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Best laid plans come apart at the seams — April Fools

As our live calendar keeps filling up with strikeout, the anxiety levels keep rising in certain quarters about the fate of the upcoming Deep Purple tour which is scheduled to begin on May 31 — will it happen or will it not?

Well, we have learned today that it’s both a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’, in a way. The band has never been shy to play in dangerous situations, even being committed to play under the threat of an all out war breaking out. But this time it’s different, with many countries around the world closing their borders and imposing severe restrictions on public gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic. So the band decided to team up with the company called Eyellusion (the people behind the Dio hologram) and tour as their virtual selves. This will be the first on many levels, not least of which is the fact that while Ronnie’s hologram was computer generated, it was backed by a live band. This time not only the whole band will be virtual and represented by their holograms, but their audience as well.

Another advantage of hologram performance is that avatars do not have to be rendered precisely true to life — certain details and features can be omitted or deliberately altered. For example, a vocalist’s voice can magically obtain the range of his 25 year old self, or a guitar player arthritis can disappear.

Refunds for the tickets will apparently be available to those who don’t want any part of it. Those ticket holders who would like to see the shows will be invited to submit their own holograms via the company website to attend as virtual audience.

A virtual reunion with Blackmore was considered, but the company spokesperson said that accurately rendering water being tossed across the stage is beyond their computational capabilities at the moment. So that would be a ‘no’.

Thanks to Hubert Jesslilt for the info.



44 Comments to “Best laid plans come apart at the seams — April Fools”:

  1. 1
    Bob Backer says:

    Must be April 1 somewhere.

  2. 2
    Eric A. Eisenstein says:

    Had me. Until I read it to my son and realized the date in the UK. Well done!

  3. 3
    Stephen James Smith says:

    Love it. I had to read it twice before I realized Britain is 6hrs ahead of the US .

  4. 4
    Blackwood Richmore says:

    April fools… anyone?. 😉😊

  5. 5
    Michael Friedman says:

    There is no April 1st this year…. 🙃

  6. 6
    Lovely Lady Cakes says:

    What the What? Haha Xx ❤

  7. 7
    errolarias says:

    you must be joking.. this cannot be true.. you must be joking.. this cannot be true..you must be joking.. this cannot be true.. you must be joking.. this cannot be true..you must be joking.. this cannot be true.. you must be joking.. this cannot be true… And so on.. Is the only thing I feel capable of writing.. I am Speechless… Not only is the pandemic a sign that the end of the world is near , now this.. Embarrassing !

  8. 8
    Frank J Beltran says:

    Aprils Fools….nice one!

  9. 9
    Matti Alakulju says:

    I’m in! If the concert will be exactly one year from now!

  10. 10
    J H says:

    Very good! I almost got to the end before I got it!

  11. 11
    Arthur says:

    Checks date, ah yes, very good.

  12. 12
    cdag says:

    April’s fool no ?

  13. 13
    Rob says:

    More !! than ?!

  14. 14
    Adel Faragalla says:

    Seriously?!
    How can you justify paying for a ticket for seeing nothing real and you are at home.
    Its worse than paying for a tribute band.
    Give the fans their refunds it’s only fair. This is not a joke.

  15. 15
    Adel Faragalla says:

    Oh sugar… Its April’s fools. I fell for it.
    🤔😜

  16. 16
    Thibault says:

    Nice one guys !

  17. 17
    Harrie says:

    Whoooaaa!!!

    Tossing water across the stage On Wednesday March 32nd is of course way to difficult 🙂

  18. 18
    Janbl says:

    Nice try…

  19. 19
    NWO says:

    LMAO! We need a chuckle during these times. Good one!

  20. 20
    George Martin says:

    April fools time again!

  21. 21
    Hristo says:

    Ha, ha, ha

  22. 22
    Jack says:

    Mmmmmmm????
    I wonder what day it is????😂😂😂😂😂

  23. 23
    Uwe Hornung says:

    https://youtu.be/toonXjN2wTM

    : – ) Nuff said.

    You forgot to mention that Tommy und Jon will render a rare performance of Ode to “G”/This Time Around as well.

  24. 24
    DeeperPurps says:

    Happy April Fool’s Day!?!?!

  25. 25
    Rick says:

    Well, heh,heh, you had me till the middle of the second paragraph. Thanks for the laugh…it’s needed for sure.

  26. 26
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    Happy April Fools to you too!!!!! Good one… 😉

  27. 27
    John says:

    Not a very good April Fools Day attempt

  28. 28
    Wim says:

    And today is …….

  29. 29
    Rob Prior says:

    I hope they play two of my favourite Purple songs, “April” and “Fools”.

  30. 30
    mike whiteley says:

    Please Jesus !!
    Someone say “April Fool ” !

  31. 31
    Antonio Segura Lopes says:

    Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming Don´t forget Brasil

  32. 32
    Jeremy says:

    Looking forward to this. Hang on… What date is it?

  33. 33
    francis lavaud says:

    je pense qu’un hologramme n’à aucun intérêt….rien de mieux que le direct! la tournée doit être annulée tout simplement…

  34. 34
    Jouko Juntunen says:

    Stay safe, have a beer and try to relax.

  35. 35
    Podzilla says:

    I ran straight into it, well done 🙂

  36. 36
    Paul Bernays says:

    Blimey you had me there for more than just a moment. Well done and best wishes to all!

  37. 37
    Franz H. says:

    April fool!

  38. 38
    Kim Peters says:

    …whoosh!

  39. 39
    Micke says:

    You could go to jail for that joke in some countries..! 🙂

  40. 40
    George G Martin says:

    Here is the April fools I would have went with:

    Recently Ian Paice was interviewed about the new album “Whoosh” and upcoming tour. He was quoted saying. ” We are going to play about 5 new songs on this tour. Since we are playing And The Address Don had an idea to invite Nick Simper along. He has done some shows with him and they have become good friends. The idea is to encore with And The Address, Hush, Bass solo and Black Night. We figure we would bring Nick out for the encores and have Roger and Nick do the Bass solo together. Roger says that he’s really looking forward to this. I admit I was apprehensive at first but everyone’s on board with it so it’s ago”

    How’s that for an April fools!

  41. 41
    Janbl says:

    #29 – Nice one. 🙂

  42. 42
    Nick Soveiko says:

    George G Martin and everybody else:

    if you have any good ideas, next March get in touch with us privately

  43. 43
    George G Martin says:

    @ 42

    O.K. Nick, I always have these crazy ideas. You would not believe the stuff I make up in my mind.

  44. 44
    Nick Soveiko says:

    crazy ideas is what we can use 😉

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