69 Faces of Rock

There are concerts that you see in life, and there are shows that you see, feel with your whole body and soul, and they affect you for the rest of your life. Seeing reunited Deep Purple back in 1985 was such a head-turning experience for this writer. Not a writer at the time, but it was only a matter of time before that skill came into the forefront. Not only was Deep Purple a favorite band, but a passion shared with one’s father, and such connections are special and rare. Yet there it was. Your favorite band is reforming after a ten-year absence, and you’re stuck in a communist country with limited chances, so what do you do? You leave that country and move to a different one so you can see them. Easier said than done, but in this case, it worked out.

Deep Purple reformed in 1984 and quickly put together "Perfect Strangers," a superb reunion record. With great new music at their disposal, the outstanding legacy, and the critical acclaim from the press and the fans, the tour became an instant success. Going to U.I.C. Pavilion felt more like being on a mission than seeing a show. Since it all took place in Chicago, there was an instant connection with The Blues Brothers who only couple of years earlier completed their own mission.

The U.I.C. Pavilion was completely packed, and this was the second night from Deep Purple. There was a lot of talk of how great the show was from the previous night was and how on fire the band is. You could see every heavy metal, hard rock shirt and patch available at the time. From classic hard rock names to the latest metal trends, such as Metallica, Mercyful Fate, and Exciter. It was all represented there. One particular individual had his denim jacket completely covered with Motorhead patches, which included even the hat he was wearing. The place definitely projected a certain spirit, and it felt great to be among such a passionate group of die-hard fans.

Giuffria was the opener, and they delivered a very solid set. They were a brand-new band who was currently riding high with their single “Call to the Heart,” which was all over radio and MTV. Giuffria was, of course, the band formed by keyboardist Gregg Giuffria of Angel. The group also included a very young Craig Goldy on guitar, who went on to play in Dio a few years later. Their AOR approach was exactly what was needed to contain the excitement that was building up this evening. Giuffria provided a nice warm-up and was part of a big event that unfolded shortly after.

About 30 minutes after Giuffria’s set, the lights went out in the arena, and after a brief intro, a laser appeared on the main screen. It started to circulate and eventually became the DP logo featured on the cover of the “Perfect Strangers” album. At the same time, you could already hear Ian Paice behind the drums starting a beat that sounded awfully familiar. Within seconds he was joined by bass rhythm from Roger Glover and a signature riff from Ritchie Blackmore. Ian Gillan was the last one to appear with a clear statement, “Nobody gonna take my car.” Yes, the sound of “Highway Star” filled the place, and what an insane version of that song it was. The spirit of 1972 was definitely back, the band sounded convincing; they rocked hard from the start! There was joy, the musicians were smiling, and instrumentally the music was flowing. As soon as the “Highway Star” race was completed, the band broke into “Nobody’s Home,” a brand-new song from the new album. Already a perfect combination between the old and the new. Ian Gillan might've run out of breath here and there, but the feel of those two songs set the tone for the rest of the evening. “I’ve been studying numbers and colors,” said Ian Gillan before introducing “Strange Kind of Woman.” It was a fantastic version of a classic track with an amazing exchange from Gillan and Blackmore. There were bits and pieces of the “Jesus Christ Superstar” theme thrown in there for good measure. Pure magic right there. After a short blues intro from Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord epicked up the pace of the rhythm, and that quickly became “Gypsy’s Kiss,” another blistering song from the new album. Some cool vocal improvisation from Gillan, but before you know it, Lord and Blackmore completely took over this track. Their exchange was swift and simply priceless. The band was riding high, and there was nothing stopping them. Ian Gillan continued to apply colors and numbers when introducing the songs. The next song was presented as, “Grey 15, 17, Red, Pink, Blue, Garlic 8.” In reality, it was the title cut from the new album, “Perfect Strangers,” and one of the absolute highlights of the evening. This song sounded huge and truly displayed its great melody line. Some good keyboard work from Jon Lord. As the band hit the main riff, there was a great laser display all over the arena's ceiling. After an introduction in German, “Under the Gun” picked up the pace, and the band flew into the stratosphere. At this point, everyone in the audience was ecstatic and completely entranced with what was happening on stage.

