![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/morse2.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/airey.jpg)
History is Made at Rare Show in Wantagh, NY
Deep Purple live at Jones Beach Theater (Wantagh, USA 2026-08-12)
Blackmore Joins Purple for Epic Encore at Jones Beach Theater
Reviewed by The Highway Star Reader “Albania”
When my younger son greeted me in the morning by asking if I knew where we kept the several sets of glasses that are needed to watch solar eclipses as he wanted to ride his bike later in the day to one of the local parks to watch the spectacle with some friends, little did I know that the rare natural phenomenon was not going to be the only unique event that I was going to witness on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
Once the solar eclipse glasses were located, I then proceeded with the usual morning routine of checking any phone messages while waiting for the Miele to grind the Cubano roast beans that moments later become the double shot of espresso. Upon reading a group message to those of us that later in the day would be going to the DP show, that Blackmore was to join the band on stage at Jones Beach Theater, I initially dismissed the note as an ill-timed April Fool’s joke. After all, I said to myself, Blackmore lives close to the venue, and he could have chosen to do so anytime in the past during Purple’s regular appearances at Jones Beach Theater over the last several years. Why now? What changed?
However, fortunately for me, those others present at the show, and countless more around the world, what I had just read was not a joke. Moments later I discovered that numerous reputable outlets had confirmed the news that Purple and Blackmore had indeed agreed to share the stage, 33 years after their performance in Helsinki, Finland, that turned out to be their last appearance together.
The countdown had officially begun, and the anticipation, naturally, had started to grow…
* * *
After a roughly 2-hour drive from lower Connecticut, the four of us arrived at the venue around 6 PM. The vast parking lot was getting full, covered by thousands of cars with many people tailgating from the backs of their vehicles. Everywhere you could hear the sound of Purple music; songs from In Rock, Stormbringer, Machine Head, SPLAT!, etc. echoed throughout the thick, early evening August air. It seemed like a family event. Youth playing cornhole (bean toss) with their parents, teenagers taking selfies with each other and with older generations. You could tell a perfect evening was in the making.
Jones Beach is not the easiest venue to get to. In the peak of the summer, this part of Long Island is usually congested with the many day beachgoers. However, once you are there and if the weather is right, it can be a very enjoyable experience. Boasting an impressive classical amphitheater style design, the Jones Beach Theater has a capacity of 15,000. But because it is open – with the stage on water, and the amphitheater on land – sound quality, depending on where you are seated, can sometimes be negatively impacted by the strength and direction of the wind.
We made our way to our seats (13 th row across the center of the stage) around 7PM. If I were to guess, there were roughly 10,000-12,000 people in attendance. As has been the case at prior shows that I have attended at this venue, the uppermost tier was completely empty (tickets were not even made available for sale for this section). A noticeable middle age component was present, but, overall, the crowd was a mix of ages with numerous youngsters present here and there.
Kansas started the proceedings at 7:30 PM with a strong setlist of classic hits including fan favorites like Point of Know Return, Dust in the Wind, and Carry On Wayward Son. They put on an impressive performance with each member showcasing their respective skills. I could not help but feel like the singer was a bit low in the mix, but the show was enjoyable nonetheless. Time had come for the true stars of the evening, the greatest band that has ever lived, to take the stage. Purple kicked things off in style at 9:30 PM with a blistering version of Highway Star. The sound was clear and immense, ripping through the mid-August air that was gradually cooling off by the minute, eventually reaching a perfect temperature. Gillan was in absolute amazing form. We looked at each other, breathed a sigh of relief, and gave each other high-fives of confidence that it would be a great show. Purple delivered a blissful set (setlist below) that had a good balance between the classics and the more recent material, especially songs from SPLAT! and =1. The guys came across as dynamic, crisp and exciting. The entire band sounded marvelous and each musician had their moment in the spotlight.
Gillan was colossal throughout the show. He continues to define the laws of nature, delivering a rock-solid performance especially with the newer material. Gillan was a beast and the undisputable standout star of the show. The ultimate elder statesman of rock, big Ian has reached an unusual state of grace that would be the envy of many singers not just his age, but even much younger ones. Airey ruled the air with his signature wall of sound and with notes traveling, at times, erratically throughout the open venue and beyond. McBride, despite being decades younger than the rest of the band, was full of confidence in his performance. His skillful playing does justice to the material pre-dating him. The greatest ever rhythm section in rock, Paice and Glover, reigned supreme once more. Paicey’s drumming was powerful, but tasteful and elegant at the same time. Glover, solid as usual, together with Paice gave the rest of the band a strong foundation to take care of business without fear of the ground suddenly shaking and crumbling beneath them.
It could be a real challenge for the band to put together a setlist that pleases everyone, especially with its long history spanning many records and hundreds of songs, but the guys managed to strike the delicate balance between classic and current. There was something for the older fans, as well as for those that are newer arrivals in the Purple universe.
* * *
As the show seemed to draw closer to an end, the number of eyes fixed on the back of the stage seemed to grow. In between songs, Gillan announced that there would be a surprise coming up and asked us to stick around. The anticipation started to climb. There was no need to ask those near you what they were thinking. You could tell from the looks on people’s faces that they were full of questions. You could even read their thoughts and figure out what was going through their minds. Will what started this morning as potential rumor – becoming breaking news later in the day – indeed come to fruition? Will the individual that was last seen on the same stage as Gillan, Glover and Paice some 33 years ago, come out and join the remaining three MkII members one last time? Will Blackmore suddenly appear and start to play the opening notes to the riff of all riffs? Will McBride join in? How will it sound? Will the crowd like it? Will Gillan and Blackmore joyfully tease each other on stage once more, as they used to in the various honeymoon periods of MkII? Or would they simply stand on opposite sides of the stage and avoid any direct contact with each other?
