Well, stick Smoke on the Water on full blast and warn the neighbours β because something is happening tonight that rock fans have been waiting more than THREE DECADES to see.
Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore is set to perform with Deep Purple again for the first time in 33 years.
Yep.
RITCHIE. BLOODY. BLACKMORE.
Back with Deep Purple. On an actual stage. With an actual Stratocaster. In 2026.
Someone check whether hell has frozen over. π₯πΈ
Blackmore has revealed that he plans to make a special guest appearance during Deep Purpleβs concert at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, on Wednesday, 12 August 2026. (BLABBERMOUTH.NET)
And according to reports, this isnβt the beginning of some enormous reunion tour β Blackmore is expected to join his former bandmates for one song. (GuitarPlayer)
One song.
One night.
Thirty-three years in the making.
Thatβll do nicely, mun.
πΈ THE MAN IN BLACK RETURNS
For younger rock fans, itβs difficult to overstate just how important Ritchie Blackmore is to the Deep Purple story.
Blackmore co-founded the band in 1968 and helped create a guitar sound that would influence generations of hard rock and heavy metal musicians.
Weβre talking about the bloke responsible for one of the most recognisable guitar riffs ever committed to tape.
You know the one.
DAH-DAH-DAAAAAHβ¦ DAH-DAH-DA-DAAAAAHβ¦
Even somebody whoβs never deliberately listened to Deep Purple has probably wandered into a guitar shop and heard someone attempting it.
Yes, weβre talking about βSmoke on the Waterβ.
But reducing Blackmore to that riff would be like describing Lemmy as βthat bloke with the moustache.β
His playing was absolutely fundamental to Deep Purple classics including βHighway Starβ, βBurnβ, βSpace Truckinβ, and countless others, mixing blues, classical influences, aggression and that unmistakable Blackmore swagger.
He didnβt merely play guitar.
He made the bloody thing sound dangerous. β‘
π 33 YEARS SINCE BLACKMORE PLAYED WITH DEEP PURPLE
The significance of tonight becomes even clearer when you realise just how long itβs been.
Blackmore hasnβt performed with Deep Purple since 1993. (Guitar World)
Thirty-three years.
Britpop hadnβt properly exploded.
Nobody had an iPhone.
Spotify wasnβt even a twinkle in anyoneβs eye.
Download Festival didnβt exist.
And somewhere in Wales, somebody was probably complaining about the rain.
Actually, that last bit definitely hasnβt changed. π§οΈπ
Blackmoreβs final period with Deep Purple came around the bandβs 1993 album The Battle Rages Onβ¦, the final studio album recorded by the classic Mark II line-up of Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice.
But behind the scenes?
Things werenβt exactly what youβd call tidy.
π₯ BLACKMORE AND DEEP PURPLE: ROCKβS GREAT COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP
If youβve followed Deep Purple for any length of time, youβll know the relationship between Blackmore and the band has rarely been straightforward.
Particularly when it comes to Blackmore and frontman Ian Gillan.
The pair produced some phenomenal music together, but their relationship became famously combustible.
Creative disagreements.
Personality clashes.
Arguments.
Walkouts.
Basically everything required for a proper legendary rock band.
Blackmore eventually departed during Deep Purpleβs 1993 European tour.
His final concert as a member took place in Helsinki on 17 November 1993, after which guitar legend Joe Satriani stepped in to help Deep Purple complete their touring commitments. (Wikipedia)
Satriani was followed by Steve Morse, whose remarkable tenure with the band lasted for decades.
These days, the guitar position belongs to Simon McBride.
But Blackmoreβs shadow has always remained.
Because regardless of who has subsequently occupied that side of the Deep Purple stage, there is only one Ritchie Blackmore.
π€ βITβLL BE GOOD TO SEE THE OLD GUYS AGAINβ
Perhaps the most heartwarming element of the whole story is that this doesnβt appear to be about launching some enormous money-spinning reunion.
Blackmore indicated that heβs doing it essentially for old timesβ sake, with the guitarist reportedly saying:
βItβll be good to see the old guys again.β (GuitarPlayer)
Come on.
Thatβs lovely.
After all the arguments, departures, interviews and decades of speculation, weβve arrived at the point where one of rockβs most famously unpredictable guitarists is apparently going:
βAh sod it, Iβll pop down and play a tune with the boys.β
Rock βnβ roll can occasionally be wholesome.
Donβt tell anyone. ππ€
πΆ AND WHAT SONG COULD IT BE?
