Directed by: Stephen “BK” Bentley-Klein
Starring: Deep Purple
Rating: Unrated
Run Time: 115 Mins.
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Who doesn’t love rocking out to Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”? Such a great track. This Blu-ray was recorded on the closing night of Switzerland’s Montreux Jazz Festival on July 16, 2011. The band re-invented their classic catalog with the help of a symphony orchestra. This is common for recent bands to do like Metallica, Kansas and Queensryche. I really enjoy the new take on great classics that playing with an orchestra presents. These guys still know how to deliver an entertaining concert. Overall this is a must for fans of Deep Purple, especially if your want to catch their classics with a twist.
The Blu-Ray release looks visually great even in 1080i video presentation. The sound also delivers these tracks perfectly in it DTS-HD surround sound track. Some of the great classic included on this concert is “Highway Star”, “Strange Kind of Woman,” “Lazy,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Hush,” “Woman From Tokyo,” “Black Night,” and “Smoke On The Water”. I think the orchestra really adds a new twist on these songs and the band Ian Gillan (vocals), Ian Paice (drums), Roger Glover (bass), Steve Morse (guitar) and Don Airey (keyboards) really seemed to be getting into it along with them.
The concert runs a decent 115-minutes and includes a great theatrical presence from the band. It shows that Deep Purple can still deliver some hardcore kick ass classic rock. There is great in depth interview included on the Blu-ray which has the band chatting about their music and the tour. It is very informative and definitely worth checking out. Whether you are Deep Purple biggest fans or just finding out about them (Thanks to the video game “Rock Band”), this is definitely worth checking out.
TRACK LISTING:
1) Orchestral Intro
2) Highway Star
3) Hard Loving Man
4) Maybe I m A Leo
5) Strage Kind Of Woman
6) Rapture Of The Deep
7) Woman From Tokyo
8) Contact Lost
9) When A Blind Man Cries
10) The Well Dressed Guitar
11) Knocking At Your Back Door
12) Lazy
13) No One Came
14) Don Airey Solo
15) Perfect Strangers
16) Space Truckin
17) Smoke On The Water
18) Hush
19) Black Night