It was now later in the show. People started checking the time. It started to feel like it was now or never. McBride moved to the edge of the stage, as he usually does when he is about to tease the intro to SOTW, and played just the opening note. The crowd was quiet. Where was Blackmore? Is he going to be a no-show? The silence was tense. McBride looked over his left shoulder, toward stage left, and a silhouette emerged from the dark corridor of the large stage. The Man in Black, white Strat around his shoulder, came out to the delight and the emotional response of thousands of enthusiastic fans that jumped to their feet while clapping and shouting in approval. Blackmore started the famous riff, the rest of the band joined in. His playing was controlled, and the solo was tasteful. But the music did not matter much. He was there, finally sharing the stage with his once brothers-in-arms. Lord was no doubt looking down the vast venue, smiling from the great beyond. The band’s faces were lit by their bright smiles. Gillan had his arm around Blackmore throughout the performance as a sign of respect and admiration. Blackmore moved from player to player, smiling at each band member with respect and gratitude. We were in awe. The crowd went nuts. Everyone was standing. Thousands of arms holding phones were extended. Filming, photographing, posting.
As the song came to an end, Gillan walked toward Blackmore with a huge smile on his face, proclaiming, “I’ve got to say something,” as he put his long arm around Blackmore once more and held him tightly. As if he did not want to let go. As if he wanted to hang on to this moment longer. It was a huge moment. It was a great display of genuine love and affection. Gillan then began to share with the audience how a couple of days ago he had gotten a message from Blackmore asking if he could join the band onstage, just to be interrupted by Blackmore who joked about the fact that Gillan is now taller than him. Gillan, without missing a beat, joked back that it was the other way around; it was Blackmore who was shrinking…
There they were: two battle-hardened warriors, full of scars, standing tall, shoulder to shoulder, full of real love, affection, and admiration for each other. Two titans. Coming home to rest after a long and hard day’s work. No longer worried about what the future held in store for them. Fully aware of how important they had been to and for each other. Fully aware that neither one of them would have been able to stand alone where they now do, without the other.
Flanked by Glover and Paice, his voice trembling with sentiment, Gillan shared that it was an absolute honor and pleasure “to have back on stage the founder member, the great legend, the immortal Ritchie Blackmore.” The Man in Black, overcome with emotion, handed his guitar to Gillan who reminded Blackmore that he will see him at the bar after the show. Blackmore walked toward the edge of the stage, taking a bow. It was as if the last 33 years had not been separated by a great chasm. It was as if they had always been the closest of friends. From the early days when they roomed together during the arduous tours.
The band went on to play a couple more songs, but we were still in a state of shock, full of nostalgic joy from what we had just witnessed. Those of us who for years, if not decades, have been dreaming of what was once considered impossible, this Wednesday evening, August 12, 2026, witnessed history in the making. The 33-year wait was over. The long and storied circle – the inside of which is filled with trials and tribulations, with tension and drama, and with groundbreaking artistic creativity and achievements that will continue to awe, inspire, and mesmerize generations to come – had finally closed. Blackmore took his well-deserved bow in front of thousands of cheering fans while Gillan, Paice, and Glover looked on with content. All is well in the Purple universe. Finally. At long last.
* * *
I am blessed beyond words that I was amongst those fortunate to witness this rare and historic event in person. Because of another engagement, regrettably, I will not be able to make the Boston show tonight, Thursday, August 13, 2026. However, after witnessing the August 12, 2026, reunion, I hope to witness in person an expanded reunion at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday, November 25, 2026. Afterall, the British fans deserve a chance to also witness for themselves the closing of the circle. They deserve to have their epic evening.
Ever upward, Deep Purple!
SETLIST (from online sources) – Jones Beach Theater, NY, August 12, 2026
Highway Star
A Bit on the Side
Into the Fire
Guitar Solo
Arrogant Boy
Lazy Sod
Keyboard Solo
Lazy
When a Blind Man Cries
Diablo
Keyboard Solo
Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin’
Smoke on the Water (with Blackmore)
Guinnesis
Hush
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I don’t believe Ritchie gets on planes anymore, so you probably witnessed his last appearance with DP. Glad it happened. Too bad it didn’t happen at the memorial concert for Jon Lord or at the Rock Hall of Fame induction, when illness and injury didn’t affect RB’s playing as much.
I wonder if the lads did in fact have a drink or two after the NY show. Here’s hoping they did and the night brought positive closure. Interesting that the four old geezers who tour the world seemingly every year seem to be in better shape than the Man in Black, who doesn’t.
As for the setlist, drop A Bit on the Side, Into the Fire, and Lazy Sod in favor of 3 more Splat! tunes: Guilt Trippin’, Splat!, and either The Rider or Only Horse in Town.
I wonder if the lads are aware that many of the fans who attend shows in the US hardly know of In Rock, other than Child in Time from Made in Japan. They should give ’em what they want (Machine Head tracks and Perfect Strangers (the song) plus the newest material. The new LP is superior to =1. Play the damn thing.
August 14th, 2026 at 23:48Albania, I am still jealous, but very glad to read about your wonderful experience.
August 15th, 2026 at 00:18Yo,
There’s a full you-tube video of the show that’s quite acceptable…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOOOFxmJt5I&list=RDkOOOFxmJt5I&start_radio=1&pp=oAcB0gcJCfkLAYcqIYzv
Ciao !
August 15th, 2026 at 05:56I think there couldn’t be a better review than yours. I read it and tears welled up in my eyes, just like when I watched videos of this historic moment on YouTube.
August 15th, 2026 at 06:35What a night! Thanks for sharing it!
August 15th, 2026 at 08:10@ 1 – “Interesting that the four old geezers who tour the world seemingly every year seem to be in better shape than the Man in Black, who doesn’t.” What is interesting about that George M? Every living organism is different in that aspect, to another. Genes perhaps, luck or bad luck, take your pick. Fate has it’s way, unpredictable that it is. Cheers.
August 15th, 2026 at 08:33Albania, thanks for the great review.
August 15th, 2026 at 09:06Nice review!! I too was there and you summed it up exceptionally.
Was 10 rows from where Ritchie took his bow. Great moment!!
