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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 to £58.95 and go on sale this Friday, November 6, at 10:00 am GMT.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Testing the water, bet he tours all summer.
November 3rd, 2015 at 21:14Any news on the line-up ?
November 3rd, 2015 at 21:24Cmon ye must have some tasty rumours?!
November 3rd, 2015 at 21:26no sense.
November 3rd, 2015 at 23:07I prefer new stuff with Demon’s Eye. Goodbye Mr.Blackmore.
Highway Star… great song!!!
November 4th, 2015 at 03:57Good to see a England performance from the maestro. However, I do wonder about only playing 3 gigs, all the rehearsing & the logistics of everything. Plus, trying to get it tight playing wise for the band, it usually takes a dozen or more performances to nail it. Still, us beggars must not be chooses, as the saying goes! Bring it on! Cheers.
November 4th, 2015 at 04:14Yeah … the return of the legend …
LLRnR
LLRitchie
kraatzy
November 4th, 2015 at 07:28Living in the land downunder, this would wanna be recorded so us loyal fans in Australia can get access!! DVD Please!
November 4th, 2015 at 08:49blackmore looking to make a few more million for his retirement no session players as they would charge him to much…probably get unknown musos which he doesn’t have to pay…
November 4th, 2015 at 15:04Blackmore and Strat!
I’m there!
November 4th, 2015 at 15:43Wow wish I could be there. This will sell out real quick.
November 4th, 2015 at 17:41Got mine already. Can’t bloody wait! Only time I’ve been to a gig in Birmingham before was the infamous sulk in ’93, can’t wait to see what happens this time. Just hope he enjoys it. Sad to say time is catching up with them all, with all of us, let’s just enjoy the music one last time…
November 4th, 2015 at 18:06What about Sweden and Finland then? In the Swedish musicmagazine “Rocknroll” Blackmore says Rainbow will play these countries too.
November 4th, 2015 at 18:40Tickets bought bring it on! Now to get tickets for Germany on Friday
November 4th, 2015 at 18:47Just bagged my tickets in the presale 🙂
I’m really not sure what to expect. Richie is not the same person he was back when Rainbow were in their heyday, and his heart clearly isn’t in playing rock these days. But maybe after so long away from doing it full-time, he’ll be enthusiastic about it, and will be putting as much passion into it as he does into Blackmore’s Night.
In any case, there was no way I was going to miss this, even if it doesn’t live up to expectations!
November 4th, 2015 at 19:01@13: Earlier this week, Sweden Rock Festival issued this statement:
“There have been a few claims that Ritchie Blackmore’s new rock band will play Sweden Rock Festival next year. This is not the case. We have been in contact with Richie’s agent, but the band has chosen not to do any concerts in Scandinavia next year.”
http://www.swedenrock.com/en/festival/news/inför-morgondagens-band-och-biljettsläpp/a-879
November 4th, 2015 at 19:15Hope he will not come on stage with his Robin Hood outfit! Some guests are planned in Germany..Jurgen?or Candice ;-))
November 4th, 2015 at 20:16it’s hard to believe he will be playing three gigs only,considering the amount of work,rehearsals etc.. involved..
Understandable that he would want to avoid an outdoor UK festival, given the unhappy history of Knebworth, Donington, Plumpton. But how to find a shed with atmosphere?
Maybe he should have tried for Wimbledon, or Cardiff (doesn’t that have a retractable roof?). Or the Albert Hall? Birmingham NEC? Meh!
November 4th, 2015 at 21:40i hope carol has heard of live stream options…
November 4th, 2015 at 22:39Heard an interesting rumour today, Graham Bonnet and Bob Daisley in the frame for two of the members! Would love to see that eventuate!!
November 5th, 2015 at 00:17I bought my tickets yesterday in the venue’s own pre-sale.
Friends are flying in from Switzerland for this one.
Tickets are not as expensive as I thought they might be, but I think that it will sell fast.
November 5th, 2015 at 07:43@15
The fact that he doesn’t really “like” rock n roll at the moment and doesn’t see it as serious music concerns me too. The other contrary indicator is this band of unknowns…it’s just going to be a large scale tribute evening. If he wanted to do something interesting he should have involved some old colleagues but of course that waters down the, cough cough, income somewhat.
I’m sure the tickets will sell well (3 shows worldwide after all this time had better sell out). and I’m sure it will be interesting but I can’t feel motivated to attend. I understand why fans will be there no matter what.
Who knows, if he enjoys it maybe we’ll see some more.
November 5th, 2015 at 10:12Got my tickets for the UK show. Irrespective of what people think this is major news and as its probably the last time we’ll get to hear the songs played live by TMIB its a must see for me.
Juat can’t decide what he’ll open with….Burn, Highway Star, Kill the King, Eyes of the World…..
November 5th, 2015 at 13:59At those prices no chance!!
