Finding a major rock concert to attend on a long holiday weekend is usually a futile task, but this year Deep Purple, Yes, and Hannah Wicklund landed at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater over Labor Day weekend. The event, led by two classic rock bands from the late 1960s, did not attract a full house (the upper tier was completely empty), but the music was better than most rockers might have anticipated.
Deep Purple formed as a psychedelic rock band in 1968 in London. A pioneer in the then-new genre of hard rock in the 1970s, Deep Purple is best known for its 1973 hit, “Smoke on the Water.” Although personnel changed frequently over the years, the band was celebrated consistently for its high caliber vocalists and musicians. Presently, the band consists of one original member (drummer Ian Paice, 76 years old), two veteran members (bassist Roger Glover, 78, and vocalist Ian Gillan, 79), and two 21st century additions (keyboardist Don Airey, 76, and guitarist Simon McBride, 45).
Deep Purple’s = 1 More Time Tour is billed as “Celebrating 50 Years of Smoke on the Water.” The house lights extinguished, the stage lights turned on, Gustav Holst’s “Mars, the Bringer of Wars” blasted through the sound system as an overture, and outer space visuals projected onto the three large overhead screens. The musicians sauntered onstage and launched into 1972’s octane-infused “Highway Star.”
Although the band drew much of the set from its 20th century catalog, the stellar musicianship on each song gave the songs new life. Rather than recreate the original recordings note for note, each song was extended to introduce new solos and ensemble arrangements. Gillan sang in a strong voice and also shared bits of Deep Purple history between songs. McBride, who replaced Steve Morse in 2022 after Morse left 28-years-in to care for his ill wife, proved to be a breathtaking metal shredder. Airey, who joined Deep Purple when original keyboardist Jon Lord retired in 2002, was a master at the piano, organ, and synthesizer; his mid-performance solo brilliantly combined all three sounds. Glover and Paice finely held down the rhythm section.
Photos by Everynight Charley
The set included five songs from Deep Purple’s 23rd and most recent studio album, =1. The collection, released just six weeks earlier on July 19, is the first to feature the current cast. Perhaps because these five songs originated from the present team, they sounded as rich and forceful as the four vintage songs from 1972’s Machine Head and the three classic songs from 1970’s Deep Purple in Rock.
Ironically, “Smoke on the Water” was one of the least impressive songs of the set. Some 50 years later, Deep Purple is so much more than that very familiar riff. Now in its seventh decade, Deep Purple is far from over the hill.
As contemporaries of Deep Purple, Yes also formed in 1968 in London. Among the pioneers of the then-new progressive rock genre, Yes remained a successful arena act through much of the 1970s until its initial split in 1981. Reformed in 1983, a more mainstream-sounding Yes enjoyed its biggest commercial hit with “Owner of a Lonely Heart.”
Frequently shifting lineups have left Yes with no original members since the death of bassist Chris Squire in 2015. Yes presently includes two veterans (guitarist Steve Howe, age 77, who joined in 1970, and Geoff Downes, 72, who joined in 1980) and three newer members (vocalist Jon Davison, 53, bassist Billy Sherwood, 59, and drummer Jay Schellen, 64, all of whom joined in the 21st century). Yes released Mirror to the Sky, its 23rd and most recent studio album, in 2023. It was the band’s first studio album with Schellen as a full-time member following the death of long-time Yes drummer Alan White in 2022.
Co-headlining the stage with a 70-minute set, Yes’ The Classic Tales of Yes tour featured only eight songs due to the length of each complex composition. The set did not include any songs from the most recent album, nor did it include the band’s biggest hit, “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” Instead, all the songs were drawn from five Yes albums released between 1971 and 1980.
In a very unusual move, photographers entering the concert’s photo pit were warned that they must not distract Steve Howe. Indeed, Howe and the rest of the musicians appeared to be intensely focused on the music they were creating.
Photos by Everynight Charley
Technically, the music that the musicians played was wow, especially the interplay between Howe and Downes. Entertainment-wise, however, the lack of animation among the musicians left the fun on the screens above them, which often featured the acclaimed artwork of Roger Dean, the artist who designed Yes’ album covers.
Hannah Wicklund, an independent blues-rock singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee, held the opening slot with a 30-minute set. Deep Purple was one of the first major bands she ever saw live, at the age of 10. Now in her mid-twenties, she formed her first band at age eight. Normally backed by a bassist and drummer, she took this gig as a solo performer, belting her soulful songs and accompanying herself only by her electric guitar. She performed a commendable set, although the 6:30 p.m. slot meant she played to more empty seats than music fans. She received a positive ovation, though.
Photo by Everynight Charley
Deep Purple Setlist
- Highway Star
- A Bit on the Side
- Hard Lovin’ Man
- Into the Fire
- Guitar Solo
- Uncommon Man
- Lazy Sod
- Keyboard Solo
- Lazy
- Show Me
- Portable Door
- Anya
- Bleeding Obvious
- Space Truckin’
- Smoke on the Water
Encore
- Green Onions (Booker T. & the MG’s cover)
- Hush (Joe South cover)
- Black Night
Yes Setlist
- Machine Messiah
- I’ve Seen All Good People
- Yours Is No Disgrace
- Clap
- Going for the One
- Siberian Khatru
Encore
- Roundabout
- Starship Trooper
