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North American tour confirmed

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Tourdates for the North American tour have been confirmed by Deep Purple’s management. The tour will start on July 12 in Atlanta, and proceed to Midwest, via Canada to East Coast, resume on August 12 in California, work it’s way to Texas and conclude in Dallas on August 25. Check our tourdates page for complete listings and ticket info.



46 Comments to “North American tour confirmed”:

  1. 1
    Moe says:

    No Toronto date?!

  2. 2
    Rich says:

    Is that ALL the dates or will more be added?

    With all of the
    overseas dates (literally years spent in europe), DP management thinks it “wise” to spend only a month and a half in all of the US???

    Is DP management trying to kill the US fan base?

  3. 3
    Dave says:

    Is there any chance they will play anywhere around Cincinnati, Louisville or in that general area?? South Bend is 3-4 hours away, but that is where I will go if I need to!! On the last tour they played in Louisville at the Palace, which was a great venue, so go play there on this tour, please!!!!!

  4. 4
    jesse says:

    Or How about alberta? I’ve been waiting since 04′ to see these guys again. 🙁

    They should play at least from july-october

  5. 5
    rob says:

    what happened to deep-purple.com ???

  6. 6
    Jim says:

    Where is the Toronto date? Purple have always made a point of a stop in T.O., why not this time? Only three Canadian dates, common guys we deserve better than this.

  7. 7
    Don says:

    This is very disappointing. I can’t believe that they’re only playing three Canadian dates. If that’s the best they can do, I say get a new agent.

  8. 8
    Rich says:

    Keep in mind that this is NOT the Band’s fault. It is DP’s management who is too blame for a lack of dates…

    They also might be returning sometime in ’08, although the THS statement makes it sound like this will be THE only North American tour.

    I’m just surprised that the US would be ignored so. DP hasn’t played here in 3 years.

  9. 9
    George Martin says:

    Why does Deep Purple management always seam to have the US tour during the summer months? I don’t know about the rest of the world but summertime is when everyone goes away on vacation. When they complain the venues are only about 80 – 90% full is it any wonder. They seam to tour for about 2 1/2 months then take off about 6 weeks before going out on the road again. Why not set the schedule so they play until the end of June then take July and August off and start up again in September? I can understand it if they were playing Jones Beach or PNC Bank Arts Center then they would not have much choice because they are both outside venues. This year they are playing Radio City Music Hall and The House Of Blues in Atlantic City which are both indoors so why have them scheduled in July and August? This will be the 1st time since the mid seventies I will miss a Deep Purple tour and that really stinks! I hope more shows are added at the end of August into the start of September. Has anybody else noticed that by the end of this year they will have been in Germany and France like 3 different times? Come on Rog and Steve you both live in the states so so speak up for your fellow countrymen.

  10. 10
    Sammy Romeo says:

    How bout a stop in Louisiana? DP hasn’t played Baton Rouge since 1970!!!! You do have fans here, give us a chance to see you. I shouldn’t have to drive all the way to Houston to see the greatest band in the world!!!

  11. 11
    James Gemmell says:

    One poster said Purple only plays summer dates in the U.S. Purple played a winter tour in 2004 in the U.S. I saw a magnificent show at the State Theatre in Detroit. Thin Lizzy was the warm-up band. Another poster said it’s been three years since DP played in the States. They played before 50,000 at FoxFest in Ionia, Michigan, in June 2005, and performed around the Midwest, etc., that year, including the ‘Live 8’ show near Toronto. Having said all that, I agree that it does appear as if Purple’s new record company based in Germany has pretty much given up on the U.S. I mean, dozens of dates in Germany, France, et al., in Europe. It’s amazing that the ‘Rapture of the Deep’ album came out in 2005, and DP is just now getting around to playing North America. It’s kind of silly to still call it the ‘Rapture’ tour, though, 20 months after the album was released. But I can understand the business side of it. There has to be a big enough audience to warrant a tour, and ‘classic’ bands can’t draw big crowds by themselves anymore, unless they’re one of the groups/artists that still has a huge name in North America, like the Stones, Bruce Springsteen, U2, The Who, Aerosmith, e.g. The not-so-big older bands pigeon-holed with the ‘classic rock’ label by the huge corporate radio conglomerates like Clear Channel Radio and Citadel rarely can get their new music played on the radio. Scheduled lists of music that must be played each hour are faxed from a desk at headquarters in Louisville or wherever to all of the rock stations’ program directors in the corporate chain, and every one of those stations must play those same old songs over and over. Disc jockeys are largely not allowed to play listener requests, just the same 30-year-old tunes, as decided by a bean-counter corporate consultant. The bean counters claim that their consultants’ surveys show that’s what listeners want. Of course, those surveys are biased and flawed. If these corporate radio giants and record industry wags would promote ‘classic’ bands’ new music, which is what fans really want, maybe we would buy the albums, and turn out to concerts, like in the old days. Meanwhile, the only way ‘classic’ bands can draw a decent concert audience in the U.S. anymore is if they’re on a summer festival docket with other ‘classic’ acts, or if they’re one of the few huge names that still draws big crowds. It’s a sad state of affairs, and the record companies & corporate radio chains have themselves to blame.

