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Between the hard rock and a beautiful place

This is equally both educational and heartwarming. In November 2024 Ian Gillan invited a group of aspiring young musicians from his home town of Lyme Regis on the Southern coast of England to the Deep Purple gig in Birmingham. He gave them the full tour of the backstage, they got to meet the band and […]

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Will never, ever be forgotten

Another review of the Birmingham gig from November 4th, 2024. This one is for the Metal Planet Music. With the energy of the crowd now at an excitable fever pitch, the lights dimmed, and ‘Gustav Holst’s Mars’ the Bringer of War’ echoed dramatically through the arena. Images appeared on screens above the stage, each for […]

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Truly sensational

A website aptly called Maximum Volume Music reviews the Birmingham gig of the band that once held the title of the loudest band in the world: From that song to that riff, and the main set ends with arguably the best ever, and as Simon McBride starts it up, all of a sudden the crowd […]

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Between Black Country and West Coast

The Dead Daisies have successfully made it across the pond and are now touring the UK. Maximum Volume Music has a positively glowing review of the tour opening gig at the O2 Institute in Birmingham on October 30. Of course, if the support band is that good, then the main band has got to be […]

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Rainbow Live in Birmingham 2016

On June 9, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release the third show of the last year Rainbow triplet — Live In Birmingham 2016. This release follows Memories In Rock – Live In Germany, that was compiled from the two German shows played a week earlier, and which by many accounts were of a lesser quality performance-wise. […]

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Blackmore in Birmingham

A third show for Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow has been announced for June 25 at the Genting Arena in Birmingham, UK. And according to his booking agent, the 3 already announced gigs — two in Germany and this one in the UK — will be it for Blackmore’s foray into rock in 2016. Tickets are £52.83 […]

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Birmingham in the press

Birmingham show on November 13th received quite a favourable coverage in the local press. Debbie Bennett writes in the Express & Star: …On the third night of the band’s UK tour, 64-year-old barefoot frontman Ian Gillan belted out hits and rarities at the LG Arena last night and was loving every minute of it. The […]

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“Something spiritual has taken place…”

The set started with Prokofiev’s ‘Montague and Capulet’ from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and it really built the atmosphere, and then Purple burst into a really fiery version of Highway Star with Glover and Paice driving it along much faster than I can remember from Wembley in 2007. After Gillan’s altercations with Wembley stewards during “Things […]

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Steve Morse in Birmingham Post

British newpaper Birmingham Post has published an interview they did with Steve Morse: Any news of a new Deep Purple album? We’re always trying to get started, but these tours keep popping up. Recording is very nearly a volunteer endeavour, and touring pays most of the bills. Despite that, as a group we are committed […]

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Scintillated by Morse

Seeing Deep Purple for the nth time since the age of 15 (I am 52 now!) never diminishes in excitement. And this year’s NEC show was no less a scintillating experience. Also living part-time in the USA I was not unfamiliar with Styx, who must be my favourite USA band. So, to have my favourite […]

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