(Thames)

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Deep Purple with Steve Morse on guitar is a band reborn and no better proof of this fact exists than this live presentation of the group in Australia during the Abandon tour of 1999.

In actual fact this DVD was first issued early in 2000 but since that time it has proven extremely popular, especially down under, and has been awarded various Gold certificates including one from the Australian Record Industry Association. In celebration of such acclaim the packaging has been slightly redone and a full color booklet added to the mix giving those who have not yet bought the disc that much more reason to make it a priority.

As far as music, this is all live as it happened and includes most of the group’s early hits as well as the best from the Steve Morse era. “Ted the Mechanic,” Almost Human,” “Watching the Sky” and “Sometimes I feel like Screaming” blend with “Highway Star,” “Smoke on the Water” and “Strange kind of Woman” like they had always been in the legendary group’s repertoire. Morse is particularly fiery during his solo and nearly erases all memories of that “other guy” who used to wield his axe for Purple.

For the music and performance alone this nifty little package is worth every penny of its purchase price but, as the snake oil salesman says, “But that’s not all!” One of the discs special features is a collection of bits and bobs that alone would constitute hurried purchase. In all, eleven tracks of bonus footage taken from interviews, commercials, home movies and previously unreleased live concert footage. The interviews are the best, I mean, when you have been doing this for thirty years you kind of learn how to handle the press and boy does this group stand their own against any that would challenge them.

By the end of 200 minutes you have been rocked, rolled and baked into a Purple haze from which you wouldn’t want to escape. Great fun and a great bargain on great music!

*****