  12. 12
    Svante Pettersson says:

    People, let’s remember one thing: a band like Deep Purple does not sit down with a map and says “ok, let’s go to Indiana but let’s skip Atlanta”. There has to be a promotor with a reasonable venue that wants the band. Then schedules need to be synchronised and if the planets align, there will be a show. And if a band can sell more tickets in Europe and/or Asia, of course they will play more often there! Right now, France seems to be the hottest place to go if you want to catch DP. Maybe you should treat your wives to a little romantic vacation? 🙂

  13. 13
    MrPtheDPfan says:

    Did notice that they’re in California with a Fri Sat 8/10 8/11 open . That can’t last . There has to be some big outdoor show where they could play support you would think .If I had the dough to book them somewhere good , I’d do it . Also have a hole on the 14th & 15th . I heard a rumor about the Warfield Theatre in SF on Wed the 15th . Would be a blast ! http://ksvy.org/shows/MrP.htm In a true R&R Heaven , there’s always a vacant seat .

  14. 14
    Jim O'Brien says:

    As pointed out by Svante, it is not DP’s fault or the management, the people with the tour venues have to invite them in so to speak. As one poster put it, most of the mainstream rock radio stations here in the states are controlled by only one or two companies (like most or out overall media which is why most get there one-sided view of the news- Pravada/FOX) and the same is becoming truer for the venues as well- both PNC and Jones Beach are controlled now by one booking agency. Yes, it has been 3 years since the guys did a major DP tour (I saw them at the Beacon in March of 2004 and at the PNC in August of 2004), but there has been Ian’s first mini tour of the states and numerous mini tours by Steve (I still say a great show would be Ian, Roger, and Steve do a package tour of the states with their solo bands.) A friend of mine just opened a small venue in Bayonne called the Arts Factory and called Ian’s management about playing it and, as said earlier, that is all it takes. I don’t know if Ian will, but Michael Lee Jackson did give him a call back to discuss the possibility. So once again, don’t blame the band or management, I am sure they would love to play a lot more in the states, blame the corporate, sheep-like mindset of American society. If you complain about the “classic rock” format of mainstream radio, search out public radio stations that do play new material (here in NY area- WFUV- 90.7 FM), support independent venues, learn to think and act in a nonsheep-like fashion.

  15. 15
    Rich says:

    The 15th at the Warfield works for me. 🙂

    I love the venues where you are rewarded for arriving early.

  16. 16
    panos says:

    iam waiting to come deep purple in greece….
    wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?????????????????

  17. 17
    George Martin says:

    I do realize that not all Purple USA tours are in the summer, I too have seen them in the winter on the Bananas and Perpendicular tours, however as I look at all the ticket stubs I’ve saved throughout the years ( about 25 ) most of them are from June to August and I agree Classic Rock Radio stinks. There is no reason why Rapture of the Deep should not be played on American radio stations. Just listen to MTV from Rapture of the Deep that says it all.