November 5th, 2015 at 17:27The first time Ritchie talked about playing rock again, it was on the french newspaper “Le Parisien”, a few days before his show with Blackmore’s Night at the Olympia in Paris on the 8 of july.
In the article, he was talking about a concert in France. But it seems that no french gigs are planned for next june.
Any info about this ?
November 5th, 2015 at 18:15Just got my tickets too. Couldn’t miss it. Flying from Brazil!
November 5th, 2015 at 20:55Come on Ritchie…. Since you’ve been gone, your fans have been begging for you to return someday and play Blues and Rock. You are finally going to throw on the Stat and throw together a new Rainbow line-up. Surely you must realize that a STUDIO Album of new material is the proper thing to do now. Make this new line-up legit by making a record. Don’t just do Old Classics. Come current man. You pop out those BN albums like nothing. Surely you must have a desire to do a new Rainbow album to go along with the New Rainbow.
Plus how about a couple of dates in the States. I am sure it would be quite a success. Music City is the place to play. The Ryman is perfect for a gig and perfect for a DVD recording. I drove 6 hours twice to see you with BN in Charlotte, NC. I would go twice that far to see you play Rock again. I’m sure I am not alone regarding this. Do a new album and tour it. That would be right thing at this point. Especially since you are calling this band Rainbow. If you were just going out solo I could see it as you could just be playing your own old songs from the past. But, since you are actually going out as a band, Rainbow of a new line-up needs a new album to make it truly another Rainbow. Your old buddy JLT already sailed out on that ship with OTR and it sank. Don’t follow that with the same approach. Do a New Rainbow Album.
Ch-BeerZ
November 5th, 2015 at 21:31@
November 5th, 2015 at 21:504 no sense to you ?! you rather have the original or the followers?! The guy is the Maestro,no offense to Demon’s Eye but that is nothing that they are trying to do that this guy that hasn’t done long time ago !!Stop the non sense and be lucky that we are finally going to have the Man in black play some rock! I would love some new music and new album but I would not keep my hopes high knowing the guy and his unpredictable ways!
@ 28
November 5th, 2015 at 22:44You would love new stuff…
Sure,me too..but..
Infact I’ve no hope for his any new album (rock album I mean of course) but I don’t need his just 4 nostalgic concerts,
I find all this very sad.
And Still I’m Sad.
Ciao
Rainbow’s new singer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1-F3XA7Uo0
November 6th, 2015 at 03:08I repeat (for those that are hard of thinking)…. Don’t blow it all out of proportion, this is just a break from the routine, a few live concerts…
November 6th, 2015 at 03:16for fun. That’s it. However, it could be just a little bit different to what you might be expecting. Less chatter & more Imagination….
The biggest surprise would be if he left it at only 3 shows after all the rehearsing, difficult logistics, contracts etc. I bet they’re just checking the overall interest in a Rainbow reunion, and that they will add more shows if the interest is there. I hope…..
November 6th, 2015 at 09:14I tried to get tickets from the minute all websites opened up an hour and a half ago….impossible… the thing was sold out in about 30 minutes. Nothing left unless you want to go to a resale service that’s charging 200, 300, 400 and more UK pounds per ticket.
November 6th, 2015 at 11:41Hellau … Hurra … 😉
Loreley I am coming …
I have get a ticket !!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
LLRnR
LLBnB
kraatzy
November 6th, 2015 at 11:45these three giga are it for now. no sweden no france. band wont involve previous members. singer is an ‘unknown’ one. the lineup shall have all known musicians but not thoe he worked with before. gigs will be recorded for dvd release. i wish mor does a livestream so that all planet can see/hear them. only fiar when a couple of shows r planned.
November 6th, 2015 at 14:05Up yours Blackmore bashers and Gillan & co
“I must confess I was a little surprised it sold out at all, never mind so quickly, but as my circle of friends are all of the slightly older and more jaded variety, I hadn’t picked up on the groundswell of demand from younger folk anxious to see what the man’s reputation was built on, rather than what has been eroding it for the last two decades.”
https://darkerthanblue.wordpress.com/2015/11/06/rainbow-sold-out/
November 6th, 2015 at 17:24I’ve got my tickets within the first few seconds of presale and they’re fantastic, front and centre!
November 6th, 2015 at 17:40I haven’t been this excited about a concert since Knebworth because there is something very special about Ritchie.
I can listen to his albums anytime but this is a very rare opportunity to see the him where he belongs, rocking out in front of a crowd.
For me, Ritchie’s greatest strength is his improvisational skills; he just instinctively knows what to play next even if no one else was expecting it. You can only experience that live and in the moment.
I cannot wait to worship at the alter of his greatness.
Check out the line up announcement So pleased i got my tickets on Wednesday 🙂
https://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-11-06/blackmore-s-touring-lineup-revealed
November 6th, 2015 at 19:21@23 Or perhaps he’ll write a “new” opening number just for this occasion,you never know???
