Copenhagen Review & Burn video w/Mark Mondesir

[Paul]

Here's a video of Burn from the Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark gig on Wednesday, November 15th, featuring Mark Mondesir on the drums

+ YouTube Video

[Ken]

Bloody Good!

[danielb]

Glenn's got a new band, and although him calling it the best group of musicians he's ever played with incl Deep Purple is proabably something few would agree with, Mark Mondesir is surely a keeper. Great drummer! Anders Olinder does the job, but unfortunately I found Jeff Kollman pretty inconsistant live and I would even go as far as to say he seemed a bit techically inept for the gig. The long intro to Mistreated was nice, but then there were a lot of solos that didn't really go anywhere. Maybe he's still finding his feet with Glenn's songs, but it could also be that I miss the edge I find in JJ's playing.

What about Big Papa then? Despite a poor turn-out in CPH, and a fairly low-key response, he put on a really good performance. Singing was fabulous and the new stuff sounded really powerful. Especially with Mark Mondesir on drums - Land of the Livin gave me goosebumps. Don't Let Me Bleed was another highlight of the show with an extended outro that was classy. Overall, Glenn seemed really hyper and going for it more than I've seen before, which was nice and surprising considering the crowd wasn't the best.

However, the actual setlist could use a little adjusting. I really think the cover songs need to go in favour of something else. I can understand if Glenn wants to take things down a bit in the set by playing Nights in White Satin and Whiter Shade of Pale, but he's got so many beautiful songs of his own that he could do instead of a song like Whiter Shade, which has been played to death. "I Don't Want To Live That Way" / "Blue Jade" / "Beyond the Numb"? The list goes on. The same thing with the DP songs. It's really a sign of him being on the right track when the new songs outweigh the old ones. However, I think save for Mistreated (which got the best reception of the night), I think he's at a stage in his 'live career' where he could easily drop the other 2.

You Keep On Moving came as an anti-climax after Don't Let Me Bleed. And as much as the extended vocal gymnastics in Mistreated was one of the real highlights of the gig, I think Glenn should keep it at that instead of having a similar "showcase" in YKOM. Less is more, which I think the majority of the crowd would agree with. Also, by tightening up the set there's room for a couple of more songs from his solo back catalogue, which is a move I think many would embrace. Burn as a final encore sounded tired and was highly redundant. Also, someone needs to teach Jeff how to play the riff properly

You Got Soul and Steppin On weren't played in CPH, but Soul Mover was and it worked really well as the first encore. Despite the negative points I've brought up in this review, Glenn's definitely onto something with this new band, and it shows in his upbeat behaviour onstage. I have my doubts about Kollman, but am hoping he will improve if he's to stay in the band long-term.

Like the case is with Glenn's solo albums, there are both good and less-good aspects of what you're experiencing. The CPH show was mostly excellent, but also had its flaws. But nobody's perfect and if Glenn decides to revise some parts of the show I'm positive we're in for some real spectacular shows in the future. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Daniel

[bigwolff]

Amazing stuff and the quality is quite good. Here we go again
and to actually view rare footage, or in some respects would
we actually see any material at all is simply astonishing during
"Come Taste The Band" with Tommy Bolin, Glenn, and Coverdale.
Go to the above and you will see 4 tracks: "Love Child" "You Keep On Moving","Highway Star" & "Burn". Uncertain with the clips had arisen but check it out, and would love to see what
everyone thinks. Awesome!:

[Mark Hoffman]

Great footage of Mark

As far as the other comments/reviews...I too would like to see Glenn drop some of the Purple stuff for solo material- but we must remember these gigs aren't played exclusively for fans like us here on his sites... I hope that someday Glenn does reach the popularity that it is not necessary to play this old material- but the identification is far too important at this point. Think about how little Glenn has been on the road since 1976- not much for someone of his calibre and talent. I could only hope that Glenn could stir it up a bit and do a few different oldies on tour...make each show a bit unique. There is plenty to chose from including Trapeze, Hughes/Thrall, Moore, Phenomena, and Sabbath.
Now as far as the comments on Jeff... I know I was not there... but I really feel he is worthy of his placement in this band- or he would just not be there. I totally trust Glenn's judgement- he could not be happy with sub-par (We all know this). Could it be that Jeff was more affected than Glenn -when it comes to the low turn-outs? Glenn is about being 100% all of the time- not all musicians are capable of that. I know - I bother's me a bit when I hear someone deviating from Ritchies style when playing Burn (and Mistreated)- I will always compare with the originals (and most do)... but from a musicians stand point- I can totally understand him wanting to give it his own twist- unfortunately, a song like Burn is too hard for a guitar player to make it his own...so why try? just go ahead and take us back (to the day)! I like the way J.J. handeled it- he had a little of his own style thrown in - but did a great job of respecting the original (like throwing in little Blackmorisms like his little revelry riff etc.)

