The California Jam in 1974, marked a critical point for Deep Purple. They had recently lost their singer, Ian Gillan, so they had a lot to prove, and that they did. The California Jam, was the first major appearance by the Mark III line up, which introduced vocalist David Coverdale and bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes into the band. The show was electric and full of energy. The set list comprised of songs from their Burn album, as well as a few classics. The band were on fire that night, and it shows in this recording.
Live in California 74, was previously only released on DVD, but thanks to Eaglerock Entertainment, we now get to enjoy the audio. I have to say, I'm not real impressed with the sound quality on this disk. The sound is thin and comes off sounding more like a bootleg, than an official live release. Thank God the band was on fire, or this one would have undergone a different filing system, if you know what I mean. The sound is not terrible, but it could be a lot better. The poor sound quality ends up taking away from the overall listening experience. I mean, listen to how the band kills on Mistreated and then image if the sound was better, and you'll get what I mean. Even though the sound quality is off, this one is essential for Purple fans.
The Bottom Line: Deep Purple unveiling the Mark III line up to U.S. audiences for the first time. A nice document of this classic line up. Too bad the sound of the disk is subpar.
- Ragman is thinking he needs to see the DVD for this one...