Deep Purple - Come Hell Or High Water

Starring:Ian Paice, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Ian Gillan, Jon Lord
Director: Hugh Symonds
Studio: Bmg Special Product
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
"It works extremely well or it doesn't work at all," says Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice on this concert DVD, reflecting on DP's 25th anniversary reunion tour. This great-sounding disc (filmed in Birmingham, England, on November 9, 1993) finds the band working extremely well indeed. Legendary lead guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left the band after the tour's European leg, so the Birmingham concert has, in retrospect, the sense of capturing lightning in a bottle, providing (in keyboardist Jon Lord's words) "a wonderful combination of improvisation and discipline." Blackmore is conspicuously absent in the interview clips, but the remaining "Mark II" lineup (vocalist Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, Paice, and Lord) speaks eloquently on the band's behalf, never masking their resentment toward Blackmore's sullen decision to quit. It's no wonder, because this is no withering nostalgia act. With Blackmore in top form (eyes down, emotionless, fully involved), the band is tight and mighty, and despite a few faltering moments (particularly in Gillan's otherwise laudable vocals), this DVD never disappoints.

Amazon.com

"It works extremely well or it doesn't work at all," says Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice on this concert DVD, reflecting on DP's 25th anniversary reunion tour. This great-sounding disc (filmed in Birmingham, England, on November 9, 1993) finds the band working extremely well indeed. Legendary lead guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left the band after the tour's European leg, so the Birmingham concert has, in retrospect, the sense of capturing lightning in a bottle, providing (in keyboardist Jon Lord's words) "a wonderful combination of improvisation and discipline." Blackmore is conspicuously absent in the interview clips, but the remaining "Mark II" lineup (vocalist Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, Paice, and Lord) speaks eloquently on the band's behalf, never masking their resentment toward Blackmore's sullen decision to quit. It's no wonder, because this is no withering nostalgia act. With Blackmore in top form (eyes down, emotionless, fully involved), the band is tight and mighty, and despite a few faltering moments (particularly in Gillan's otherwise laudable vocals), this DVD never disappoints.

Customer Reviews:

Deep Purple "Come Hell or High Water".......2007-05-09

Hi I'm 50 years old if your a true Deep Purple fan you will love this dvd even though richie is an nut case the music is A+++++++++++ the band is tight and never miss a lick.

Daryl

This is the Deep Purple concert you have always wanted.......2007-03-27

WOW! That is all I can say initially. Ritchie Blackmore and crew made this concert the best they ever did! If you have ever wanted to see Ritchie do his legendary riffs (he usually hid them from camera shot in the early years concerts) this is the DVD for you. All the guys excelled in this performance. They had it together.

Interestingly, as this was a "reunion" concert. When the band left the stage, Ritchie exited on one side and the rest left on the other...

Again, FANTASTIC CONCERT. I encourage you to get it - you will NOT be disappointed.

The Battle Rages On Stage.......2007-03-10

I approached this DVD "Come Hell Or High Water" with a certain amount of apprehension after hearing about this Birmingham show and Ian Gillan recently wanting the live album (audio only) not to be released. But let's face it, even the average Deep Purple show is a little special, and to me, this DVD wasn't bad at all. I'll admit that Ritchie Blackmore's antics made it hard at first, but the overall performance still comes across pretty well. Drummer Ian Paice shines in some of the later songs, and the rest of the band (Lord, Glover and Gillan) all try to make up for Ritchie's lack of dedication you might say. Some of Gillan's expressions are a treat, and the overall uniqueness of a Deep Purple happening is captured well on video. Technically it's excellent, nothing too flashy. It's a treat to watch something done by people you know have a feel for Purple's work, which doesn't come off routine looking or full of gimmicks. Overall, this is a pretty good resemblance of the 25th Anniversary tour, just not one of the best moments. The interviews between some of the songs are cleverly done, but after a few viewings I wished I could have passed on them, but no such luck. All things considered, the DVD doesn't make a bad addition to the ever growing Purple memorabilia.

Hell Came And Its Name Was Blackmore.......2006-09-28

Only 3 stars for Come Hell or High Water is almost being harsh. But Blackmore's behavior during the concert is so outrageous that I was embarrassed for the band just watching the show. I feel sorry for the fans that actually paid to attend the concert who were probably very excited to see a Deep Purple show where all 5 members participated.

But really only 4 participated. Those 4 being Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, and Jon Lord. Those guys must have huddled before the show and said, "let's give these fans a musical performance that they'll never forget." Whether Blackmore was in the huddle with them or not, one thing is for sure, Blackmore agreed to also give the fans an experience that they'll never forget, but the experience that he provided was how to be a complete jackass...not the experience of the guitar performances that he is legend for.