Thanks to friends here I've heard Cosmosquad and I bought Moog-Way when it came out- I know what Jeff is about- he is very talented. If you've all read his influences an know what he likes- you could see how he should fit the mold pretty well for Glenn. I encourage those in doubt to seek out some of Jeff's past material- and have faith in Glenn's decisions....he's the right guy- at least for this time of Glenn's career.

M.

[Keith Thompson]

It's a bit strange Rasmus talking about covers. Everyone knows that any act with some kind of musical history usually peppers the set with something from the past. The version of Whiter Shade of Pale takes this classic one stage further.

The fact is that only 33% of Glenn's set is Purple from the Purple era and/or covers while most of the material is from the last two or three solo albums.

Deep Purple themselves usually deliver around 33% from the latest album and the rest are past classics. I am sure you are aware of this when you are editing all the reviews on Highway Star.

As Glenn probably explained, Nights in White Satin was by a band which Trapeze accompanied on a a major US tour. It's a natural process for artists like Robert Plant for example to revisit songs which have influenced them in the early years.

But anyway good to see you on here Rasmus and look forward to seeing your comments on other Glenn matters. I don't agree with you on this occasion, but then again I wasn't at the same gig as the one you went to. I attended UK ones and was very impressed with both the set and the band.

[danielb]

Quote:

Goes to prove how a band with guts and determination to please themselves can be so much more rewarding than one who tries to please everybody at the same time. Rewarding those who keep up and buy the new albums is the progressive way forward. Relying too heavily on old material attracts mostly the nostalgics who stopped supporting the artist's recorded output a long time ago.

And I believe Glenn will never out-grow the club scene unless he and his band decide to throw all nostalgia aside, and get prepared to go the full distance, ie become a "new" act 100%. This step should be reflected in both the setlist and in some ways also the performance. Less is more. In other words, no drawn out versions of old songs where Glenn goes crazy (it's not everyone's cup of tea judging by the looks on the faces in CPH). Keep the jokes to a minimum. Glenn is a colourful personality, and sometimes maybe too much for his own good. The extended jokes about his band being gay put a distance between the stage and the crowd in CPH, rather than connecting the two.

Instead the focus should be on delivering a well-paced, no-nonsense show where a strong solo song is followed by another. With any given GH solo album, there's usually 4-5 really strong tracks. With the number of solo albums he's got under his belt by now, there's not exactly a shortage of excellent material to choose from.

Hopefully Glenn rejoins with JJ too, whom I think is the right partner for him when taking this road.

Daniel

[Keith Thompson]

OK thanks for your feedback on my comments Rasmus. Do stay in touch though! Glenn hardly ever does the same set list on two separate tours and we have another chapter in 2007.

I am suspecting you are a bit like that guy who sits in front of me at the football match and says " I am not coming here again" but holds a season ticket Or maybe that's more of an English tradition!

I'd be very interested to see which songs from Glenn's extensive back catalogue you'd like to see revived or introduced to a live set. For me it would be

Let it Go
Written All Over your Face
Higher Places
Down or Addiction or Madelaine
I'm the Man
I Just Want to Celebrate (good singalong vibe)

Not shifting on my Purple classics I'm afraid though. I still get the goose bumps. Maybe I am showing my age But my son who is 18 reckons he should keep 3/4 in including Burn. Mistreated Glenn was heavily involved in the early writing with RB so it's a relevant inclusion AND no one else is performing it so why not? I am going to irritate you even more by suggesting he brings back a Trapeze song too

On that note, I'd better get back to work.

[Chip]

Originally Posted by Keith Thompson

.......I am going to irritate you even more by suggesting he brings back a Trapeze song too.....

I'd like to see that too, Keith.

Drop the DP tunes, except maybe for Mistreated. Okay..okay...do YKOM every once in a while for Grammy Grace

I sure do miss my Trapeze tunes done live

Chip

[Grace]

I heard that, Charlton

Listen folks. You've never read a wish list from me,
of the top gazillion songs that I would like to hear Glenn sing
during a live performance - because I don't care what he sings.

I assume that there's three requirements to make the set-list:

#1. A particular song CAN BE DONE live, without all the necessary
high-falutin' equipement found in a recording studio.

#2. Some kind of "pacing" with mellow or hard-edge songs,
so that Glenn's throat doesn't fall out.

#3. It's what Glenn wants to sing.......his favorite GH songs.

OK, OK, so there's one little song that he must sing,
or I will be forced to slice, dice and puree, but other than that.........
GH could sing the two hour version of the Guatemala National Anthem,
and it would be OK with me

[David]

OK folks - this is getting way off topic - please take it up off-line or start a new topic - thank you!