The videos are great but the vibe and anticipation for Blackmore from the audience really can’t be captured. I am extremely lucky and grateful to have witnessed that in person.
The last time I had seen them together was the 1988 show with Aerosmith and Guns and Roses. Never thought I would see it again.
3 days later, watched the videos a bunch of times and still get choked up a little.
Thanks for a great review!
August 15th, 2026 at 12:04LouderSound has one of the most comprehensive articles on the band that I’ve read in a while.
https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/deep-purple-splat-interview
August 15th, 2026 at 12:09@6 — Of course you are correct, MacGregor. I could have stated it better. I was thinking, “What are the odds?” I find traveling exhausting and I’m only 64. Granted, these guys probably don’t have to transport their luggage or themselves to and from airports, hotels, and venues, but keeping to the schedule and sleeping in a different bed every other night for half a year while in one’s 80s seems daunting. Then again, it also seems like a dream job if one has the constitution for it.
August 15th, 2026 at 12:30In 2027 I ll “celebrate” my 50 years of mystery and wondering due to them.
We all tried to make sense of the history of these people who were making it hard for us to get a real grip due to the weird contradicting statements.
Why did Lord say “Appearantly he just doesnt like Gillans voice. But why then done it all those years?”
Its just one of the many things stated not making sense.
Blackmore asked Gillan after Dio left.
Roger was already on board.
Would Lord and Paicey ve jumped ship, seemingly very loyal to DC at that moment if asked?
Was RB serious or just wanting to wreck havoc destroying 2 bands….?
When the REUNION
was discussed RB insisted it had to be MK2.
A commercial reasoning?
DC was,yet, in better shape than Ian.
I could elaborate for hours.
Like life and this crazy world they remain magnificient and a mindphuck.
Focussing back on this reunion I think there was more potential in stretching it out.
And yes, I think Dons solo broke Blackmores flow.
Maybe I m in this who do we think we are bubble now but I disagree with Uwe,not for the first time.its tends to become a habit, that this this is not an option for a special release.
An EP with several versions incl video from over the years, incl live in Japan,perhaps some video of the hours at the bar, packaged nicely d be a hit, I think.
Btw, I dont get why Americains have not been able to catch up with IN ROCK.
We all began this love affair at different moments and we all ve been able to spread our wings and immerse ourselves in the whole familytree.
I dont say someone isnt a fan when not familiar with every branch, but not able to know IN ROCK???!!!
August 15th, 2026 at 13:51Pro-shot footage, from Blackmores official account
Smoke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McbnIOmK9jo
Ritchie Blackmore being presented to the crowd by Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan August 2026.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXkc-cdtm6c
Ritchie Blackmore back on stage with Deep Purple 12th August 2026
August 15th, 2026 at 14:53https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pv8raFEF2A
Very nice .Envious of a great night !
August 15th, 2026 at 14:57@12: nice clips! In the third, we see Don bowing as Ritchie comes on stage. I hadn’t noticed that in other videos.
August 15th, 2026 at 18:41Yo,
@11…
It is very confusing when we learn that “He said this, & the other replied with that, & then management was talking with the others managers about this or that”…
All hype imo to keep the band in our awareness…Or if you rather, any-press is good press lol !
As regards to IG & the history involved after the 1984 reunion, apparently in Phoenix whilst on the HoBL tour, he broke a finger by accident, & morale generally fell from that moment within the band, & a few months later in a band meeting, he actually told the band that qt.”They were all useless”, & was fired…
And so enters JLT…And then he got fired & resigned at the same time when it was decided that IG is the best-fit for the band for the upcoming tour to support TBRO, plus the bands 25th anniversary…
It appears that RB was not in support of this decision, but a cool $250,000:00 USD was slipped secretly into his bank account to help with the strains of touring with IG, which he did not fully honour.
This chaos is actually the most blessed in the bands history, since we then got blow-away concerts with Joe Satriani for 9-odd-months, & then a near-30-year stable band with Steve & later Don on-board, that’s now morphed into the awesome current line-up with Simon.
The American version of “In Rock” sucks, since the wild guitar intro is omitted at the start of the album, where Speed King is softly introduced with Jon’s playful keyboard faded in, instead of RB’s chaos…The immediate impact is simply not there.
Ciao !
August 15th, 2026 at 23:00#11
August 16th, 2026 at 00:40I have a theory about Airey crashing in Blackmore’s ending solo.
Usually it’s a Hammond solo in the end. Blackmore was a bit nervous and suddenly found himself playing solo where he wasn’t used to. So, at least from what I can hear he started off okay but then seamed to fade out. My theory is that Airey, who has some experience in boards stacked with keyes, in Blackmore and in taking intuitive decisions to play a live performance, stepped in to save his old band leader from the uncomfortable feeling of being a bit lost in his own backyard. My guess is that he probably knew already when he took the decision that it would be considered rude and that he would receive criticism but preferred that before seeing Blackmore get stressed at his moment of harmony.
Airey was just a big friendly smile when Ritchie was on stage so I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose and I doubt that it was just routine, playing what he usually does. But it may be that he misread the situation, The Men in Black may had been able to pull some good notes from up his sleeve to end the solo.
Btw, I dont get why Americains have not been able to catch up with IN ROCK.
Have you ever heard how it sounds over FM Radio in a car? There’s your answer. And there is not a single song on it with the exception of the CIT intro that you can tunefully whistle or hum. In Rock speaks as an album with its ferocity, determination and a newly forged sound, there is no denying its historical (and histrionic! 🤣) significance, but as a collection of songs it is formative and a far cry from how Mk II improved as songwriters on the following albums.
August 16th, 2026 at 01:46Uwe, surely you have tried humming or whistling to Bloodsucker, he he he. Although Into The Fire has a little bit of humming tune to it. Let’s see, anymore? Even CIT isn’t really that open for the postman or the milkman to whistle to. Oh well, not to worry. Cheers.
