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Blackmore to join Purple for NY show
In a completely black(!) live session on Instagram last night US EST, Ritchie Blackmore revealed the “secret” that he will be the guesting Deep Purple for the encore at Jones Beach Amphitheater in Wantagh, NY on August 12. There seem to be tickets left, so grab one if you haven’t already.
Blabbermouth quotes Blackmore from the Instagram session:
Well, it is a secret and I don’t want anybody to know, but I’m probably get up and do an encore with the band, DEEP PURPLE. But you can’t tell anybody, and I know that this is gonna be kept a secret. And will it? I suppose so.
I changed my strings on my Strat, which I haven’t done in over 25 years… I hope the guy out in the front can turn me up.
Blackmore explains that he called Ian Gillan in Portugal and suggested a guest performance. Gillan apparently ran the idea with the rest of the band, and everyone agreed to do the show. I think most people reading this could guess which song it will be but Ritchie and Candice at least said it wouldn’t be Highway Star, since that is the set opener.
Igor’s Rock Universe on YouTube has posted the Instagram chat on his YouTube channel:
Thanks to Blabbermouth,, Uwe, Zenos and the internet for the news.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I think this is Ritchie’s last wish, and maybe even the other 3 MKII guys…maybe in Ritchie’s heart he had wanted it for a long time, but the rust took decades to slide off.
As I’ve already written in the forum, today is a great day for every Deep Purple fan around the world who should rejoice, and also for the MKII boys themselves.
a special day, a circle that closes, between joy and sadness at the same time.
Jon Lord will play with them from Olympus and the rock Gods in the highest heavens will sing Smoke on the Water!
Heartfelt thanks to Deep Purple for this unexpected reunion.
August 12th, 2026 at 12:27This is a lovely thing to see, and RB clearly sees it as a final opportunity for some ‘closure’. He speaks will genuine affection there for Big Ian.
August 12th, 2026 at 12:33Closing the circle. A reconciliation, if only for one night, if only for one song. Two old battle-scarred veterans – Blackmore and Gillan – together; finally, for one last time. A mammoth moment in Purple history.
August 12th, 2026 at 12:43This is truly incredible news! I never thought it would ever happen again. Like DeeperPurps said, it is a mammoth moment. I cant wait to see it if it is ever published ! DP for ever ! While i’m on, I am sure we have all had favourite moments in our own DP experiences. I am sure this one is right up there with them. I think I would be in tears of joy if I was at tonight’s gig ! Also a big thankyou to all who work at the Highway Star. You do an amazing job. It’s the best DP site ever !! Rock On !!
August 12th, 2026 at 13:17That’s really cool. Just a chance to put a bow on things after all these years. Ritchie has really matured, and it’s heartening to hear.
August 12th, 2026 at 13:22Fantastic news
August 12th, 2026 at 14:02First of all I had to check that it wasn’t April fools day !
I completely echo everything that Fla says …can’t really add anymore other then it’s closure now and a good way for all us fans to look back on it with happiness
Thanks to all concerned
(checking calendar to see if it’s April Fool’s Day)
August 12th, 2026 at 14:15At last. It’s regretful that there haven’t been more occasions for collaborations with ex-members. I find Purple unusual in the degree to which this hasn’t happened, certainly compared with other bands I like (mostly not hard rock bands). Not sure if it’s egos or money, or both. Anyway, I hope there can be more of it, before the sun goes down.
August 12th, 2026 at 14:21Hello.
Just got the news from a very, very good friend of mine. A fact is, I was thinking about him last evening, for some reason. We have not met for so long time, either.
And now this! Telepathy it really is and yes, I´m both crying and smiling. This is something so human and wonderful. Old warhorses together once more. For them, the band and for us loyal fans around the globe.
I never forget 17th November at Helsinki Icehall. And yes, I`m just glad for the people who will see this once in a lifetime happening live.
Long Live DP Mk II.
Kippis!
August 12th, 2026 at 14:22Well its about time! I had a feeling that he might play in the NY show – given his recent ailments and probably looking to play together one more time. RB genuinely sounds excited and happy to see the 2 Ians and Roger. Good to see that they agreed to do this and finally get some closure – kind of like the last show with Ozzy Osbourne. My hunch is that they will play Smoke and come back for an extended Black Night encore (yes I saw them play Guinesses and Hush a few days ago) but given the occasion i could see Black Night come back for this. I think RB lives in Port Jefferson – so I think that is about an hr drive to Wantaugh concert site – traffic permitting. Guess this has been in the works for some time. Cool to see it happen.
And yes this is a great day for a DP fan!! Wish I could be there – had a crazy thought of flying up today – 2.5 hr flight from Tampa to NY)). If it was for a whole show that would have been different.
August 12th, 2026 at 14:40Spaghetti sales are prohibited within Amphitheaterhe , cameramen must keep a distance
Ritchie welcome home
August 12th, 2026 at 15:03Wonderful news but there will be no shortage of trepidation at all levels from all quarters. You have to think it will be stretched out to what? 10 minutes? 12? 15? With planned or unplanned detours, perhaps even 25! Anyway, we shall see… let’s hope they pull it off with aplomb and celebrate peacefully with a few snifters afterwards. And no fisticuffs!
