It is astounding and awesome when bands are able to have an anniversary tour for an album that is turning 5 or 10 years old. A 15-year anniversary tour can make anyone feel old. Well, how about celebrating 50 years? Yes, you read that right. 50 years. I guess when you're a band like Deep Purple, it just comes naturally. Deep Purple is currently on tour to celebrate 50 Years of "Smoke on the Water" (off the 1972 album Machine Head). Alongside Yes & Hannah Wicklund (for the Fort Worth date), this is sure to be a tour of a lifetime.
Hannah Wicklund started the night off with the bar set high. Armed with just a guitar, Wicklund proceeded to sing her heart away. After seeing that performance, I have nothing but respect for Wicklund as she had the crowd on their feet for her entire set. The amount of raw emotion radiating from Wicklund was nothing short of tear-inducing. I know I, for one, cannot wait for the opportunity to see her live again as soon as possible.
Yes took the stage next to a deafening roar of applause. With a career spanning longer than my parents have been alive, and armed with a discography of over two dozen albums, Yes was prepared to give Fort Worth the time of their lives. You tell me any other band that can start their set with a song like "Machine Messiah" that comes in at over 10 minutes long and sound just as good as, if not better, than the recorded version. Also, this might just be the music nerd side of me, but I'm almost positive none of the members were playing to a click. You're telling me that this band of over 50 years is just that good? The answer is a resounding "without a shadow of a doubt". Each member of Yes was nothing short of God-like as they played each song perfectly. Steve Howe shredded on guitar while bassist Billy Sherwood & keyboardist Geoff Downes kept the rhythm alive. Drummer Jay Schellen was an absolute unit and vocalist Jon Davison serenaded the crowd with the voice of an angel.
After much waiting and plenty of rocking out, it was finally time for Deep Purple to take the stage. With the most electrifying intro music and video I've ever seen, the band took the stage and made it their home for the foreseeable future. Yet again, I'll be damned if I don't say that I'm pretty sure Deep Purple also didn't play to a click. With a quick count-in from drummer Ian Paice, the band exploded into a fury of the most professional and incredible rock-n-roll show I've ever had the luxury of experiencing. Bassist Roger Glover & guitarist Simon McBride danced across the stage while not missing a single beat and giving the most incredible solos ever. Yeah, I know I keep saying "incredible," but until they make a better word, I don't know what else to say! Speaking of incredible, Don Airey looked like he was having the time of his life on keyboards. Vocalist Ian Gillan... I don't even know the words to use to describe his performance. Awe-inspiring? God-like? Inhuman in the best way possible? Whatever it is, that is what it was like to hear him sing. Nothing short of amazing.
If you have any chance of seeing this tour in a city near you, I implore you to drop everything and make your way to the venue as quickly as possible.
