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Thread: RITCHIE BLACKMORE's RAINBOW Announces U.K. Tour

  1. #1
    Member spiderfeathers's Avatar
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    RITCHIE BLACKMORE's RAINBOW Announces U.K. Tour


  2. #2
    Member DoubleDrummer's Avatar
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    Born April, 1945..............hitting the road at 71 years old...............good for him.
    I hope he has a good time and a successful tour.

  3. #3
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    Excellent news! I have really enjoyed watching the DVD of last summer's shows. Some people think the shows were sloppy but I found them relaxed, fun and occasionally downright inspired. For me, the new Rainbow is the best Rainbow since '78, though I admit I never saw or heard the 1990s version.

    I hear that in the future RB plans on including more Rainbow and less Purple which I think is the right idea. Do we ever really need to hear Black Night again?

  4. #4
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    Will Candice also be on staging wailing on the tambourine?
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  5. #5
    I would certainly check out a US tour.

    Quote Originally Posted by Paulrus View Post
    Will Candice also be on staging wailing on the tambourine?
    If that's a dig at her, it's unfortunate. She's a very talented woman in her own right.
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  6. #6
    It's great to see him back on the big stage playing rock music. Never got interested in his Blackmore's Night project.

    Have just bought and listened to his recent 'Live' CD and whilst it's OK it's not great. The version of 'Stargazer' is the lamest I've ever heard and he's not as prominent on the other songs like he use to be. But hey, it's still great he's out there doing it at his age!

  7. #7
    Some really don't care for his Blackmore's Night work, and that's totally understandable. But, I will say, the best playing I've ever heard from him is the work he's done with that project. Now, is it like the GREAT Scandinavian Nights concert from '70 or Made in Japan? Hell no. And, to be clear, one of my desert island discs is the third DP album. But, still ...
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  8. #8
    Seems kind of senseless without Ronnie James Dio and Cozy Powell, both deceased. I am uninterested in hearing another tepid rendition of "Stone Cold" or "Since You've Been Gone".
    "And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision."

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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rufus View Post
    It's great to see him back on the big stage playing rock music. Never got interested in his Blackmore's Night project.

    Have just bought and listened to his recent 'Live' CD and whilst it's OK it's not great. The version of 'Stargazer' is the lamest I've ever heard and he's not as prominent on the other songs like he use to be. But hey, it's still great he's out there doing it at his age!
    I was quite excited by the prospect of the live cd based on a glowing review in classic rock of the U.K. Gig they played earlier this year, however the tracks I have listened to (especially stargazer) lack any real fire, with a young band I was expecting a powerful sound but it was a bit dull to be honest. If I hadn't listened to it I think I would be planning to see rainbow live now, but based on the cd and a video clip I saw of man on the silver mountain I think I would be disappointed if I saw them live. Bit of a shame really.

  10. #10
    No thanks. As the shambles that was this year's gig in Birmingham demonstrated he doesn't respect his audience enough to be bothered to practise or rehearse for gigs, so he won't be getting any more of my money.

  11. #11
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    Ritchie can call his band Deep Purple and i won't complain. with all the bands disguising themselves as the real thing with only one or 2 prime members still in it- why not Blackmore? too bad Heart is touring, Ann Wilson would be an interesting singer for this project.

  12. #12
    with all the bands disguising themselves as the real thing with only one or 2 prime members still in it- why not Blackmore?
    What do you mean? Purple have 3 out of 5 members of the classic Mark II lineup (Gillan, Glover and Paice). Obviously without Blackmore and Lord it's never going to be the same and Gillan's voice is pretty much shot, but you can't say they only have one or two "prime members".

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by DarthVander View Post
    No thanks. As the shambles that was this year's gig in Birmingham demonstrated he doesn't respect his audience enough to be bothered to practise or rehearse for gigs, so he won't be getting any more of my money.
    Was he really that bad? The songs on the Live CD sound more keyboard driven than guitar and that's now how they where written or meant to be played!

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    Quote Originally Posted by DarthVander View Post
    What do you mean? Purple have 3 out of 5 members of the classic Mark II lineup (Gillan, Glover and Paice). Obviously without Blackmore and Lord it's never going to be the same and Gillan's voice is pretty much shot, but you can't say they only have one or two "prime members".
    I have to agree. I'm a Mark II guy, make no mistake, but this is a valid Deep Purple line-up...especially when compared with other bands I could mention.

    I've heard mixed reports on the last shows as well. Funnily enough, although it's easily the best Rainbow track IMHO, 'Stargazer' has often been considered a bit of a failure live. Note that it was not on the double live On Stage, back in the day, because it was felt that it just didn't work.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by JJ88 View Post
    I have to agree. I'm a Mark II guy, make no mistake, but this is a valid Deep Purple line-up...especially when compared with other bands I could mention.

    I've heard mixed reports on the last shows as well. Funnily enough, although it's easily the best Rainbow track IMHO, 'Stargazer' has often been considered a bit of a failure live. Note that it was not on the double live On Stage, back in the day, because it was felt that it just didn't work.
    However the live version from subsequent live releases are awesome, in particular the Munich show. I think the omission from On Stage was probably more to do with time limitations on vinyl?

