Deep PurpleCelebrating their 40th anniversary, it must be thrilling for Journey to still venture into new territories. The oh-so American pop/rockers aren't the household name the headliners are here and thus their debut Sydney appearance didn't elicit the same enthusiasm. But a handful of mammoth singles (an early Any Way You Want It, power ballad, Open Arms) stirred many. New-ish singer Arnel Pineda didn't quite grab the crowd by the scruff of the neck, but there's no denying that voice, with golden pipes belying his small frame. Tight vocal harmonies abounded and Neal Schon justifiably wowed guitar nerds prior to inevitable singalong closer, Don't Stop Believin', thankfully free of Glee references.
Deep Purple's forthcoming studio record indicated the legendary hard rock act's desire to not solely remain a nostalgia circuit act. Said attitude is admirable because warmly-received opening classic, Fireball, highlighted that they could easily do so. Avoiding road-testing new material due to the digital age, they instead delved deep into the four-decade-plus career for Into The Fire, Hard Lovin' Man and Maybe I'm A Leo. Loosely dividing their set into various sections (No One Came heading up the “funky” chapter, for instance) kept matters fresh. Although not dubbed as such, Perfect Strangers represented the “heavy” part. The closing salvo was the beloved “hits” - Space Truckin', Smoke On The Water, Hush and Black Night.
Some extended solo spots (axeman Steve Morse's the standout) tested the patience and frontman Ian Gillan shuffled about like your drunken uncle at a family reunion. Although the leather-lunged one understandably rarely attempted the high notes, he still endeared himself to the crowd. So, now what for Deep Purple? A few more years at least, this reviewer believes.
