There was a band on before Skynyrd but Everybody seemed happy enough having a pint out in the foyer to bother their arse checking them out so if anyone knows anything about them please contact me. It was apparent from early on that this was going to be something special. The atmosphere was tinged with anticipation as the building filled with Rockers from all over Ireland. Now, you would expect this gig to be bunged full of beer bellied baldies and to an extent you would be right but it was heartening to see kids from the age of 14 up at the gig with (grand) parents.

We finished our drinks and sauntered into the main hall at about 7.45 to find that the place was pretty much empty allowing us to walk up to the front of the stage and pick our spot from which to view proceedings. At about 8.00 Skynyrd's backdrop was raised to reveal a star and stripes entwined with a confederate flag which caused a buzz of excitement. Five minutes later Skynyrd hit the stage to a still mostly empty hall with "That's how I like it" a track off their new "Vicious Cycle" album and it was apparent immediately that these guys were up for it. Original guitarist Gary Rossington just back on the road after undergoing open heart surgery held court just to the right of the drum kit with ex-Outlaws six stringer Huey Thomasson just to his right. Both wore Stetsons
But whilst Rossington chose to wear a long coat which he somehow kept on during the whole performance in an increasingly sweltering arena, Thomasson wore the Derry Rocker favoured attire of jeans and cut off denim jacket covered in patches. They immediately went straight into "I ain't the one" which showcased how alike lead singer Johnny Van Zant is to his brother in vocal style. When this song was finished they stopped, the lights went up and an almighty roar went up from a packed Point which in the space of 10 minutes had filled to capacity and I mean capacity. I think that this welcome from the Irish crowd stunned the band, which led to one of the best performances by a band I've ever seen.

Make absolutely no mistake about it. Skynyrd were stunning. Combining a mix of old and new to devastating effect to please a crowd which was obviously up for it. All the stops were pulled as the band did their best to entertain us. The interaction between the main men out front was great to see as they swapped solos and did little things like lining up 4 or 5 abreast across the lip of the stage which went down well all round.

Special mention must be made to the real star of the show and for me the night ex-Blackfoot mainman Rickey Medlocke. This guy is a showman; he handled most of the lead guitar work, some of the vocals, covered every inch of the stage and did everything he could to whip the throng up. The site of him tearing out the solo on Freebird 15 feet in front of me will stay with me for a long time. Fucking Genius….

All talk at half time was about whether Purple could match or beat the level that Skynyrd had set. For me the answer was that they came close. We are talking about 2 completely different bands here with Skynyrd masters of Southern Boogie and Purple experts at extended instrumental breaks based around a back catalogue of bona-fide classics.

Purple opened with the mighty "Highway Star" and from our viewpoint it was obvious that the good feeling felt by the audience for Lynyrd Skynyrd had not evaporated in the intense heat. Purple were on excellent form, Ian Gillan was having little difficulty in hitting al the notes required in what must be one of the most demanding of live sets. Just a glance at the set-list would be enough to terrify any vocalist of limited ability, but not apparently Gillan who between every song thanked the crowd and repeatedly told us "You are the best". It is very easily to be cynical (thank god) when somebody stands on stage mouthing these words, but as far as I'm concerned they were spoken truthfully and with real affection….Jesus I'm turning into a big softie.

No, Blackmore doesn't play guitar with them anymore but neither does Jon Lord. Steve Morse and Don Airey are not just 2 sidemen brought in to fulfil tour commitments; they are excellent musicians who obviously enjoy playing with Purple. Even though Don Airey hasn't been with the band long Steve Morse has been there long enough to be considered an integral part of the set-up and amongst a group packed with phenomenal musicians he stands out.

Purple as a whole were fantastic. Like Skynyrd before them they fed off the response from the crowd to produce a show of equal parts technical brilliance and material to match. Highlights for me included the 2 tracks from the Perfect Strangers album and Ian Gillan's piss poor attempts at humour.

Several people have asked me since what the line-ups are for these 2 bands and I have to say on reflection that it doesn't matter because the material played by both groups made it evident that there still is a place for them if they keep producing material like they put on show at this gig consistently.

I have heard 2 completely different views on the night's proceedings with either band coming out on top, but for my money Lynyrd Skynyrd shaded it. Both bands responded to an uproarious reception from the Irish audience to produce performances which I believe will stay long in people's memories and after the fiasco with Gary Moore at the Whitesnake gig last month it was good to see a happy bunch of Rockers head off into the night.

KELLZ

Contact KELLZ with any comments at kellz@freeuk.com