It’s a Sunday night and, despite the fact that the temperature has finally dropped to single digits, Rock City is packed to the rafters for tonight’s show. Anticipation is high, which is hardly a surprise, for tonight is all about one of rock’s greatest voices singing some of rock’s greatest songs, courtesy of Deep Purple’s Stormbringer, Burn and Come Taste The Band.
As we enter Rock City’s hallowed hall, there’s a buzz about the place, with people chatting excitedly, a giant Glenn Hughes, tastefully painted in psychedelic colours, staring out from the backdrop across the heaving auditorium, and it’s clear this is going to be one hell of a night.
The mood changes from anticipation to mild hysteria the second the PA swells to reveal Grace Slick’s inimitable vocal for White Rabbit. It silences the chatter and elicits more than a few cheers as The Damn Truth bound onto the stage. Always an energetic act, the added frisson that comes from supporting Glenn Hughes has added fuel to their fire, as the massive drum roll that leads into This Is Who We Are Now attests. Although slightly undone by an uncertain mix that places the bass substantially above the guitars during the solo, the band’s energy and Lee-La’s stunning vocals carry us through until it’s sorted, and then we’re off – The Damn Truth playing a truncated version of their recent headline set.
And what a set. The band have both the songs and the charisma to carry even Glenn Hughes’ partisan audience, and they are clearly as excited to be here as we are. As a result, the pop-rock gem Full On You, with its blazing riff and sultry vocal, sees Lee-La bouncing through the solo, while Too Late (which sees Lee-La briefly swap her guitar for a tambourine), is a rollercoaster ride that hurtles from a bluesy introduction towards its inevitably explosive conclusion.
By this point, the cheers have only grown louder, pushing the band to even greater feats of rock ‘n’ roll hedonism. Lonely is a dirty blues stomp with a fantastic sense of dynamic, which sees the band elicit a singalong from the crowd before an instrumental break has bassist P Y Letellier playing his instrument behind his head. Not to be outdone, Tom Shemer leaps into the (now empty) photo pit during Look Innocent, getting up close and personal with an ecstatic front row. The pounding toms of Get With You keep things on the right side of bombastic, before the band finally wrap things up with the melodic Tomorrow, all smiles as they leave the stage to an ecstatic response.
A band who just get better every time we see them, The Damn Truth pour their hearts and souls into the show and it’s clear that they’re delighted to be on the road with a living legend. Their enthusiasm, their songs, and their musicianship more than wins over the crowd, and the roar that goes up at the end suggests that the band have won over any newcomers. For The Damn Truth, the only trajectory is up, and they more than deserve the ride.
And so, to Glenn Hughes. Glenn’s story is a remarkable one. A genuine rock star, he tasted fame (and the excess that so often comes with it), and found that his love was for the music, not the superficially seductive glamour of the industry. As a result, his recent career has seen one passion project after another – for Glenn never does anything within which his heart does not truly burn – and it’s an absolute pleasure to spend an evening in the company of this genuinely humble, genuinely grateful artist.
It all kicks off with Stormbringer – a well-chosen opening track that sees Glenn bound on stage, his long hair flowing as he throws himself at his bass. Looking and sounding better than ever, Glenn is a towering colossus, his energy infectious and when he hits those high notes you’d better run for cover, because few vocalists can touch him for raw power. A rare presence who has no qualms in rocking out for the audience and for the photographers busy snapping in the pit, it’s a further sign of his generous spirit that he can be seen mouthing “thank you” to the photographers when they leave and his band are no less effusive. With Ash Sheehan on the drums, Bob Fridzema on keyboards, and the walking whirlwind that is Soren Anderson on guitars, Glenn has a crack band behind him and they match him every step of the way.
With its sweet organ intro eliciting a cheer before the band have even drawn breath, Might Just Take Your Life is a massive slab of road rock, cruising across the open California highways with Glenn in the driver’s seat. The band’s performance is nothing short of exceptional but, believe it or not, things are apt to get even hotter for, following a short, octave-washed solo, Soren leads us into the funkiest, rockiest version of Sail Away you’ve yet heard. With Glenn rocking out and the band all smiles, it’s hard to believe that they’re jamming on a piece of music some fifty years old, but then (as Glenn would surely testify), great music is timeless and, when it’s played with such love, it is impossible not to be swept up in it all.
