Ritchie Blackmore Will Play Deep Purple’s Encore Tonight on Long Island

The announcement came in the offhand way these things sometimes do. During a livestream with his wife Candice Night, Ritchie Blackmore said he would join Deep Purple onstage tonight at the Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York. “Well, it is a secret, and I don’t want anybody to know,” he joked, “but I’m probably going up to do an encore with the band Deep Purple.”

Blackmore lives on Long Island. The band was passing through. He sent word to Ian Gillan in Portugal—he called it an “AI pigeon”—and asked if he could come up for just one song. “No pressure, just for old time’s sake. I’m 81 now.” The band agreed.

It will be his first appearance with Deep Purple since 1993. The current guitarist, Simon McBride, is, in Blackmore’s words, “a very good guitar player.” Blackmore has sent a roadie ahead to set up his own amplifier, a small 50-watt model he uses for recording, and he finally changed the strings on his Fender Stratocaster for the first time in over 25 years.

Physical limitations were a concern. Blackmore has four herniated discs in his lower back and received a steroid injection just to be able to stand with his instrument. A stool will be nearby if needed. He noted that Gillan “has his maladies, too.” The setlist choice is all but certain, and the moment will be fleeting, but the gesture is rooted in proximity and pragmatism, not grand design.