“Number 8” introduced the fans to longer pieces from Deep Purple’s catalog, and in some way it felt like the second part of the show. “Lazy” quickly electrified the place, and showcased some serious jamming from each member of the band. Blackmore and Lord clearly dominated here, but once Ian Paice broke into his thunderous drum solo, there was no question as to who is in charge. Gillan entertained with his harmonica, but Paice provided the mastery! “This one is number 1, but in the old language it’s Child in Time,” said Ian Gillan before launching what quickly became the centerpiece of the evening. It was an absolutely stunning version of “Child in Time.” The vocal delivery in particular was flawless. Gillan delivered every note and more, and Ritchie Blackmore took his guitar to another level here. It was hot, dangerous, and building like a volcano ready to explode, which it did at the very end. During the performance of "Child in Time" the screen displayed the recreation of the "In Rock" album cover. “This one in Number 17, I can’t tell you anything more because every word in the English language here is lethal,” uttered Gillan before breaking into “Knocking at Your Back Door.” This song quickly proved to be just as lethal live as Gillan mentioned only a few seconds earlier. The track sort of elevated Roger Glover into the forefront, whose bass work was very solid and reliable throughout the evening. Ritchie Blackmore was exceptional this evening, full of great licks and unbelievable feel, not to mention his unusual timing. “Difficult to Cure” gave Blackmore another chance to showcase his goods, and he delivered brilliantly. A touch of classical feel, including Beethoven, whose apparition was generated by the laser show. It was a great way to illustrate the track and the guitar solo that dominated it. Jon Lord followed with a solo of his own. He threw in some unusual bits and pieces of classic Deep Purple tracks not performed this evening before really launching his sounds out of this galaxy. Sure enough, this phase quickly morphed into “Space Truckin’,” and the place just shook with the impact. Deep Purple channeled the spirit of their 1970s recordings with an absolute immaculateness and sublimity. Not a detail was omitted, and the band jammed as if they were possessed. The magic witnessed from track to track was real, and left the impression would last a lifetime. Upon the completion of “Space Truckin’,” the group triumphantly left the stage, but the end wasn’t in sight just yet. A short visit from “Woman from Tokyo” and “the saddest song that was ever written, that could only be played every 10 years, but how can you say it in colors and numbers?” which turned out to be “Speed King.” As Ian Gillan proceeded with band introductions, when he got to Jon Lord, he said, “Jon Lord on Hammond organs, and all other things he doesn’t really need.” Also, not only did Gillan introduce Ritchie Blackmore, but his guitar as well. Once again, the band said their goodbyes and left the stage, yet the anticipation grew even stronger. After about a minute, Deep Purple came out one more time to deliver the riff of all riffs, “Smoke on the Water,” and took everyone with them back to Montreux. “It’s been a long, long time that became 11, 12 years. We didn’t know how it was going to be. I have to tell you, you made it everything we ever dreamed of, thank you,” said Gillan in the midst of the sing-along. Seeing everyone around in the audience and the band enjoying this very special moment was absolutely extraordinary. The sing-along section united everyone into one big musical family, Gillan screaming and all. You felt something special happening right in front of you. “Thank you, thank you, every one of you. You’ve been amazing; thank you for making it all worthwhile. We love you; see you again. Thank you, bye bye,” said Ian Gillan before releasing a few of his signature yells as the concert concluded. It was a show that was musically spectacular and visually astonishing, delivered by five musicians on top of their game.

Reflecting back on this show 40 years later, it still feels great; there are chills, vivid memories, and very strong emotions. History was made that evening and the evening before as well. The legend of Deep Purple is still running strong in 2025, but on those two February evenings in 1985, the band was exceptional and superb. So many things happened since in the life of the band and the lives of the people who attended these shows. Some are gone, and some carry the spirit still with them, and some simply don’t care. While there were many great chapters in the history of Deep Purple since 1985, they are no match for the type of magic the original five members of the infamous Mark II lineup were able to create together. Whether it was studio, or on stage, when the spirits were running high, and the stars were aligning, Deep Purple was the most dangerous band on the planet! Listening back to the live tape from the highlighted gig in question provides the evidence that it’s not only the memories but the actual delivery was there all along. The word magic seems to be abused here, but it’s perfectly justified in this case, wouldn’t you say?

Mark Kadzielawa

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