August 16th, 2026 at 07:04A post reunion story from Ritchie in Guitar player. Cheers
https://www.guitarplayer.com/guitarists/exclusive-ritchie-blackmore-reveals-the-story-behind-his-emotional-deep-purple-reunion-i-think-we-realized-it-could-be-the-last-time-we-see-each-other
August 16th, 2026 at 07:28@ 3
August 16th, 2026 at 11:51That video was actually filmed by someone in our group of four.
The hilarious thing is that at some point during the show, while holding the camera with his right hand, my friend was shaking his left hand so hard in excitement, that his wedding ring of 33 years flew off his finger.
Mind you, by this point the tide had come in. And, those of us in the orchestra section were now ankle-deep in water.
Gillan, ever observant, looked at the water rising and in between songs joked that we (those in the orchestra section) were standing knee-deep in water. “You’re crazy,” he added in laughter.
My friend, who spend a decent amount of time looking for his wedding ring while filming and watching the show, did find it in the end.
Our new nickname for him? You guessed it. “Lord of the Ring.” 🙂
Dr. Bob, Rost, Shmee, Pacuha, Kiddpurple, and anyone’s worse that enjoyed my love letter of a review – thank you!
Kevin F – so glad to read that you were there, too, and that you get what I was trying to express regarding the emotions and sentiments of the magical evening.
August 16th, 2026 at 15:09Ad far as I am concerned, life is too short to approach everything from the perspective of the “glass is half empty” all the time. Live and let live.
So glad to read that you, also, enjoyed the show for what it was, rather than wonder what it should/could have been. Be well.
# Albania:
Thanks for the review. You guys at the concert on August 12th were the luckiest people in the world. I will always envy you all!
#11 Rock Voorne:
Ritchie wanted the MKII reunion because that was the best lineup, a reunion with David and especially Glenn was categorically out of the question.
#16 MyKey:
August 16th, 2026 at 17:10I don’t want to disprove your theory, but there’s a video on YouTube where you can clearly hear Ritchie improvising and Don comes on top of him like a train at full blast, leaving him no choice but to go back to playing the rhythm until the end.
the reintroduction of Perfect Strangers to the lineup is interesting:
Don first does a perfect job of creating the atmosphere, the anticipation rises and when the main riff starts there is a roar from the audience!
This song is really as loved as the 70’s classics.
in the video you can also see Simon who can’t stay still and winds himself up before starting his part!
Musically I have to say that I felt it was a bit too aseptic, if they play it in the next shows it will probably regain its groove and majesty.
I repeat that as a second song played together with Ritchie it would have been epochal, the walls of the Jones Beach Theater would have collapsed from the energy in the air,
August 16th, 2026 at 17:21It’s a shame the band didn’t take this into consideration!
I know opinions on it differ but the ANNIVERSARY EDITION of IN ROCK gave us a wealth of material, bonusses, remixes.
I think I “feel” why people often dont like our music on cds but IMHO the 1996 effort wasnt that bad.
I liked Rogers REMIXES and whished he had done all the stuff.
And years ago one could buy it for 10 Euro.
So if you re a fan in USA and still not able to get into it in decades?
My cousin lives in NewYersey.
Couldnt get him to several shows I advised.
Incl BN, Hughes doing his BURN shows, etc
He is 67 and appearantly was able to see the LED ZEPP shows of The Song Remains the Same and loved DP but stopped following everyone after BURN.
In recent years he said to be now more a DP fan than a LZ one, he even went to a show with Morse…..
But never he wanted to explore what he d missed after BURN.
Well, he wasnt totally out of it except he never walked the DP family tree.
And now he sent me a mail about the one off with RB.
August 16th, 2026 at 20:47But he didnt go.
“Interesting that the four old geezers who tour the world seemingly every year seem to be in better shape than the Man in Black, who doesn’t.”
Maybe, just maybe, rock music, if it doesn’t kill you in your twenties or thirties, keeps you young once you reach middle age? George’s comment was also made by a lot of people when the Eagles were inducted to the RRHoF and Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon joined them, looking both much older than their former compatriots.
“Ritchie wanted the MKII reunion because that was the best lineup, a reunion with David and especially Glenn was categorically out of the question.”
So categorically that Ritchie wanted to spend an evening with him in the early 80s while in LA (Glenn decined self-consciously because he had gained too much weight in his cocaine hell), lauded him as “no question the best bass player Deep Purple ever had” and was ok with him being the slated bassist for Reunionbow in 2016.
Some myths just persist.
**************************************************************************
Thanks for sharing your impressions, Albania! 👏
August 16th, 2026 at 21:29#25 Uwe:
Dear Counsel, I knew that it was Glenn who went to see Ritchie, not the other way around, and that Ritchie was concerned about Glenn’s drug-induced, pitiful state.
I didn’t say he hated Glenn or didn’t get along with him.
I said that the only possible reunion for Ritchie and the others was MKII and so it was.
As for the hypothesis of Glenn on bass in the Rainbow Reunion, Ritchie’s nostalgia lasted just long enough to tell him “ok but you don’t have to sing”….telling Glenn that was like telling him “stay at home”.
August 17th, 2026 at 15:52the same admiration he had for Jolene: according to the press, Ritchie declared that they should also award him at the RRHOF and then when Joe proposed himself as the singer of the reunion the answer was “no thanks we’re already set”.
Rainbow with Turner & Hughes (i.e. Hughes/Turner project) probably would have been the best possible solution, but that’s another strange choice by Ritchie and that’s another story…
A wonderful summary Albania. I was one of the lucky people to also be there. Been seeing DP at Jones Beach for two plus decades and always held out hope that one day Ritchie would sit in with the boys but never really counted on it. I had bought slightly cheaper seats towards the back for the show but after the announcement I found two tix in the 8th row center and grabbed them. I also will not forget the water that rose up in the orchestra from the water near the venue (there was a coastal flood warning for the evening) causing many of us to have water up to our ankles. Not a single complaint from anyone – just pure joy. A moment that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
August 17th, 2026 at 17:02Nice review!!! Thanks so much!! For me, just watching Ritchie joining Deep Purple onstage 12 Aug is something I will never forget!! Words can’t describe how much I love this band!!! They’ve been my favorite band since I 1973 and, for me, no other band comes close!!!