November 6th, 2015 at 20:16In this of all forums, Blacker’s return should be greeted with huge joy. After reading 35 contributions, I see that this is not the case. Good on Kraatzy and all others who have kept the faith. But after years of neglecting his fans, mistreating his band mates, walking out, offering second rate wannabe medievalist music, going back to a 70s logo, big prices and not naming band mates, it would appear that the response is, well, muted. Sad. Me? I’d prefer to spend my money on a concert by Morse, Airey and our remaining Purple chaps. Respect to those of you who think otherwise.
November 6th, 2015 at 20:31If Ahola is really his new singer for these shows, than it’s indeed exciting as he said – this guy is phenomenal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfitLHOrwGs
November 6th, 2015 at 20:56imo jarkko has better vocal range than ronald and is very similar to Dio tonally or to Freddie, but ok Ronald is also a good singer. but hey why not baranowski on keys that way they can do Blackmores Night does a Night of Purple Rainbow…anyway good luck to Romero. this will mean the most to him
November 6th, 2015 at 22:31Tried to get tix today for the U.K. show as soon as they went on sale, but they were already all sold-out before I could enter credit card info.
November 7th, 2015 at 01:33I hear the lead singer of Lords Of Black will be the singer for Ritchie’s new Rainbow….. He’s singing some Dio songs in this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPopzxs8Hvs
November 7th, 2015 at 08:08Rob@ 40, good comedy, well not really! Let’s have a look at your futile attempt at a negative posting here! ’35 contributions’? You base your ‘lack of interest’ on that? Thanks for the accolades to us die hards for ‘keeping the faith’, really appreciate that, thanks! ‘Years of neglecting his fans’ yeah right, ‘mistreating his band mates’ oh those poor insufferable band mates indeed, woe are they. ‘Walking out’? Walking out on????? ‘Offering second rate wannabe medieval music’, he doesn’t offer his music, he records & releases it & performs it in concert, some like it, many don’t, just like any artist, isn’t it? ‘Going back to a 70’s logo’ Hmmmm, last time I looked he isn’t the only one ‘going back to a 70’s logo’. So what, he owns it, who owns the various ‘Deep Purple’ logo’s? ‘Big prices’? Fair prices to my eyes, or are you looking at the dreaded scalper prices! ‘Not naming band mates’? He has, it is all about logistics, contracts, schedules etc! It is a common practice in business. ‘It would appear that the response is muted’, no it isn’t. ‘Sad’ yes your comments are that indeed! You prefer to spend your money else where, we all do that in various ways!
November 7th, 2015 at 11:45So we now know you don’t have any time for Blackmore’s concerts, so what? Why the negative comments that really don’t make any sense? Cheers.
@29…..Sad?! Really? All three shows will be sold out and unlike you I think it’s great to see Ritchie playing rock again. Ritchie has something he wants to prove and I’m very sure he will put on a great show. There is zero…zilch…no downside at all to this.
November 7th, 2015 at 13:11Couldn’t get a ticket for the Birmingham show so I said sod it I am going to Loreley in Germany and what a gig that will be…an amphitheatre on top of a rock! 🙂 Like I said before..live for the moment guys and enjoy it and I really couldn’t care less what the ‘blackmore bashers’ try and say!! Oh Eyes of the world please for the opener.
November 7th, 2015 at 15:19Regarding my comment in regards to ‘ who owns the name ‘Deep Purple’, it was used as an example, as RBR is being used, for ‘a logo from the 70’s’, a ‘brand’ etc, for want of a better word perhaps! Not as ‘who actually owns the name’ or whatever some may think, hopefully not though! Cheers.
November 7th, 2015 at 18:10Wow.. Romero is great, very similar to Dio, and quite good on stage persona!
November 7th, 2015 at 18:39@40 enough of the patronising ! and your comments are as daft as a brush
November 8th, 2015 at 12:02Already sold out when I tried to get tickets. I was absolutely gutted. Still am but at least I can pay over £250 for a ticket because someone bought half the NEC who doesn’t care about the gig!
November 8th, 2015 at 19:56No disrespect to Ritchie or his team (not their fault) but it sucks for real fans
@46..perhaps i could be a bit happy if he should have to play in my country,but it will not.
November 9th, 2015 at 22:52Hi, just to say that I’m fine about you all disagreeing with me, but comment no. 51 isn’t me. Have to admit it is quite a nice parody of me! However, HS has my email address and should not have attributed this comment to me. Enjoy Rainbow.
November 9th, 2015 at 22:55Travelling from India just for this, as I did in 2014 august, when I went to Berlin to watch a BN concert. Of course I’ll travel around UK, but if it were’t for the concert, this trip could have happened at any other time. Looking forward with bated breath… and some anxiety owing to the surgery on his finger and his wrist problem. Any ideas on how I can meet the man in Birmingham?
May 9th, 2016 at 09:10