On the heels of announcing two Monsters Of Rock festivals in Germany, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore will bring his new version of Rainbow to the UK for one show next year – but not to the Download festival.
The former Deep Purple guitarist recently confirmed he was planning a temporary return to rock music from the renaissance-themed material of Blackmore’s Night.
The original band appeared at the first-ever Monsters Of Rock event at Donington in 1982, leading to speculation that the 2016 lineup might perform at Download, its successor festival.
Blackmore’s agent tells Metal Shock Finland, “Rainbow will only be playing three shows in 2016 – two in Germany and one in the UK. The UK performance will not be at Download. The show will be announced on November 2nd.”
While none Blackmore’s bandmates have been named yet, he’s suggested that none of them will be people he’s worked with before. He recently said the unknown singer he’d chosen was “a cross between Dio and Freddie Mercury.”
additional source: classicrock.teamrock.com
6 Responses
Word on the street is that his personal Wizard has advised against more than 3 shows in 2016 😉
(How much you want to bet his ringtone is “Greensleeves”)
Joking aside, I really want to see this show, and am dying to know who’s in this mystery band.
I’ll bet you anything Lars will be front row.
So it’s an unknown. Dang! I was hoping he’d return John West of Royal Hunt to the music scene. That guy can sing anything.
He’s starting adding shows. Maybe he’ll add more after the third one. His castle must be being renovated, or maybe exterminated for rats, trolls and dragons and therefore he has to stay out of it longer than first expected.
I had hope that he would do at least one show in New York so I could make the pilgrimage. Europe is a bit to far. This is a performance I have been waiting for since the mid 90’s. His guitar playing with BN has been and still is extremely good . There is no doubt in my mind that once he gets a taste of it again and feels he has a band that is worthy, he will cut an album and tour.
Maybe a phone call from Warren Haynes to get him to join in with Government Mule on a evening of Rainbow and DP covers will do it.
Ritchie is probably still upset that Purple is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet, so no US date!