“From what I’m seeing and hearing, I missed a great gig last night.”
This comment, one of the first to pop up on my Facebook feed last Sunday, was posted by Jesmond Vella, whom the more seasoned local rock fans will remember from the 1980s band Ivory Cross.
Having been present myself, I can assure him he did, for the Remembering Steve Borg memorial concert by Purple Haze & Friends at the Hard Rock Café’ in Bay Street was not just a gig, but a very special night in local rock gig history. This was because of more reasons than simply paying tribute to this great musician who, at 43 years of age, was taken from us way too soon.
The fruit of an idea that sprung to mind soon after Borg passed away last February, this event has been a true labour of love for the three organisers behind it, namely Daryl Ebejer, Paul Spiteri and the late guitarist’s own son Axel.
It can be a lot of fun going to a covers gig, particularly one with so many different flavours, voices and musicians adding their own touch to the music
This particular aspect shone through the entire programme, which saw more than 20 musicians – each of them linked to Borg by way of his perpetual tenure in the band Purple Haze, as well as stints with Klone and Kartridge – take turns on stage to deliver a collective set list that in its larger part consisted of covers, but also featured some original numbers.
While I usually prefer watching bands that play original numbers, I must admit it can be a lot of fun going to a covers gig, particularly one with so many different flavours, voices and musicians adding their own touch to the music.
Furthermore, one also had to keep in mind that the concept underlining the event was not to highlight the original material, but more to celebrate the life of and, to the majority of all those present (quite a good-sized audience indeed), the friendship each of us shared with Steve for the greater part of the four decades he was among us.
The memories were jogged further with an introductory video montage depicting different moments in Steve’s musical journey, and obviously, all the different musicians that have been part of it.
As I stood there, focusing on all the faces on the screen, I realised that most of them were present too. It dawned on me how, tracing all the musicians he has worked with, Steve’s career could easily serve as one of the primary roadmaps outlining Malta’s burgeoning 1980s rock scene.
Before I had time to think further about it, the band came on, rolling in with Ozzy Osbourne’s I Don’t Know, Pink Floyd’s Young Lust, and the Vasco evergreen Vita Spericolata, before shifting gear and slipping into a bit of Quiet Riot.
The first of three original Purple Haze numbers to be performed, Paradigm Shifts was next, followed by Black Sabbath’s Paranoid and Gary Moore’s Walking by Myself. The latter was perhaps an obligatory choice given Steve’s obsession with Moore.
I thought that maybe Paranoid was too safe a choice, but conceded that in the scheme of things, it was probably a good way to pick up the pace and pave the way for a special appearance by the Xirka Rock band, at whose December 2012 concert Steve had played his last public performance.
By this time, all three former Purple Haze vocalists, namely Paul Spiteri (Acid), Daryl Ebejer (12th Ode) and Ivan Grech (Winter Moods) had taken a turn or two, adding their own timbre and the odd anecdote to the songs they performed.
While there was no doubt they were giving their best, I felt they may have pushed themselves a bit too hard on some of the tracks, even if the audience lapped it up all the same, in the spirit of the moment.
On the other hand, despite such a huge number of musicians coming on and off the stage, the changeovers were pretty smooth, and overall the sound consistently good.
Elsewhere during the gig, in between a variety of popular vintage and modern rock hits, it was interesting to see how the band combined three versions of one particular original Purple Haze number, June, into one song. June was one that was close to Steve’s heart.
It was even more special to me because Purple Haze had performed an unplugged version of that same song when the band was featured on my Rockna radio show in the first week of January 2012. But on this particular night, with guitarist James Galea also on board for extra oomph, I thought the song succinctly captured the essence of the concert.
Later in the night we were treated to another original number, Helping Hand, which Purple Haze had recorded for the 1995 Storm Records Eruption compilation CD.
Other than the music, the night was also special because of the nostalgia it evoked among all those present; faces from past lives that, for one night only, practically transformed the Hard Rock Café in Bay Street into the old, defunct Rock Café which, for many years, was the regular hangout for the local rockers.
I have to agree with my friend and fellow rock radio DJ Noel Mifsud’s Facebook post that this was “a great night remembering a friend and a fantastic musician”, where “one could feel the presence and endurance of Steve in not only the guitarists’ [performance] but in every musician and singer that was on stage”.
On a final note, I must also mention four particular numbers, namely 1,580, which is the amount of euros the event managed to raise in aid of Hospice Malta. A positive outcome which, along with the good music on offer, will have surely brought a smile to Steve’s face up above.
Remembering him this way was a great idea indeed; one that I’m inclined to believe we will probably get to experience on a more regular basis. Well done to all those involved.