DEEP PURPLE

Deep Purple shine in Abbotsford as Don Airey delivers breathtaking keyboard work that defines the night.

There’s a strange kind of loyalty that comes from following a band for decades without ever seeing them live. You age with them. You watch members quit, fade away, or pass on. You wonder if the stars will ever align for that one night where you finally stand in the same room as the music that shaped you. Meanwhile, half the bands from the ’70s and ’80s are either retiring, limping along, or embarrassing themselves with performances that tarnish everything they once were. Some lineups are so swapped-out they’re basically tribute acts cashing in on a legacy.

But tonight? Tonight was different. Tonight was Deep Purple — a band that’s been on my radar for what feels like geological time — finally rolling into Abbotsford, Canada, ten minutes from my front door. They’re touring North America with Jefferson Starship and Kansas, and there was no universe where I wasn’t walking into the Rogers Forum Arena on a Wednesday night for this one.

Deep Purple formed in 1969 and somehow have 24 albums under their belt. They’re currently supporting their 2026 release SPLAT! — and I figured we’d hear a few cuts from it. The real thrill, though, is that the band is still shockingly intact. Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, and Roger Glover — the core trio — have been at this since 1970. Fifty‑six years. Let that sink in. No Ritchie Blackmore these days (though he made a surprise cameo at a recent show), but guitarist Simon McBride, age 47, looks like a teenager standing beside these octogenarian legends. And then there’s Don Airey, the keyboard wizard who stepped in for Jon Lord back in 2002. Airey is a hard‑rock institution — Rainbow, Ozzy, Priest, Whitesnake, Gary Moore — you name it, he’s played on it.

They walked on stage one by one and detonated the night with “Highway Star.” Something was off with Gillan’s vocals on that opener — maybe a rough warm‑up, maybe just the challenge of starting a show with a sprint — but they locked in quickly. A newer track from the =1 album followed, McBride joked about his tea‑drinking cat, and then they dove into “Into the Fire” from Deep Purple in Rock.

And here’s the shocker: Ian Gillan at 81 still sounds good. No, he’s not hitting the banshee screams of the ’70s, but his tone is solid and confident. Paice remains a rhythmic institution, still swinging like he’s 20. Glover’s bass lines are warm, punchy, and unmistakably Purple. Seeing these three still delivering the goods is surreal.

McBride got his moment next — an extended solo that proved he’s not just filling Blackmore’s shoes, he’s wearing them comfortably. The tone, the phrasing, the cleanliness — he nailed it all night.

Then came the new material: “Arrogant Boy” and “Diablo” from SPLAT! During “Diablo,” Kansas vocalist Ronnie Platt and Jefferson Starship’s Cathy Richardson joined in, though the microphones decided to stage a rebellion. Technical gremlins aside, it was a cool crossover moment.

Purple’s stage setup is old‑school — gear pushed to the back, drums tucked in tight — but flanked by massive lighting rigs that leave nowhere to hide. And honestly, they didn’t need to.

Because the show‑stealer, without question, was Don Airey. His keyboard work was jaw‑dropping. Not one solo — two. And during the second, he slipped in that iconic “Mr. Crowley” intro he originally recorded for Ozzy. The man is a monster. Versatile, tasteful, explosive. One of rock’s most criminally underrated musicians, and Abbotsford got a full masterclass.

Airey then launched straight into “Perfect Strangers,” one of Purple’s heaviest and most atmospheric tracks — easily my highlight of the night. From there, they hit the classics: “Space Truckin’,” and of course, the rite of passage for every guitarist on earth, “Smoke on the Water.”

They closed with the instrumental “Guinnesis” from SPLAT! and a throwback to 1967 with Joe South’s “Hush,” complete with a go‑go dancer backdrop that made the arena feel like a time machine.

Walking out, I felt that bittersweet mix you get when witnessing legends who may not pass this way again. Twelve years since their last visit — who knows if they’ll return? They’re one of the oldest active classic‑rock bands on the planet, and time is undefeated. But tonight, they were vibrant, talented, and absolutely worth the wait.

Bucket list: filled. Heart: full. Deep Purple: still magic.

Setlist:

1. Highway Star
2. A Bit on the Side
3. Into the Fire
4. Guitar Solo
5. Arrogant Boy
6. Lazy Sod
7. Lazy
8. When a Blind Man Cries
9. Diablo
10. Keyboard Solo
11. Perfect Strangers
12. Space Truckin’
13. Smoke on the Water
14. Guinnesis
15. Hush