The back jacket of the DVD reads, "No one who has heard Deep Purple kick off a show with Highway Star will ever forget it...." Well, I sure won't forget how it was done on this DVD. The band comes out on stage, starts the song, but something's missing...Blackmore is missing! The first minute of the song goes by, but there's no Blackmore; there's no guitar playing; only vocals, keys, bass and drums. At first I thought it was a some sort of prestaged thing where Blackmore would appear with much fanfare. Well, he finally does appear where the guitar solo is supposed to come in, but not with much fanfare. Blackmore is clearly pissed about something and is determined to let everyone in the band and audience know it. He walks on stage, saunters over to the amps, grabs a cup of water that is sitting there, flings it through the air, looks at the other guys in the band as if to say, "take-that!", and then he feebly proceeds to play a horrible version of the Highway Star solo. The other guys in the band are visibly exasperated and just roll their eyes.

After Highway Star, the DVD breaks to a quick video interview with Gillian, Paice, Lord and Glover where they comment on how something wasn't working between them that night at the Birmingham NEC, UK, on November 9, 1993, and that Blackmore, as he was known to often do, acted "like an angry little child when he didn't get his way about something".

Clearly, Blackmore indeed didn't get his way about something for the recording of this DVD. The tension on stage was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Blackmore was conspicuously absent from the stage and absent from playing throughout the whole show, and that really took away from the performance. Instead of rocking out through the DVD, I'm sitting there the whole time going, geez what a shame. To be fair, things were working with everyone in the band except just one guy. Gillian, Paice, Lord and Glover did indeed play like it was 1972...they were on.

The song list was terrific. They play:

1-Highway Star
2-Black Night
3-Talk About Love
4-Twist in the Tale
5-Perfect Strangers (Blackmore almost looked as if he njoyed being there for this song.)
6-Beethoven
7-Knocking at Your Back Door
8-Anyone's Daughter
9-Child in Time
10-Anya
11-The Battle Rages On
12-Lazy
13-Space Truckin'
14-Woman from Tokyo
15-Paint It Black
16-Smoke on the Water.

Blackmore couldn't wait to get off the stage. He walked right off after Smoke On The Water...exit stage left; the other guys took some bows and exited stage right.

For a 1993 recording, the picture was above average and the sound was very good. You get a superb Dolby 5.1 mix. But the picture quality was brought down a bit by the lighting choice throughout the show; it was as if consideration the night of the show was not given to the fact that the show would be recorded for DVD. The editing was great; you really got to take in each angle before the shot changed.

With the short interviews (spliced in between songs instead of as an extra feature which kind of took away from the live performance illusion) the DVD is an even 2 hours long. There were no Blackmore interviews.

It was great to reminisce and watch a Deep Purple show. The performances were a 5 by Gillian, Paice, Lord and Glover; Blackmore gets a 1. Sound is a 4. Picture is a 3. The long shots of the band in action before changing angle makes up for the choice to put the interviews between songs instead of at the end or as an extra...so the editing is a 3. Hence, 3 stars overall.

Great for the tension, the interviews, and, oh, yes: the music.......2006-01-16

I really enjoy this dvd---the tension from Blackmore towards the rest of the band makes for interesting viewing. In addition, the interview segments are quite compelling. That said, the music is top notch, even if Ian Gillan sounds alittle strained at times (especially on Child In Time). Especially recommended for Blackmore and the interviews (to be fair, Gillan sounds better on the cd version of this dvd).
vince palamara

Average customer rating:

Deep Purple "Come Hell or High Water"
This is the Deep Purple concert you have always wanted
The Battle Rages On Stage
Hell Came And Its Name Was Blackmore
Great for the tension, the interviews, and, oh, yes: the music

Deep Purple: Come Hell or High Water
Starring: Ian Paice , Ritchie Blackmore , Roger Glover , Ian Gillan , and Jon Lord
Director: Hugh Symonds
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Deep Purple Live in Concert 72/73
Live in California 74
Deep Purple - Machine Head
Live in Munich 1977
Deep Purple - Live at Montreux 1996

ASIN: B0000577C9

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Deep Purple "Come Hell or High Water".......2007-05-09

Hi I'm 50 years old if your a true Deep Purple fan you will love this dvd even though richie is an nut case the music is A+++++++++++ the band is tight and never miss a lick.

Daryl

This is the Deep Purple concert you have always wanted.......2007-03-27

The Battle Rages On Stage.......2007-03-10

Hell Came And Its Name Was Blackmore.......2006-09-28

Great for the tension, the interviews, and, oh, yes: the music.......2006-01-16

Average customer rating:

Deep Purple: Come Hell Or High Water
Starring: Deep Purple
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Golem, le jardin pétrifié

Bells : DVD

New York City Ballet Workout (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Scarecrow Gone Wild

Sitting Ducks - Abenteuer in Entenstadt