Ritchie Blackmore joined Ian Gillan for “Smoke On the Water” at Deep Purple’s New York show on 12 August. It was Blackmore’s first performance with the band in 33 years.
Deep Purple’s encore at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, ran for six and a half minutes on 12 August. Ritchie Blackmore joined Ian Gillan for “Smoke On the Water”, his first appearance onstage with the band in more than three decades. The two musicians had spent years at odds.
The playing was uneven. Blackmore’s hands moved slowly through an erratic solo, while Gillan no longer reached the high notes that helped define his singing. The moment came from seeing them share the stage, smiling and joking together. Blackmore played one song at the end of the concert. It was a brief reconciliation, not a return to Deep Purple.
Blackmore, now 81, said he started the invitation by sending Gillan an “AI pigeon”. Gillan, also 81, lives in Portugal. He liked the idea of Blackmore joining for one song, and the rest of the band agreed. The contact came a few days before the show. Gillan passed Blackmore’s proposal on to the other members. In an interview with Guitar Player, Blackmore said he wanted to see old friends. They were all getting older, he said, and this might be their last chance to play together. Rolling Stone described the New York appearance as a historic reunion.
The split had shaped Deep Purple for decades. Blackmore founded the band in 1968. Gillan joined in 1969, as the group entered its most celebrated period. Deep Purple released In Rock in 1970, followed by Fireball in 1971. Machine Head arrived in 1972 with “Smoke On the Water”. Blackmore wrote the music for the song. Gillan wrote the lyrics with bassist Roger Glover. The song recounts the fire that broke out at the Montreux casino in December 1971 during a Frank Zappa concert. Keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice were also part of the Mark II lineup, alongside Gillan and Glover.
Gillan left in 1973. Blackmore later recruited David Coverdale, then quit Deep Purple in 1975 to form Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio. He returned to Deep Purple in 1984, but the tension continued. In 1989, Blackmore persuaded the other members to dismiss Gillan. Gillan returned in 1992. Blackmore left for good in November 1993. Mark II had reunited in 1984 and again in 1992, but both runs ended with further changes to the group.
Spanish fans have a particular connection to the band’s classic material through the 1972 live album Made In Japan.
At a 1985 concert at Rayo Vallecano’s ground, Blackmore stayed backstage during the encore, “Smoke On the Water”. Lord played the familiar guitar sequence on the organ instead.
José Galván, a Deep Purple specialist who has written two books about the band’s members, says Blackmore’s health has deteriorated. Galván says he has gout and back problems. He also cites osteoarthritis and migraine. Blackmore has cancelled all his concerts because he can barely play, Galván says. He sees the New York appearance as a final wish to settle differences with his former bandmate.
Blackmore and Gillan have long avoided each other or traded insults in interviews. In a 1998 interview with EL PAÍS, Lord said Blackmore had tried to make Deep Purple his own band after returning. The guitarist described the conflict as a struggle between two dominant personalities. In The Ritchie Blackmore Story, Brian May praised Blackmore’s technique and ranked him among rock’s finest guitarists.
Deep Purple is scheduled to play Barcelona on Monday and Madrid on Tuesday without Blackmore. The band will perform material from its 2026 album Splat!, released on 3 July and described as its 24th studio album. In 2026, Gillan remains in the lineup. Glover and Paice are also members. Don Airey plays keyboards, while Simon McBride is the guitarist. The lineup is designated Mark IX. Blackmore’s New York appearance was a guest performance, not a change to the group’s lineup.
Blackmore now plays mandolin and hurdy-gurdy in Blackmore’s Night, his medieval-folk duo with his wife, Candice Night. He also plays acoustic guitar in the duo.
