Despite its strange (upside down pyramid) appearance from outside, the concert hall was very impressive with a large stage – the back of which was dominated by the organ pipes – and reminded me somewhat of the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s Southbank.

On the first night I felt a little nervous for everyone and was tapping out the entire Concerto score with my fingers. I distinctly remember feeling that thrill (and picturing the young lady in the audience in the 1969 film) in the third movement when the band kicks in again with that simple five-note blues scale before it is repeated and speeded up.

The orchestra dressed down for the second night, settling for black shirts rather than being more formally dressed. If the first night was excellent, the second night was [expletive deleted] excellent. We couldn’t even complain that we lost a song – Sarabande. And it was nice to hear Jon slip in a bit of the New World Symphony on the second night!

Being front row, right in front of Jon, both nights was incredible. It was only spoilt by the over-enthusiastic photographers on the second night, showing no respect for the performers or the audience. Just how many photographs of the back of Jon’s head did they need? They certainly didn’t seem interested in photographing anyone else on stage either. Strange. And annoying.

I remember saying, at the interval, they are only usually allowed to take photos during the first three numbers… and it was a bit of a liberty to treat the whole Concerto as falling within the definition of three numbers. They then carried on throughout the second set. When Jon expressed his thanks at the end, he thanked them for taking photos during all the quiet parts of his music; I think it went right over their heads!

Steve Balsamo I had seen before at the Sunflower Jam and the Ginger Baker gig and had been slightly disappointed with but he told me that he was particularly nervous at those shows. In Bratislava, I thought he was amazing, stamping his own personality on the songs, making them his own, rather than just attempting faithful cover versions. Steve sang Pictures Of Home on his own on the second night.

If anyone would like to see Steve Balsamo tackle another Gillan song try this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-rre_BXxC0
(I’ve never seen a better live performance of Gethsemane!)

These shows of Jon’s always seem to draw long standing ovations and deservedly so. Helps keep him fit with all of that leave the stage/come back and bow/leave the stage yo-yoing. I noticed that there was a film crew there on the second night – they were certainly filming the final ovations along the front row.

Cry Free were photographed with Jon afterwards. Moments later someone else wanted a photograph but they couldn’t find all of the band. I jokingly said, “Oh no, band splits!” Attila said something like, “Well, we’ve played with Jon Lord, what else could top that? We might as well split up.”

Cry Free played their part brilliantly and I thought that their drummer was exceptional. Credit must go to their keyboard player who stood in for Jon so much at rehearsals but had to be limited to a secondary role on a few numbers in the second set. Jon said, however, that he would have a larger part to play next time. (Hint: There’ll be a next time.)

Jon was, as ever, the perfect host backstage. I’m so pleased that I went. It was an absolute privilege and a pleasure to witness these two shows.

Nigel Young