Don Airey
London Camden Underworld
14th January, 2009

View: standing, left, near front

Moonlighting from his Deep Purple day-job, Don and four cohorts played to a small crowd including former Whitesnake colleague Neil Murray. Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker, Eric Clapton bassist Laurence Cottle and Jamiroquai guitarist Rob Harris provided the instrumental backdrop to vocals and Don’s slinky keys, and we were treated to 85 minutes of catalogue standards and new showstoppers. Opening with Rainbow’s Spotlight Kid and a storming key solo, Bad Girl was followed by new album title track, A Light In The Sky, with its proggy leaning and vocal wails. Pale Blue Dot smacked of old-school Purple, and after some jarring blues on Rockin’ Chair, the ballad Love You Too Much led into a Colosseum IIstyle suite and Big Crunch. However, it was the Rainbow numbers that had all arms and voices raised, notably All Night Long and Lost In Hollywood. Encores included a storming Since You’ve Been Gone, a huge Black Night and class Gimme Some Lovin’.

Reviewed by Tim Jones
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