August 17th, 2026 at 18:47Ritchie has never been a fan of Glenn’s singing, but of his bass playing, I think he likes the edge and attack in it, Roger – not really technically inferior to Glenn, in fact his playing is often more complex – is too unobtrusive for Blackers, you know how he likes to make a statement of sorts.
Ritchie – rightly so – worried that Glenn would assume he would also sing with the Reunionbow endeavor after having been contacted by Candice’s mom and wanted the issue clarified. I think it’s a stretch to assume he was looking for an argument to oust Glenn as a bassist – as if he had needed an excuse! He wanted him as a bassist, but thought it was unlikely that Glenn would waive singing lead to be on stage with Ritchie – and he was right of course, singing is Glenn’s first choice of expression, he only plays bass well “by accident” and natural talent.
I actually saw HTP live once – they were surprisingly good and Joe and Glenn really gelled. Very entertaining if a bit too AOR to hold Glenn’s interest for long.
Re the early 80s almost-meeting with Ritchie, my source was an interview with Ritchie where he joked about Glenn being so vain about being overweight at the time to not go out anymore, even with Ritchie who had asked him. In the same interview he said that Glenn and Joe are very similar in their characters (not sure whether that really applies). But it could well be that there were other incidental meetings between them.
Apparently, Jon and Glenn had a chance meeting too when Jon was still in WS, with JL commenting on the reunion that “Glenn has become very American” which coming from Jon was probably meant to not indicate a cause for celebration! 🤣
August 18th, 2026 at 11:41Uwe @ 25 – my pleasure!
Leslie @ 28, Steve @ 27, Fla76 @ 22 – thank you for the kind words. I am glad to read that you enjoyed the review.
Steve, we’ve probably been at the same Jones Beach shows during the last couple of decades where Purple toured with Priest, Cooper, Scorpions, Dio, Edgar Winter, etc.
August 18th, 2026 at 17:31Like you, I also hoped that one day Blackers would make an appearance, but eventually gave up.
Yo,
@24…
If you like Rogers production skills, you should consider grabbing the 1980’s live effort for your cousin “Nobody’s Perfect” to reintroduce him to the reunion Mk-II. For unknown reasons, this recording doesn’t get much praise, but the performances from everyone are top-notch…
And since everyone has gone RB crazy at the moment, I will here state that this recording has RB at his very-best…The soloing is quite extraordinary, the best I’ve ever heard him play…RB claims to not like Jazz at all, but he’s playing some extraordinary free-form Jazz here. Incredible chromatic & diminished musical lines perfectly intertwine to put a very-new-twist-of-melody & energy into most of the tunes. Only a Master can do this well & pull-it-off successfully. Roger must have had a big smile on-his-face producing this effort.
I have often stated that RB went stale, hardly ever played any improvisation, & sounding consistently like he was simply going-through-the-motions. This recording proves me quite wrong, his playing is quite inspired.
It’s not all gravy however…RB’s ( & everyone else’s ) performance may be sublime, but his rigs sound doesn’t compliment the inspired playing for my tastes. And the recording is culled from several shows around the world which may not please everyone, since it now becomes a compilation live album. ( So what ) !
Roger did an amazing job selecting & producing all of these tunes & getting them sounding consistent to one-another, but the sound is centred, with every tune having varied degrees of stereo separation. (The album “Perfect Strangers” has similar production too, with little stereo separation).
If this recording is not in your collection yet, you’re missing-out !
Ciao !
August 19th, 2026 at 00:45I think its safe to say Ritchie not always knew what he needed/wanted.
He asked Craig to play more like Roger. He felt Craigs playing was too busy.
Bains playing wasnt too busy but somehow omitted on Rising.
Daisley was maybe a good compromis?
Although being a mix of Roger capacities, the writingskills, the good looks and no drugaddict, reliable and friendly he still wanted Roger appearantly.
And then he composed this insult to injury Rainbow reunion line ups and wanted a busy player like Glenn?
Once a fan said, having met RB, this man is weird.
August 19th, 2026 at 21:46@ 31 Truth be told Gregster! I always wondered why Nobody’s Perfect never really got much acceptance. It is a great album in my book. Maybe it’s because the 1 CD version has not many new songs to offer and many people would go “oh, I got those on Made in Japan anyway…”? I bought the 2 CD version plus the maxi single back in the day and I still give that stuff a spin now and again.
August 20th, 2026 at 07:34I never got the antipathy against NP either. It did what it said on the tin: being a fair representation of how DP sounded in the 80s – on a good night. Most of the songs were played a bit too fast, yet strangely so with less young men’s ferocity and commitment than in the 70s, but that is just how DP in the 80s sounded.
And Ritchie had exchanged the natural fluidity of his playing on MiJ against his more mannered Rainbow- and post-Rainbow style where every note had to somehow prove that it is him playing. That led to a less naturally grooving flow in his solos
August 20th, 2026 at 14:22which most people didn’t seem to mind but saw as a sign of evolving greatness and singularity. Ritchie began to overthink his style.
@ 31
August 20th, 2026 at 15:18Great suggestion.
For me, referencing Jesus Christ Superstar during SKOW, and Buddy Holly’s Everyday during WFT, are worth the price of admission alone. Not to mention Gillian’s stories in between songs. A good album overall.
Does anyone know if any of the shows were filmed?