Reports indicate Blackmoreβs appearance is planned for one song. (GuitarPlayer)
And thereβs one gigantic purple elephant standing in the room.
βSMOKE ON THE WATERβ.
Surely?
If youβre bringing Ritchie Blackmore onto a Deep Purple stage after 33 YEARS, there arenβt many riffs capable of carrying the sheer weight of that moment.
Imagine it.
Deep Purple reach the encore.
Lights drop.
Crowd roaring.
Then somebody walks towards the stage.
That silhouette appears.
A Stratocaster comes out.
And thenβ¦
DAH. DAH. DAAAAAAAH.
Jones Beach might need rebuilding afterwards.
π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯
πΈ MORE THAN JUST ONE GUITAR SOLO
Whatever Blackmore ultimately plays, the importance of this reunion goes far beyond hearing another guitar solo.
Itβs about seeing two enormous pieces of rock history reconnect.
Deep Purple helped lay the foundations upon which hard rock and heavy metal were built.
Alongside bands such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, Purple took blues-based rock, turned the amplifiers up until the walls started sweating and helped define what heavy music could become.
Blackmoreβs guitar work was a huge part of that revolution.
Generations of guitarists followed.
Hard rock followed.
Heavy metal followed.
Thousands upon thousands of teenagers bought guitars and immediately annoyed their parents trying to learn Smoke on the Water.
The ripple effect is enormous.
So seeing Blackmore standing alongside Deep Purple again isnβt merely nostalgia.
Itβs watching one of rock musicβs great circles finally close.
π―οΈ ONE PERSON WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED
Of course, seeing Blackmore reunited with surviving members of Deep Purpleβs classic era will inevitably bring thoughts of the late Jon Lord.
The legendary keyboard player and Deep Purple co-founder died in 2012 aged 71. (Wikipedia)
Lordβs Hammond organ wasnβt simply decoration behind Blackmoreβs guitar.
Those two instruments frequently fought each other.
Guitar versus Hammond.
Blackmore versus Lord.
Riff versus riff.
It was glorious.
That musical chemistry helped create the sound of classic Deep Purple, and Lordβs absence will undoubtedly be felt during such a historic moment.
But somewhere amongst all that nostalgia, you suspect thereβll be a massive amount of affection too.
π₯ DONβT START BOOKING THE REUNION TOUR JUST YET
Naturally, the second news like this appears, rock fans immediately start doing what rock fans do best.
Speculating wildly.
FULL REUNION?!
UK SHOWS?!
DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL?!
NEW ALBUM?!
Steady on, butt. π
Everything currently reported points towards this being a special one-song appearance, rather than Blackmore permanently returning to Deep Purple. (GuitarPlayer)
And thatβs absolutely fine.
Sometimes one moment is enough.
Thereβs something beautifully appropriate about Blackmore returning without some enormous six-month promotional campaign surrounding it.
Just one night.
One stage.
One song.
Old bandmates together again.
Proper job.
π ROCK HISTORY IS HAPPENING TONIGHT
There are certain moments in rock music that fans simply assume theyβll never see.
Bands split.
People fall out.
Decades disappear.
Life moves on.
And eventually you accept that some chapters are permanently closed.
Ritchie Blackmore performing with Deep Purple again felt like one of those chapters.
Until now.
Tonight, 12 August 2026, at Jones Beach in New York, that chapter is apparently opening again β even if itβs only for a few glorious minutes. (BLABBERMOUTH.NET)
For the people lucky enough to have tickets without knowing this was coming?
You jammy sods.
Get those phones charged.
Get those voices ready.
And soak up every bloody second.
Because when Ritchie Blackmore walks onto a Deep Purple stage for the first time since 1993, youβre not simply watching another encore.
Youβre watching rock history.
And if that famous riff suddenly comes roaring through the PA?
Crank it.
Raise the horns.
And give the neighbours absolutely no choice in the matter.
WELCOME BACK, RITCHIE. πΈππ₯
π€ THE RIFF REPORT
What do you reckon, rockers?
Is Ritchie Blackmore rejoining Deep Purple the rock reunion moment of 2026?
And more importantlyβ¦
What ONE Deep Purple song would you want Blackmore to play?
Smoke on the Water? Highway Star? Space Truckinβ? Child in Time?
Get amongst it.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Zero Apologies. ππ€
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene specialβfrom legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether heβs battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, heβs always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When heβs not writing or interviewing artists, youβll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than musicβtheyβre about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Thatβs exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. π€