For fans of Ian Gillan – or fans of hard rock in general, this is a “must have” DVD. Many fans consider the lineup of the band on this video to be the quintessential one and as such this solo concert from Ian Gillan is essential. Filmed in 1981 this concert features Ian Gillan, Bernie Torme, Mick Underwood, John McCoy and Colin Towns. The band make their way through a classic collection of Gillan tunes. This was shot for TV so, while 1980’s video isn’t up to modern standards, this is pretty darned good. The band were in fine form and show just how good this time of hard rock can be. This concert has never been officially released before, so just having the main film would be great, but we also are treated to a number of bonus features that are just the icing on the cake. They include other live performances from around the same time and one promo video. All together this is a mandatory addition for all fans of Ian Gillan and Deep Purple.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2008  Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.