RV, Glenn isn’t really a “busy” player, he’s a mix of 80% simplistic and 20% flashy fills which often only last a few seconds. If you look at the amount of notes played per minute, Roger wins most of the time (Glenn is acually restricted in his choice of notes, it is mostly root, fifths, minor sevenths and octaves). In the 70s Roger was very busy (he dumbed his playing down in the 80s, but slowly revovered when Steve joined), but he was busy in an unobtrusive way (sort of like Bill Wyman could be), while Glenn made sure he’s heard and felt irrespecitve whether he played sparsely or showed off. The difference between the two is more attitude than anything (plus Glenn’s love for choppy funk rhythms while Roger flows more). Roger provides a bed for everyone to settle in, Glenn pushes and pulls, yanks things around, leaves space – only to occupy it in the next second with one of his trademark fills or slides up the fretboard! 😂
One could be forgiven to think that Ritchie wanted Bob out to make room for Roger, but that is not how it was. Bob had a temporary contract and Ritchie obviously did not want to continue to pay him after the 1978 tour with REO had concluded (somewhat unsatisfactorily as “breaking the US market” went) and Ritchie went about restructuring Rainbow for some time. They did audition other bassists, inter alia Jack Green and Clive Chaman (at the behest of Cozy, Ritchie did not like Clive’s bass playing at all and according to David Stone skipped most rehearsals with him), but Ritchie wasn’t satisfied. The position of a bass player was still vacant when Roger arrived as a producer (NOT as a bassist) with Roger eventually starting to play bass to move the sessions along because no one else did. When Down to Earth was nearly finished, both Graham and Don raised the question why Roger would not be the new bassist, after all he had played all the parts? Ritchie was in two minds about it and only extended an offer to Roger after having consulted with Cozy who said he was fine with Roger’s bass playing.
So why let Bob Daisley go in the first place? Good question. Maybe Ritchie had gotten a whiff of the talks Ronnie and Bob were having on the tour with REO about a future of theirs OUTSIDE Rainbow, morale wasn’t very high backstage and the writing on the wall. Bob had said he was up for it and expected Dio to contact him after he (Dio) had left Rainbow, but the next thing Bob saw was that the little Italian had joined another, taller Italian in Black Sabbath! He was slightly miffed about it too. Not for long, Ozzy beckoned soon …
Daisely can hold back if that is part of his job description (it’s how he played both with Rainbow and Gary Moore) or let rip if people let him as he did with Chicken Shack, Widowmaker, Ozzy and Mother’s Army. As a bassist, he’s more disciplined and precise than Glenn and technically perhaps a touch more advanced than Roger, but the differences in ability aren’t all that great. They are all three in the upper spectrum of rock bassists and have more abilites than you would generally need in the types of music they played.
August 20th, 2026 at 15:35Damn, almost had finished a long answer regarding NOBODY S PERFECT et all , one wrong click and it all vanished.
Saw 4 HOBL shows, 3 great,1 dissappointing.
Saw several video s on YT that did translate the atmosphere but NP,I hated it.
Aside from messing with tapes et all and omitting parts of the setlist it looked bad and I rarely played it.
Wasnt waiting for HUSH
as well.Almost as annoying as Bludsucker.
Concerto 69 is THE version.
I know how Roger ended up in the band after he first was invited to join with Dio still on board.
We expected a lot in 84 but though exiting only during the RBRO shows it got close to it.
Both Ritchie and Paicey wised up and left behind what they served in the 80 s.
Saw 3 shows, not knowing it was ending………..
And unlike 1 of the editors of THS, who I met after the show in Essen ,he followed the band tru Europe with his truck I think,I thus remained at “home” after Rotterdam.
August 20th, 2026 at 20:04Yo,
@ 33, 34, & 35…
Good to see some appreciation for this understated gem. I originally had the LP version, & enjoyed it for sure, though I now kind-of wish that I’d grabbed the 2-CD version with a few extra tunes onboard, but maybe next-time ha-ha !
It’s possible & even likely that some shows were filmed I suggest gauging by the number of photos offered in the sleeve, perhaps one-day we’ll get some snippets. We must remember that JLT joined soon after this recording, & that possibly put a stop to any video releases, as there was now a new band to promote. And likely why “Nobody’s Perfect” didn’t get a chance to fully-bloom. It’s a ball-tearer for sure !
I’m the first to admit to confusion & disappointment with the band around this era. One minute your celebrating the reunion & a few great albums, & the next your receiving “Slaves & masters” featuring JLT as a birthday gift thinking WTF ???…( No offence to JLT, its just band circumstances became hard to swallow )…And then we get the sublime “The Battle Rages On”, only to have RB leave a little later on…
Confused & disappointed for sure, but that’s the rock’n roll circus for you lol !
Ciao !
August 20th, 2026 at 23:45For practical reasons in 88 I refrained from going to see them abroad.
I think after my first year living in the place my university was including a break up, one of these nasty events that always killed me ………………………………..
I was hoping for them to return,after all in 87 us Dutchies honoured them with buying into 2 shows.
But history tells me 88 was a weird extension of the HOBL tour in which they played (How many?)several shows but skipped us this time.
The recordings show me they were in fine form, so I dont know wtf went wrong.
Roger allegedly said to Gillan : ” This time you went too fat, Ian.”
He was fired by all of them.
Why?!
August 21st, 2026 at 20:28#31 Gregster:
Nobody’s Perfect is a piece of history that well reflects the imperfections and the sonic dirt that permeated Purple’s concerts in the 80s, it is the album that has gathered the most dust in my library.
It’s probably Roger’s worst production, but I don’t think it’s his fault.
For the record, Nick Blagona did not mix a note on this record.
I think the atmosphere at Purple concerts in the 80s was unforgettable in some ways, and much better if you were there in the audience, while all the band’s flaws were emphasized on bootlegs or albums.
Knebworth was a memorable event, but on CD the performance was unlistenable to me when I played it a few months ago, after years of not hearing it.
objectively the live standard with Steve was less dangerous, but much cleaner and more precise
August 22nd, 2026 at 12:59Yo,
@40 Fla76…
Oh for sure “Nobody’s Perfect” isn’t / wasn’t as spectacular as hoped by many, but there is glitter & shine that filters through imo…
Without any doubt, the tunes get better & better once you get to “Knockin’ at your back door”, but they all contain “something” that hasn’t ever been played before, & I tend-to-think that’s what RG was trying to bring-out in the recording, since he plays the tunes every-night & can identify these moments for us.