  16. #16
    Maybe Polydor were wary about putting out an album with too many long tracks? Sounds implausible I know but who knows the ways of record companies? I also remember they'd dropped Stargazer from their live set around this time.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Halmyre View Post
    Maybe Polydor were wary about putting out an album with too many long tracks? Sounds implausible I know but who knows the ways of record companies? I also remember they'd dropped Stargazer from their live set around this time.
    Yeah, it was quire common to do that. Lots of live albums where released heavily edited disc for those reasons.

  18. #18
    I never understood Ritchie's lack of appreciation for Stargazer. I think it worked just fine live in '76 and it really should have been on On Stage.
    Dropping it from the live set after '76 didn't make any sense (the Long Live Rock 'n' Roll tour setlist was basically the same as the Rising tour one, with Stargazer replaced by Long Live Rock 'n' Roll).
    After that they only played a few times with Bonnet, and a very short version with Joe Lynn Turner in '83. It was never played with the 90s version of the band.
    And it's not the only overlooked classic from the early albums - Tarot Woman and Gates of Babylon were never ever played live.

  19. #19
    Was he really that bad? The songs on the Live CD sound more keyboard driven than guitar and that's now how they where written or meant to be played!
    Blackmore himself wasn't great. He is still one of a kind and had some nice bits but he just doesn't have the chops or the fire to pull off this stuff, and his sound was way too clean, just no bite to it at all. I guess it's hard to do two hours of this kind of stuff after not playing much rock for 20 years but he clearly didn't put too much effort into getting himself into shape.
    And the band was blatantly underrehearsed. I don't know if they've fixed some of the mistakes for the DVD but I can tell you in Birmingham many of the endings sounded like they just came up with them on the day and ran them once in soundcheck. A couple of the songs turned into open mic-level jams that just fell apart. And the rhythm section just didn't suit this material at all. Then there were the slow tempos and a general lack of energy.
    And the Birmingham show was supposed to be a lot better than the two German ones - I think Blackmore messed up the very first note of the Over the Rainbow intro at the first show.

    I hate to be this negative about it as I'm a huge fan but the lack of respect shown to an audience that paid pretty steep prices for the tickets really pissed me off. I was defending Blackmore leading up to the gigs from those who were saying he was just trying to cash in but sadly that turned out to be true. Maximum revenue for minimum effort seems to have been the idea.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by DarthVander View Post
    I never understood Ritchie's lack of appreciation for Stargazer... And it's not the only overlooked classic from the early albums - Tarot Woman and Gates of Babylon were never ever played live.
    Dio actually played Tarot Woman and Gates of Babylon live on his 2005 Holy Diver tour, and they sound really good. He had a great band in that era. I highly recommend buying the DVD or Blu-ray of that show. It's worth it just for the Rainbow songs alone. (They also played Man on the Silver Mountain and Long Live Rock and Roll.)

  21. #21
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    I understand what people perceive to be the negatives about the new Rainbow, such as the lack of propulsive energy and the reduced speed of Blackmore's playing.

    But as I said above I very much enjoyed watching the 2016 shows nonetheless. The arrangements are loose and relaxed but everyone on stage seems to get the point of the songs and does what they need to do. Blackmore's solos are quite good. Melodic and substantial. They won't win any speed awards but they don't have to.

    And, to me, the classic Rainbow and Purple songs really work in this new context. The songs don't need the rapid-fire propulsion and precision of double bass drummers like Powell or Rondinelli. I never liked that particular aspect of the old Rainbows all that much anyway.

  22. #22
    I checked out the video for "Spotlight Kid." Very low energy, and I lay most of the blame on the drummer, who doesn't seem to have much drive. The groove sort of had a country feel in that performance. I really like this singer, though. Interestingly to me, Blackmore's tone here is much more like his classic studio tone (Vox combo amps) than his live tone (heavily driven Marshall or Engl stacks). I like the cleaner sound, actually, but it does expose his current technical flaws.

    I recall Blackmore saying that he was essentially doing this for the fans. He hasn't had a burning desire to make rock music since the late '70s, if not before.

    I'm not as much a fan of his playing as I was when I was a kid, but he's still a rock'n'roll original who gets a lot of respect from me.

  23. #23
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Stargazer should have been the cornerpiece of every setlist since it's release.

    If he comes anywhere near Boston (i.e. within 3 hours travel time) I'll certainly go.

    The Difficult To Cure tour was my first ever concert and Rising remains one of my favorite albums by anyone.
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    Quote Originally Posted by DarthVander View Post
    And it's not the only overlooked classic from the early albums - Tarot Woman and Gates of Babylon were never ever played live.
    Dio played them with his band.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by NogbadTheBad View Post
    Stargazer should have been the cornerpiece of every setlist since it's release.
    It really is an amazing piece of music. Upon a recent listen it struck me that the DNA for almost all of Dio's subsequent work is in that tune.

    His time with Sabbath, the Dio band, everything.

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