position as masterpieces, also won loud cheers from the fans at Wembley. Of course, the classics from the second period will also greatly liven up the live. “Child In Time,” in which the audience sings along with Gillan, is a unique live performance in their “home country” where the unity of not only the band but the entire venue is creating a song. In the light-hearted “Lazy” and “Space Truckin’,” Richie and John’s solos and the band’s thrilling interplay are powerfully contained, adding a touch of glamour to the climax. The following “Black Night” includes “Running Bear,” and the performance is filled with a bright atmosphere. The band was in a peaceful mood from beginning to end until the closing with the grand finale “Smoke On The Water”, which supports their recollection that they had fun. This recording also contains the scene at the venue for about 4 minutes after the show ended. The ending that resonates to cool down the heated venue reminds us of RAINBOW’s “Maybe Next Time” somewhere, and concludes the recording in an emotional mood. The quality of the fifth period of DEEP PURPLE, which allows you to relive the special first day of the ’87 “Wembley Arena” performance with the highest quality sound and outstanding realism, is definitely one of the best among the many ’87 tour sound sources. This is a super high-quality master sound source that has just appeared 25 years after this performance. This is a gem that all DEEP PURPLE and Richie fans should listen to! Live at Wembley Arena, London, UK 3rd March 1987 TRULY AMAZING/PERFECT SOUND Disc 1(52:56) 1. Intro. 2. Opening 3. Highway Star 4. Strange Kind Of Woman 5. The Unwritten Law 6. Drum Solo/The Unwritten Law(reprise) 7. Blues 8. Dead Or Alive 9. Perfect Strangers 10. Hard Lovin’ Woman 11. Child In Time Disc 2(63:40) 1. Difficult To Cure 2. Keyboard Solo 3. Knocking At Your Back Door 4. Lazy 5. Space Truckin’ 6. Black Night 7. Smoke On The Water 8. Outro. Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar Ian Gillan – Vocal Roger Glover – Bass Jon Lord – Keyboards Ian Paice – Drums