Vintage broadcast from the Stockholm’s venerable Konserthuset (aka the Concerthouse, source of many a vintage broadcast) from the classic Purple lineup. This show, sometimes billed as a soundboard, has been booted many times over the years of course. However, this particular title has some curious, er, “issues.” For one thing, it includes “Smoke In The Water,” which unless I’m overlooking something hadn’t yet been written in 1970 (it would turn up on the 1972 album Made In Japan). Secondly, most listings of the show have “Child In Time” clocking in at around 20 minutes; here, it’s only 13, cutting off right after an instrumental flourish and false stop. The bonus track “Mandrake Root” is credited properly, however, to a ’72 Tokyo show.
Given the weak packaging (an inscrutable photo of a snowy outdoor scene, apparently to connote “Sweden”), it’s pretty hard to recommend this title on any level. --OSWALD