August 12th, 2026 at 15:47If this was April 1st, I’d swear this wasn’t real. Part of me does think this isn’t real. I guess will find out tonight. I will see them tomorrow.
August 12th, 2026 at 15:47Hopefully we won’t have to wait quite as long for a guest appearance by Steve!
August 12th, 2026 at 15:50the last part of my post disappeared somehow: that would be impossible, even if some of DP think they would live forever 😉 (said Steve in an interview)
August 12th, 2026 at 16:08I will believe it when I see it… (on youtube as I’m living in Europe)
August 12th, 2026 at 16:10Now if only also Israelis and Palestinians could look each other in the eye and say: “You know what, the way we’ve treated each other in the past cannot be a recipe for our future.” then the world could be a better place.
In fact it already is a little. Tonight will be celebratory affair, everyone on stage will be able to thank each other:
– the two Ians, Roger and Ritchie can appreciate how all four of them jointly with Jon shaped the Mk II sound in that furnace of creativity that saw the 60s merge into the 70s, it’s been a long way from In Rock to playing on an island,
– Don and Simon can thank Ritchie for co-creating slots in which they both could slip into, Don even after having been discovered by Ritchie (with some help from Cozy) 47 years ago and introduced into the world of live heavy rock,
– Ritchie can be grateful to the two “newcomers” for bearing the torch of what is also his most vital legacy and keeping DP alive and vibrant as an organism for him to celebrate.
It’s all good, and even if Ritchie doesn’t play a note.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2bB8HIJVso
August 12th, 2026 at 16:26well, it finally happened! maybe that will lead to an invitation for a song as a guest in the upcoming studio album? we can dream right? Please keep the “critiques” and negativity to yourself. Let us the old schoolers enjoy this!
August 12th, 2026 at 16:37Awesome!! Watching RB announce this brought tears to my eyes!! They’ve been my favorite band since 1973 and I’ve followed them every step of the way!!! I love this band!!!! No other band comes close!!
August 12th, 2026 at 16:46I am beyond happy Purple people 😍
Speaks volume of how kind, friendly and an amazing person Ian Gillan is 😃💜🙏🏼
August 12th, 2026 at 16:54Fantastic! I’m sure many of us never thought this would never happen for a variety of reasons, but here it is! I will not even consider detracting from it due to age, attitude or any other reason. Just feeling grateful it’s happening, needed some good, happy news these days. I saw Purple at Jones beach some years back, lovely sea side atmosphere there. We are eagerly awaiting the Detroit area show and will try to contain my envy for those fortunate enough to attend this historic (yes, historic in my mind) event. Cheers and enjoy. Thanks to all who are making this possible 💜
August 12th, 2026 at 17:26Hahaha Yes!, I will be there!!!
August 12th, 2026 at 17:28One song in the encore? I don’t believe it. Not happening.
It will be a two song encore.
August 12th, 2026 at 18:07An eclipse and hell freezing over on the same day.
52 years for Don’s relationship with Cozy.
August 12th, 2026 at 18:34Then he started working with Gary Moore – before joining Ritchie.
I think Don has played with every member of DP except Rod.
Hello.
This is not an ordinary day in office.
Of course You all out there knew what I meant @9.
I was referring to the date 17th November 1993. It was Ritchie´s last show in Purple.
No one knew then.
And now this.
Cheers, Ivica @11 : )
Same in Finnish :
Kippis !
August 12th, 2026 at 18:48Hmm. I do hope there’s been no major change in Ritchie’s health. This (if it happens) feels like something you might decide to do if you felt short of time.
August 12th, 2026 at 18:58Encore of Smooth Dancer
August 12th, 2026 at 19:05@11 ….😆… and no water served …?
August 12th, 2026 at 19:30Don Airey and Roger Glover – a partial Rainbow Down to Earth reunión as well
August 12th, 2026 at 19:34Great news that this will finally happens! It will be an emotional experience for all involved.
August 12th, 2026 at 19:38Terrific news – so glad everyone can put their individual issues aside to celebrate together a shared, amazing journey. Oh, how I wish Jon could be there as well. But I’m sure he’s watching all this unfold with a bemused smile on his face and a happy heart. Long live Deep Purple!
August 12th, 2026 at 20:12#11 Ivica:
Hahahahahah
I just posted elsewhere in response to a comment that was the joke of the month, but your words instantly rocket you to the top of the list!
Spaghetti and cameramen far away, no passport needed!
#17 Uwe:
August 12th, 2026 at 20:26It may be human romanticism, but I also immediately thought of the powerful people of the world who should be the first to ask themselves “what the hell have we been doing for all these years?”
With RB coming to the DP show tonight it looks like Steve Morse’s son Kevin was at the Clearwater show and was happy to meet up with the band and crew. Pity Steve wasn’t able to come.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Db7FADigMSL/?hl=en&img_index=1
Is Coverdale next?) And maybe Rod Evans!!!!