Generally, something is erratic or miss-placed with all the tunes, whether it’s wrong-notes, miss-steps in timing, or Jon playing the correct key-change & soloing through Lazy, but the rest-of-the-band staying in the previous key, I suggest RG wanted the surprise-of-the-moment to filter through here, warts & all…
The set-list is once again the “Machine Head” majority, & maybe we were all expecting something that bettered “Made in Japan” & were left feeling short-changed ?…
The album does display how the band can mess-up, & pick itself back-up however. And I recently viewed a graph displaying all the DP recordings in terms of sales, & “Machine Head” has apparently sold around 37-million copies, with “In Rock” the next best seller at around 7-million, which explains why we get so much material to this day from MH in concerts. You can’t ignore this massive elephant when discussing or deciding on set-lists.
I suggest that there are some quality fine moments from everyone within these tunes, you just have to listen carefully, & go beyond the errors. Certainly IG’s singing is in great form when compared to the bootlegs of the era that reveal a struggling & ailing voice, where “whoas” replace the falsetto-screams in “Child in time”.
And RB’s solos are quite unique, & differ greatly from most recordings, if at times bland, with no forethought given…eg, It’s like he’s caught off-guard in “Child in Time” but manages to get through it…But he also displays some extraordinary new melodic lines straight from the free-jazz world, that he likely couldn’t play twice if he tried lol.
Ian Paice plays many new fills & grooves at different tempos, that really change the way tunes come-accross. They’re all more upbeat than usual.
Jon’s solos & playing is quite different too, though some familiar territory is retained.
RG’s bass playing has its moments also, but mainly has never sounded better either, being fat, warm, powerful, loud, & yet quite clear & well defined. Plus he does a fine job in keeping-up with the madness, being the glue that keeps it all from falling apart.
It’s the way the band gets out of trouble that features here I think, & the tunes certainly have a new sound about them being displayed.
And at the time until the early 2000’s ( I think ), the only official live offering available until Sony released the 4 x CD set of the last gigs before RB left the band.
All that said, I must say that the best I’ve ever heard the band however was with Joe Satriani onboard, I’ll attach a link for everyone to enjoy. (No disrespect to anyone or present band circumstances, but this gig is really far-out, & for my tastes cements why I follow them to this day).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kobFmDfIRY
Ciao !
August 23rd, 2026 at 00:40Typo, guys. FAR, not FAT.
So, no pun intended .
But the typo made me recall a wild live pic of him that had the text ” Call Me fat and I ll break your back.”
I ll rip your spine out.” maby imspired this text but did he really say it?
August 23rd, 2026 at 13:35@41
August 24th, 2026 at 02:40Thanks for sharing the link to this amazing concert. What a jolt of adrenaline Satch was for our boys. They sound so rejuvenated. All of them. But Gillan seems unstoppable. Lucky those that got to witness it in person.
P.S. Does the recoding start to sound a bit muffled half way through the show, or it just me?
Knebworth was really rough (and not so much Ian’s voice as the band itself) – it is no wonder that album has never seen a reissue. I was surprised that it came out in its shape and form at all at the time. A chore to listen to indeed.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:25@41 – wow, that gig with Satch was amazing!
The recording shows how he fit into DP’s sound perfectly, taking a generous share of the spotlight while leaving space for the others to shine.
The entire band sounds energised and re-invigorated. Nice to hear Gillan sounding much more committed than on many of their 1993 tour recordings, on “Maybe I’m A Leo” and “Paint It Black”, in particular. Cool to hear Purple tackling “Satch Boogie” so enthusiastically as well.
Also love the faster tempos and the fact that they were able to cram so many tunes into the set.
Too bad about all the bits missing from various songs. Fingers crossed, maybe once the band retires the full show can be officially released.
August 24th, 2026 at 22:48Yo,
@41 Albania…
I’m glad you enjoyed & appreciate the gig like I do, & your words 100% reflect my POV too…
As for the sound through the middle-of-the-gig, I can’t comment since every-time I look for this Swiss show, different links appear, so I guess that there exists a few differing versions of it. It was a lucky-dip on my behalf for sure lol !
I simply remember that if the show opens with “Ramshackle Man”, it’s the best sounding one. (At least this is the case with the CD bootlegs I have of Mk-VI, though the You-Tube video shows I downloaded remain acceptable too). If you ever see the gig-date as 26th June 1994 offered, its the one that has the best sound imo ! Really good all the way through, with only one or two split-second flaws.
Generally however, all of the shows with Satch are really good, & that fresh energy really comes through loud & clear from everyone ! Even the poor bootlegs reveal this energy, but the Swiss shows certainly sound better than the Japanese shows that I’ve heard.
@44 Leiber Uwe…
The Knebworth show has appeared in a few different forms from memory, “In the absence of Pink” being one different title I think of the same show…The version I have sounds quite reasonable, but the show is regretfully one of the better-to-have-been-there gigs than listened to afterwards via bootleg…It found its way here in Oz via a local manufacturer named Grapefruit Productions, & was titled under their “Unauthorized” banner.
Ciao !
August 24th, 2026 at 23:53Frankly, I thought that a lot of the 1985 reunion gigs weren’t that great, it seemed to me that Purple were still getting into gear and were a little stiff from the long hiatus. Quality of the Australian gigs was variable, Mannheim in Germany was so-so and suffered from a breakdown of Jon’s Hammond (I understand Nürnberg was supposedly better), the widely broadcast Paris gig had Ian in a rough voice and Ritchie not at his most inspired, very sloppy and impatient with himself. Boots from the American leg of the Reunion Tour were again variable. And Knebworth was rough. There must have been great great gigs too, but I never heard them except one of the Australian ones where Ritchie really excelled during an extended KAYBD solo
All that changed with the THOBL tour, both gigs I saw then were excellent, the one in Frankfurt was in hindsight my best DP gig ever.
