How can any Deep Purple/Ritchie Blackmore fan not — at the very least — be interested in a reissue of the concert recording, Live in Paris 1975? Recorded in April of 1975 at Palais des Sports, this is Blackmore’s last concert before departing for his own Rainbow venture. Now digitally remixed, remastered and re-issued  by earMusic/Eagle Rock Entertainment, Live in Paris 1975 does deserve more than a good listen (and this 1975 Purple concert recording is better than last years’ Mk. III: The Final Concerts reissue). The remix/remaster adds a certain touch of energy to Live in Paris 1975, which was originally released on Purple Records in 2001.

Maximum energy once bled from Blackmore’s guitar and his improvisational playing was always a pleasure to hear live. And on this night at Palais des Sports all you have to do is listen to the rapid fire guitar lead of “Stormbringer” or the too-short manic beauty of the lead in “Lady Double Dealer” for proof.

Vocalist David Coverdale never fit Deep Purple as well as Ian Gillan but the Cover-pipes are still powerful things. And, of course, there’s the aggressive keyboard-style of Jon Lord to bask in. However, no matter how epic and jam-worthy a song like “Smoke on the Water” comes off, it is “Mistreated” that perfectly pulls the Coverdale-fronted band all together.

In the end, you always feel like each Purple concert had its own personality. With Blackmore’s coming departure, this night had a certain electric poignancy. Blackmore’s head might have been daydreaming of rainbows throughout but his guitar playing comes off as emotionally professional as possible.

The release of Live in Paris 1975 is all part of Eagle Rock’s plan for re-issuing more of the Deep Purple canon in 2013 (ten classic recordings in all). The label has already put out a great deal of wonderful discs by Purple in the last few years, and we all should be looking forward to more quality releases this year.