August 12th, 2026 at 21:22I hope RB will display his sense of humor and play a few notes of Stairway to heaven before starting Black Night.
August 12th, 2026 at 22:17Wonderful!
August 12th, 2026 at 22:23I’m in tears – not just for the reunion, but that Ian and Ritchie have finally forgiven each other. Hell froze over – this is beautiful. I agree with Beate – if they could do the same with Steve, we could have peace in the Purple world.
I’ll be watching tonight/tomorrow on YouTube – I hope it is Black Night!
August 12th, 2026 at 22:37/
Go Ritchie Go! A grateful Purple Nation thanks you.
August 12th, 2026 at 22:52Yo,
Kudos to the band & management for this opportunity of RB joining everyone on-stage once again, & why not ???…
Time marches on, & there would seem to be less & less opportunity to do so.
Fingers crossed Simon takes note of how much better a Stratocaster sounds when played through tube-amps…I’m sure that’s one-thing / lesson RB could pass-on to the young man, ha-ha !
Ciao !
August 12th, 2026 at 23:00I was really happy to hear this news. I suspect that Ritchie knows he ain’t going to be around foreever . I hope that he enjoys seeing his former bandmates and as others have said, things come full circle. Long live Deep Purple.
August 12th, 2026 at 23:02Wonderful closure, i
August 13th, 2026 at 02:33Thought that Morse would be joining in but thhi is much better
As exciting as this news is, I still am not schlepping to Long Island! 🤣 I will have to stream it on YouTube 💜✌Peace out! Holy Splat, Batman 😊
August 13th, 2026 at 02:35Just got back from jones beach show. Yes it actually happened!! If this was my last DP show what a way to go out. The videos will do no justice to the reaction of the crowd.. magical…… Great to see Ian and Ritchie happily getting along…watch the videos and enjoy…
August 13th, 2026 at 03:56https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah7QJAl-ziY
It felt good to watch this, The Old Man And The Band, Ernest Hemingway would maybe write.
SOTW doesn’t sound half-bad with two guitars pummeling the riff I must say. And dare I add: Without his platforms/heels, RB looks quite a bit shorter on stage than IG! 😂 But as my mother-in-law, herself a tall woman in her prime, used to always say “Unne läuft merr ab und owwe kommt nix mehr dezu!” That was Hessian dialect, you’ll have a hard time getting it machine-translated, but it corresponds loosely with “You wear off at the feet and nothing is added anymore on top!”
All very lovely though. I would have maybe preferred some dueling between Don, Simon and Ritchie towards the end, but I think they were all struck by the moment.
August 13th, 2026 at 04:12@36
Me too Mike 😊
August 13th, 2026 at 04:23Might be I m projecting but me too is thinking what does it say about Ritchies time left?
I had so many musical wishes he never got around too.
All the unreleased stuff in the vaults.
I do long for more for decades now but that d be selfish.
August 13th, 2026 at 14:44Instead I want him to get much older, enjoying his family.
#38 Gregster:
dear Greg, I think the lesson Ritchie gave to Simon is not only on the Fender/Valves combination, but on the power and enormous weight of Smoke’s riff which is like a meteorite falling on your head, it’s like a tsunami that overwhelms you!
#40 Harold:
there was no hope that Steve would be there yesterday
#42 Kevin:
Your going to the concert was the best decision you (like everyone else there) could have made!
I envy you so much for this, but thanks to YouTube this envy has faded a bit.
Consider yourself a lucky person for the rest of your life, when your days are sometimes complicated always think that you were present at the MKII meeting and life’s problems will magically become sweeter to bear!
#43 Uwe:
two guitars on Smoke’s riff are remarkable, but don’t underestimate the vintage sound of Ritchie Fender+ENGL Thunder 50+legendary AIWA TP-1011 I think they are not acoustic hallucinations, but that it is truly different from any other sound of Steve, Simon or any other famous or unknown guitarist who has played Smoke in 50 years since its genesis!
and yes, many of us wished for some free improvisational musical measure at the end of Smoke on the Water to hear a few more notes coming from Ritchie’s fingers and his Fender!
August 13th, 2026 at 20:29So happy to watch this!!
August 13th, 2026 at 21:43Yo,
@46…
SotW is a great riff for sure, but even if voted “the greatest riff of all time”, I’ve probably heard it too-many-times over the years, & so the impact is less regretfully.
That said, the solo played by RB was quite enjoyable & very unique to the many others that have been recorded over-the-years. Simple, melodic, & with a dash-of-flash with the arpeggios thrown-in for good measure…A very well-balanced solo, that was sadly a little low in the mix, but still, there was enough sound to appreciate the thought that went into it. Well done RB !
The full show is quite good too btw, with all the new tunes standing-up really well imo. Simon’s solo-spot is really good, & so is Don’s, but once again I find that”Hush” is the delight-of-the-night.
Ciao !
August 15th, 2026 at 23:16