  18. 18
    James Gemmell says:

    Agreed, George. That ‘MTV’ tune contains some of the greatest lyrics I’ve ever heard. Absolutely brilliant – and true. To branch off subject somewhat, it seems that corporate greed has killed the golden goose in so many facets of American entertainment over the years. I’m dating myself here, but anyone who was around in the 1970’s knows what incredible excitement there was surrounding the Muhammad Ali/Joe Frazier/George Foreman/Ken Norton boxing matches, Howard Cosell on the microphone, all that. Now, you have all of these silly, watered-down weight divisions, and no big fight is ever shown on free TV. The World Series used to be show on daytime TV, now kids can’t watch the games because they don’t get over until 1:30 a.m. I could go on and on, but you get my point. It’s the same with the music business, and to a lesser degree, the movie industry. It used to be you could hear a far range of music on the same channel; it wasn’t uncommon to hear a Neil Diamond tune on the same channel as a Led Zep track. Now the radio – and satellite – dials have become fragmented (separated) with too many options. I mean, freedom of choice is great, to a certain point. But nobody you run into at work or wherever likes or listens to the same stations or music hardly; nobody hardly watches the same channels. People have less in common and less to talk about. That’s why Monday Night Football – once a huge event on TV – was moved from ABC to cable-TV. Too much competition. I don’t know what the solution might be for TV, but for radio chains, satellite operators and record companies, it seems the thing to do would be to stop ignoring so-called “classic rock” bands’ new music. Take a chance and nvest in promoting original music again.

  19. 19
    Jim Stoff says:

    I am thankful that DP are coming to states at all. The way they are treated on the “real rock radio” station where I live you would think that SOTW was the only song they ever penned! We will drive 6 – 8 hours if we have to, we have done it in the past. DP and their fans are the best.

  20. 20
    George Martin says:

    James, I think the reason why I get upset with this short American tour and Purple spending so much time over in Europe is because lets face it no one is getting any younger. Myself included. If the members of Purple were in there mid fifties I’d figure there’s still plenty of time to see them. How many more albums and tours do they have left? I figure they have about 5 years left, maybe. By then they will be in there mid sixties and we can’t expect much more after that. I don’t want it to end ever but the clock keeps ticking for all of us. To everyone out there go see them while you still can!

  21. 21
    ormandy says:

    August 15th at the Warfield works for me too.

  22. 22
    MICHAEL O'DONNELL says:

    THE WAIT FOR THE RAPTURE OF THE DEEP TOUR HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING IT SEEMS LIKE THE AMERICAN FAN BASE HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN. LAST CAUGHT PURPLE AT THE BEACON THEATER IN 2004 GREAT ACOSTICS/BEST SHOW IN YEARS. THE JONES BEACH CONCERTS ARE PIPIFUL THE VENUE IS HORRIBLE AND THE SOUND IS ATTROCIOUS THE ONLY REASON I GO IS TO SEE PURPLE. I BEEN TO APPROXIMATELY 50 SHOWS SINCE 1973 AND AGREE WITH GEORGE MARTIN THAT THE BOYS AREN’T GETTING ANY YOUNGER AND ALTHOUGH I’M ESTATIC AND WAITING FOR AUGUST 7th RADIO CITY TO ARRIVE IT’S BEEN WAY TO LONG OF A WAIT TO SEE THE GREATEST ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD.

  23. 23
    sterling says:

    One more thing. Hey, Band! You say you don’t like the classic rock label. Then drop the classic rock openers like Thin Lizzy. Get some new, hungry young bands. You did it with your producer. Do it with your openers. Take a chance, Yeah, they might show you up but that just raises the bar. You guys are up to it.

    Sometimes DP sounds too comfortable. I slip them on like an old favorite sweater. And really, that’s my fault because I haven’t asked for more. But you know a bit of dangerousness would be good for us fans. Morse doesn’t have to wind his guitar around a stack. But take a chance and open it up guys. Give us a chance to get scared.

    If its takes some young punks as openers to do it, then go for it.

  24. 24
    scott w. says:

    yep, i will drive to the gay area for the warfield show. seen them there twice. nice venue. i will not drive 500 miles to see them in L.A. sorry. not unless a certain person was playing guitar….