Sitting at the show’s heart and, after a short rap about Glenn’s sincere belief that music is a healer, we are treated to a musical display that leaves jaws agape. From its crushing drum intro, the Zeppelin-esque You Fool No One is played at insane speed, before we get Soren unleashing hell on his fretboard, a brief dirty blues jam (Highball Shooter), and an epic-length drum solo that sees Ash whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Then, just as we can take no more, the band come roaring back to reprise You Fool No One and we’re left wondering how the hell the band are still standing.
Another favourite is up next and it also happens to be one of Glenn’s favourites, which might explain why Mistreated, with its absolutely blistering vocal, is extended into a monstrously progressive workout that ebbs and flows around Glenn’s funky-ass bass.
Rather more unexpected is the sheer brilliance of Getting Tighter, a full-on funky mother that really cooks. With another great guitar solo, a lengthy singalong from the crowd and a superfly bass lead that careers recklessly into the ludicrously heavy outro riff, it’s a masterclass in how to level a venue. It leaves You Keep On Moving to see out the main set, before Glenn brings out two well-worn standards to finally demolish the crowd.
With a set so full of highs, there really is only one possible conclusion and so Glenn hits us with the astonishing tag team of Highway Star and (of course) Burn – the latter an anthem that continues to delight and inspire generation after generation of hard rock fans. It’s an epic finale, one that re-energises a flagging crowd, and the only surprise is the fact that Glenn, having comprehensively flattened Nottingham, looks like he could do it all over again if it weren’t for that pesky curfew.
Glenn Hughes is one of the most remarkable characters in rock music. His absolute love of playing, his unshakeable faith in music as a healing force, and the remarkable chemistry he has with both band and crowd is a joy to behold. As he points out, this may be the last time he plays a Deep Purple set in this way – there’s simply too much other music in his catalogue – and it’s an experience not to be missed.
It is always a pleasure to spend an evening in Glenn’s company – his fiery playing and unshakeable zest for life utterly infectious – and tonight, he treated us to a vivid celebration of all things purple. If it rolls into town, don’t miss this epic show – it is a life-affirming delight from start to finish.
PERFORMS CLASSIC DEEP PURPLE LIVE
CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘BURN’
OCTOBER 2023 UK TOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
PLANET ROCK’S 48-HOUR TICKET PRE-SALE STARTS 10AM ON
TUESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2023 VIA WWW.PLANETROCK.COM
TICKETS ON GENERAL SALE AT 10AM
THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2023 FROM WWW.THEGIGCARTEL.COM
Holmfirth, Picturedrome
Tuesday 10th October 2023
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Market St, Holmfirth, HD9 7DA
www.picturedrome.net
Southampton, The 1865
Thursday 12th October 2023
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Brunswick Square, Southampton, SO14 3AR
www.the1865.com
Bexhill, De La Warr Pavilion
Friday 13th October 2023
Ticket Inquiries: boxoffice@dlwp.com
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Marina, Bexhill-on-Sea, TN40 1DP
www.dlwp.com
Nottingham, Rock City
Sunday 15th October 2023
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8 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GG
www.rock-city.co.uk
Newcastle, Boiler Shop
Tuesday 17th October 2023
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20 South St, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3PE
www.boilershop.net
Glasgow, Queen Margaret Union
Friday 20th October 2023
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22 University Gardens, Glasgow, G12 8QN
https://www.qmunion.org.uk
Wolverhampton, KK’s Steel Mill
Saturday 21st October 2023
Starworks Warehouse, Frederick Street,
Wolverhampton, WV2 4DU
www.kkssteelmill.co.uk
Bury St Edmunds, The Apex
Monday 23rd October 2023
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1 Charter Square St, Bury Saint Edmunds, IP33 3FD
www.theapex.co.uk
London, The Electric Ballroom
Wednesday 25th October 2023
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184 Camden High Street, London, NW1 8QP
https://electricballroom.co.uk
Frome, Cheese & Grain
Saturday 28th October 2023
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Market Yard, Justice Lane, Frome, BA11 1BE
www.cheeseandgrain.com
Manchester, Academy 2
Sunday 29th October 2023
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Moss Lane East, Manchester, M14 4PX
www.manchesteracademy.net
