Music ofDep Purple ‘surprises without surprising’ by closing the 12th Best of Blues and Rockbanda brought to the Paulistano festival the same show performed here last September – and again left fallen complaints with irreplaceable performance for writing

It sounds absurd, but it happened: when the organization of Best of Blues and Rock announced the Deep Purple As one of the attractions for his 12th edition, there were those who complain. The main argument is: these guys come to Brazil often. True. Unlucky artist who doesn’t visit us. The English quintet recognizes the affection and interest of the national public and even amendment travel here, as they were also with us in 2023 (as part of the Monsters of Rock Festival and Related Events) and 2024 (to play at Rock in Rio and on a solo date in São Paulo).

Brazil, it is said, is the seventh country that had the most shows from Purple. It is behind only the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Japan. There are more than 70 performances distributed in 34 years, as the first visit took place in 1991. Our country has so much moral that it will receive one of the only three Purple performances scheduled for this year. The reason? In addition to enjoying a well -deserved vacation, Hard Rock veterans work on a new album, with a release designed for 2026.

Yes: These gentlemen don’t want to stop. Four of the five members are over 75 years old (the exception is the newly unintegrated guitarist and 100% Hard Rocker Simon McBride), but they feel – and know – they still have a lot to offer. In a work pace of envying any big boy, they performed 65 shows across the planet in 2024. On average, one presentation every 5 days. Consider the long trips in these intervals with advanced age and become as impressed as me.

None of this, by the way, affects the show. With over 55 years of career, Deep Purple still delivers a noteworthy performance. They closed Sunday, 15, fourth and last day of Best of Blues and Rock, in Ibirapuera Park, in São Paulo, with a formidable tour of their great classics and songs that may deserve more attention in the general public.

To be able to deliver a consistent presentation, of course, some members of the quintet had to adjust their interpretations. Ian Gillanwhich turns 80 in August, was able to fit his voice to the current reality as very rare singers in history not only of rock, but of music as a whole. It still risks some acute, but overall it suits the interpretation to what it can offer. Leaves nothing to be desired at any time. IAN PAICEwhich reaches 77 later this month, most of the time you don’t even have to follow musical shortcuts on the drums. It doesn’t even seem that, besides the advanced age, she suffered in 2016 a mini-AVC-for contextualization, the same health problem that seemed to have affected a little more seriously Nicko McBraininstrument colleague of Iron Maiden. Watching him playing is a privilege.

Also septuagenaries Roger Gloverbassist, and Don Aireykeyboardist, have less physical requirement, so they remain amazing practically without adaptation. Glover, by the way, gives all the sound consistency to the purple machine. Airey, besides a giant on the keys, is the charisma into a person: plays smiling and makes a point of turning her solo moments into fun. Plays the intro of “Mr. Crowley” that he recorded with Ozzy Osbourneexecutes “Aquarela do Brasil”leaves a note sounding for almost a minute while putting beer in the glass – instead of wine in the cup, as in the 2024 performance.

The change of drink is, by the way, one of the only two differences of the show held last year. The other was the cut of “Portable Door”song from the most recent album, = 1 (2024), which was eventually represented by three other tracks: “A bit on the side”, “Lazy Sod” and “Bleeding Obvious”. Were, along with the slightly pretentious “Uncommon Man” – Dedicated to the late original keyboardist Jon Lord – The moments of lower public engagement.

Otherwise, only hits. The opening with “Highway Star” It even puts Ian Gillan at the limit of his vocal performance, but he does well. A huge warming before executing “Hard Lovin ‘Man”although the strongest screams are set aside in this, and “Into The Fire”here, yes, with challenging execution and very similar to the recorded version 55 years ago, on the disc In rock (1970).

Already in the section of the set, the characteristic groove of “Lazy” and the emotional “When a blind man Cries” prepared the public for an unusual prominence: “Anya”not so well known globally The Battle Rages on… (1993) which since 2022 has become guaranteed presence in the setlist. In Brazil, the song became a kind of radio rock hit, which justifies the enthusiastic reaction of those who watched.

The final court, separated by a brief break, was unbeatable. The Fun “Space Truckin” and the classic “Smoke on the Water”with the right to silence the band and play for the audience to sing the chorus, they closed the regular set, while “Hush”cover of Joe Southand “Black Night”track that became classic even without entering a record originally, gave final contours not only to Deep Purple’s flawless performance, but also to the 12th edition of Best of Blues and Rock. May the realization of 2026.

Repertoire:

1. Highway Star
2. A bit on the side
3. HARD LOVIN ‘MAN
4. INTO THE FIRE
5. Guitar solo
6. Uncommon Man
7. LAZY SOD
8. Keyboard
9. Lazy
10. WHEN A BLIND MAN CRIES
11. Anya
12. Keyboard
13. Bleeding Obvious
14. Space Truckin ‘
15. Smoke on the water

Bis:

16. Green Onions (Cover by Boooker T. & the MG’s)
17. Hush (Joe South’s cover)
18. Black Night

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