Not being particularly cultured RTM has never found itself watching an orchestra before. Until now. For you see this particular four date UK tour from Deep Purple sees them performing a collection of songs together with a 36 piece orchestra – the Frankfurt Philharmonic to be exact, together with conductor Steven Bentley, so the sense of anticipation is palpable.
Consequently, whoever was the opening act this evening was most probably going to be up against it, and that is the situation that Cheap Trick find themselves in.
A quintessentially American band, Cheap Trick have never really crossed over to these shores. Which is odd given the obvious debt their sound owes to both The Beatles and T Rex, indeed, second song in they choose to play “California Man” by Brummie band, The Move.
They play for an hour, “I Want You To Want Me” sounds as good as ever, “Surrender” is proof positive that any sort of nasty lyric can be wrapped up in a happy tune and no one will notice, and “Sick Man Of Europe” from 2009s “Latest” album proves they still have plenty to offer.
With a longer stage time on offer they afford themselves an encore of “Dream Police” and “Gonna Raise Hell,” all the while guitarist Rick Neilsen throws guitar picks into the crowd and singer Robin Zander minces about in white sailor suit looking every inch a Dave Lee Roth Clone. But they are politely rather than rapturously received by 5000 Brummies who only just want one thing.
And what they want is Deep Purple.
In a world where any band who sells 10 copies of their debut album are here to “save rock n roll” according to magazines, the word “legend” is bandied about with staggering ease. But here’s a fact for you: If Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple hadn’t taken what Elvis and The Stones were doing and made it heavier then RTM wouldn’t exist. As such if they want to play their set on kazoos – let alone with the Frankfurt Philharmonic - they should feel free to do so.
But as well as the sense of excitement building there is also one of trepidation. This is because the sound at LG Arena can be a problem and if it’s bad tonight, well, this could be a real shambles.
As it is at 9pm precisely the orchestra sits down and begins its intro, at which point Messers Glover, Paice, Morse, Airey and Gillan join them and give us an astonishing “Highway Star” – it is all at once bewildering and brilliant. The orchestra crashes, the guitars crunch and the whole thing is incredible.
“Hard Lovin’ Man” follows and is more of the same, but where the evening really does hit home is that the orchestra isn’t overused. They are there to add to - not take over - the evening.
Each of the band get their own solo spot, Don Airey’s keyboard histrionics – complete with the Frankfurt accompaniment – is arguably the best of these, but elsewhere Steve Morse is the musical star with his stunning guitar work, although Bentley’s violin solo at the end of “Lazy” runs him close.
This, though, isn’t just an exercise in mere playing, how could it be with a last four songs of “Space Truckin,” “Smoke on the Water,” “Hush” and “Black Knight?” The orchestra in full effect for all of them manages to give even these classics a different dynamic.
Tonight’s show was always going to win prizes for sheer audacity, but it was so much more than that. It was one of the shows of the year. Magnificent.
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