August 25th, 2026 at 13:54Yo,
@47…Leiber Uwe…
I’m glad that you were present at a great show in Frankfurt ! One wonders if it was bootlegged lol…Hmmm…
KAYBD is a great tune, but I’ve often wondered why RB changed the way he phrased the main riff in later shows, as the original way was great, & used to swing, his later way was…
You can quote Ian Pace for saying about the Mk-II shows “When it’s on, it’s on, there’s no middle ground here…It either works or it doesn’t”…(Joe, Steve & now Simon rectified that issue it would seem)…
Someone recently mentioned the enjoyment of listening to the 1970 Mk-II show, released & retitled from DP (overseas) live series as “Live in Stockholm 1970”, & I have to admit that it was a great show for sure, with lots of inspired moments from everyone. “Child in time” really shines, & is likely a more inspired version than that found on MiJ. It’s good when people say these things, as you go back & re-listen yourself ! I would have commented in that thread, but there’s been so many new threads open-up in recent weeks, that you get lost in the new ones !
One hopes that they get around to releasing the remaining discs from this series lol !
Ciao !
August 25th, 2026 at 22:38#48 Gregster:
You’re talking about KAYBD, but is there any song that Ritchie didn’t change every night in his free rock style in the 80s?
it was as if at that time he was intolerant of the “rules of the song” and wanted to continually escape in the name of having fun on stage.
Thinking about it, the Ritchie of the 80s was perhaps the exact opposite of the disciplined and Renaissance Ritchie of BN, this thing seems almost incomprehensible to me.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:30Yo,
@ 49…
One can really only get an assured answer to these issues from the man-in-black himself I think. All he has left us in recorded works is up-for-discussion I suppose, but that’s in reality limited to as whether we as listeners like what we hear or not.
I can’t comment about the BN material, as I don’t have any, since it doesn’t hit-the-spot for me, though I appreciate others like it.
I’ve learned that all the “Spinal Tap” moments within DP aren’t necessarily derived from RB, it’s simply made-to-look that way, probably since the media has done this since the early-days, & rather than shake-the-image-off, RB’s played along with it, & tried to turn it to his advantage perhaps. Sometimes this works, other times less-so.
His own DVD was an opportunity to set-all-matters-straight, but you can tell that with some points ( eg RG’s initial firing in 1972-73 ) he has trouble standing on solid honourable ground to validate decisions. He was young & testing the waters as to his powers within the band, & learned that he can push & shove / call-the-shots.
What the band has learned however, & we as fans too, is that the band is a strong one, regardless of who is singing or playing guitar. People may have preferences, but the results are by far more consistently positive since late 1993 imo. This is when the band evolved finally into a solid & reliable musical force, even if the historically correct “original riff-making-force” had made a final departure. That title will always remain for sure.
One could speculate that the Mk-II reunion was simply initiated by RB to see if the band could reignite its popularity, & so reignite his own career again too, since Rainbow was becoming irregular in its studio album deliveries…But the musical times were rapidly changing, & hard to keep-up-with. The days of hard-rock & guitar slinging were over by the 1980’s, at least as far as dominating the radio-waves & air-play are concerned. But even to-this-day, a good rock’n’roll band will briefly appear & have some success, simply because it’s new & fresh.
The band KISS & their career reflects these changes, failures & successes too. They went through a process or trying to reinvent themselves quite a few times to blend-in with the current trends, even by the late 1970’s…Thankfully they realized they didn’t have to change, & all they had to deliver was rock’n’roll in their own style to maintain success & keep their fans. DP perhaps realized the same thing too eventually, though it’s quite clear that everyone ( at least now ) likes to work & tour.
Ciao !
August 27th, 2026 at 00:12I’m one of those people who thinks that KISS should have never put the make-up back on after they took it off – except for maybe a one-off event or a short tour to satisfy fans.
With Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick especially, they had their best lead guitarists, and their music actually became more sophisticated in the 80s and most of the 90s:
https://youtu.be/HshQidqYxjg
https://youtu.be/yiSB7G732Eg
https://youtu.be/kfmrX_WlM2w
https://youtu.be/gdPJrFxn8X8
Going from this back to playing something like Strutter or Deuce … 🙄
Musically, the Kiss sans makeup era is hugely underrated.
https://youtu.be/SUi_Dtcg0C4
And I preferred the way they looked back then too. The makeup characters had run their course for me, it’s a bit infantile.
Admittedly, the “no kabuki makeup”-phase sometimes veered dangerously into Bon Jovi territory … 🤣
https://youtu.be/EZjevnnkA20
August 27th, 2026 at 13:19Yo,
@51…
I have been to a few KISS shows when they toured here in Oz, & I must admit the the “KISS MY ASS” tour circa 1996 or so was simply amazing. The stage had an Egyptian theme, no make-up was worn, & the whole place rocked all-the-way-through the gig. Both the new & old tunes sounded great. This remains one-of-the-best shows I’ve ever been to for sure.
Ciao !
August 27th, 2026 at 22:25I loved KISS when I was 12
Started with the attractive imageries, ROCKET RIDE and the alleged doctored ALIVE 1 and 2.
Got to see them in 96 but had a bad ticket, too far away. Though it had the effect to feel like stepping into a timemachine. Back to 1977.
Egyptian makes me think of an 8o s album. Hot in the shade?
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=8YGhPZ26Cgw&list=OLAK5uy_nvwqeBmOq8a8C2NrMSE_ktrVTnah7kux0
Think , I was too young during the peak in the 70 s, skipped seeing them live when DYNASTY arrived.
I WAS MADE FOR LOVING is a guilty pleasure.
But I thought if this is it now……
I dont want to go, yet not knowing the first ALIVE tracks d be taken on forever, in the 80 s as well.
I intended to make/burn a sampler of the best 80 s songs, never got around to it.
August 31st, 2026 at 16:10