Deep Purple September 15

Go to their websites and read their own words and they try and tell you they have moved on from the sound that made them great in the 70's. Well they lie. This is a band that don't know how not to rock! Yes there was material from the latest album but come on guys this crowd got jumpin' when some of the greats started to get bashed out. Black Night, Smoke on the Water and Highway Star all had the 3000 or so leaping about.
An incredibly polished performance from what they say is one of the hardest working bands on tour and when you look at their schedule you have to believe it. Good fun, good rock, good quality musicians, the only downside is remembering all those great songs the first time round, hey ho.
I've never seen so many black t-shirts in one place before and I've been up the front at a few rock concerts including a Hawkwind concert. (OK a long time ago.) And as for the aroma wafting through the Palmarena, I think most of us managed to get high even though it was impossible to get near a bar for the complete concert. But the upside to that was introducing the country folk to the 24/7 Cafe after, with a couple of beers and a burger.
Come on guys more rock less jazz, please!

Craig Adams 31 August 2008

This promised to be an entertaining evening and hallelujah!, was it ever. Craig Adams and The Voice of New Orleans had already sold out the previous evening here at The Pollensa Festival and was subsequently booked for a second night. Is this a first for The Festival?

Whilst you were wondering why oh, why go to a night of Gospel singing, even if you're not a regular churchgoer you just had to be there to understand. Having been to previous Gospel concerts and been very disappointed, this concert just got better as the night went on. Craig is a master of the happy clappy style along with enough of the blues to get your feet tapping all night. He has a voice that commands to be listened to and can play a piano up there with the best of the early rock and rollers - even the great Jerry Lee Lewis would probably go to church to see this guy.

It was very surprising to see the usually reserved Pollensa Festival regulars letting their hair down, with Craig getting everybody on their feet early on and making sure they kept getting on their feet throughout. At one stage (when the saints come marching in) there was even a dozen or so of the audience on the stage dancing and following in line behind the ample Craig, singing and clapping their hearts out.

The backing band The Voice of New Orleans consisting of 4 vocalists, a drummer and a bass guitarist spent the whole evening with big smiles on their faces, no not like a synchronised swimmer smile, real smiles that were so infectious you just couldn't help doing the same. Everyone on the stage just seemed to want to keep going as they were obviously thoroughly enjoying themsleves.

A fantastic and extremely energetic entertainer who made you fast realise why this type of music enticed you from the boredom of the cotton fields six days a week to the raucous and thoroughly uplifting scene at the local church on a Sunday. Almost enough to make you a believer all on his own!

This was a fantastic concert with sore hands at the end from all the happy clappying!