  25. 25
    Victor says:

    I’m with Sterling with regard to making the shows a bit more “dangerous” so to speak. An up and coming band would definitely create some excitement. Better yet, how bout DP playing all Morse era material; (except of course, Battle Rages On, which I’ve never heard live) and save the Machine Head stuff for an encore. Because I live in the Bay Area I will make that show irregardless of what they play. However, any other dates, will depend on the material they choose to play. Like Scott, I won’t travel to LA or Phoenix or anywhere else to hear a show with the Machine Head material making up the bulk of the show. Done that already!! I love the new stuff. Love Perpendicular, Love Abandon, Love Bananas & I love Rapture. This is the Purple I want to hear!!!!

  26. 26
    Tom Green says:

    It’s no wonder they aren’t playing many American dates. Audiences there only want to hear Machine Head and Hush. And in Europe, they play venues five times the size. The US fanbase has diminished terribly.

  27. 27
    Adel Faragalla says:

    I think people need to make an effort to see their favourite bands. They do not have to play at your door steps to go and see them. I saw DP three times this year out side England where I live and they were awesome in fact they made the support bands look and sounds very old and dated.
    Hi guys if you like DP music do not put obstacles in your way just go and enjoy yourself.

  28. 28
    As Befuddled As Usual says:

    I think this Tour is a stop gap to fill in for something that did not materialise.

    I think I remember reading on Blabbermouth that there were plans to tour with Def Leppard, but something went wrong.

    I think it was cited as a reason for DP not appearing on the same bill as DL at a festival sometime in July.

    Anyone know any more or better??!! :):)

  29. 29
    Patric Burkhardt says:

    The last 2 albums charted in a lot of European countries /at least top 20. Also a lot of young folks attends the shows now.

  30. 30
    cranberry says:

    Its the managements fault………….blah blah blah……….So Deep Purple dont control their management??………………the management controls Deep Purple?? They go where their told, and do what their told?? Oh Please!!

    Dont put obstacles in the way, just go and enjoy yourself…..blah blah blah………….Lets all spend a fortune chasing Purple venues right across the planet, and for what?? These days we get little more than an hour of the boys on stage!!

    My theory is the boys are ‘retirement touring’………’taking the money and running’. The end is nigh!!

  31. 31
    T says:

    We here in Kansas City just broke the record for the most guitarists playing “Smoke on the Water” at once. It would be nice if they could slide in a KC date. Nearly 2,000 of us played the tune…how many more would come to a concert who can’t play guitar?

  32. 32
    Rich says:

    According to this…

    http://www.deep-purple.net/tourdates2001/Tourdates2007.html

    …DP will be playing the Warfield on the 15th.

  33. 33
    Rénald Desrochers says:

    Merci de vous arrêter à Québec.

    La dernière fois, quelle magie…., avec Emerson, Lake & Palmer, sur la magnifique scène de l’Agora, en plein air sur le bord du fleuve.

    Les passagers du bateau de croisière qui arrivait doivent en parler encore.

    Ne vous arrêtez surtout pas…

  34. 34
    Ron says:

    What about a stop in Indianapolis? It’s been a few years. The Murat
    Theatre would be great. South Bend is three hours away. Don’t tell
    me Charlie Weiss and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish pulled this off!!

    Come to Indy and bring Thin Lizzy with you!

  35. 35
    Joe says:

    HEY GEORGE MARTIN,

    I AM NOT COMPLAINING BUT TRY GOING TO A
    OUTDOOR CONCERT IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY IN SOUTH FLA.

    ( POMPANO BEACH AMPHITHEATER SAT.JULY 14TH )

    I’LL BE THERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  36. 36
    mary long says:

    the american tours from 96-2001 were great, different songs(fireball, maybe im leo, pictures, fools, when a blind man cries, mary long) differents set lists and a little bit of new stuff thrown in with the classics(purpendicular and abandon) Since then, the set list has gotten more predictable, much less newer stuff played with the exception of the touring album, the shows have gotten smaller in time played, and the fan base has also shrunk. All part of the corporate greed that plagues the states and makes it difficult for the older bands to get played never the less promoted…

  37. 37
    George Martin says:

    Respose to Joe: Hey Joe, I would love to go to that show or any one for that matter. I was not complaining about the summer heat, I was complaining about missing the concerts because of being away on vacation. By the time I get to Florida they will be gone and they will be where I live when I’m there. I’ve done 12 hours straight at Disney World in August so the heat does not bother me. You should be happy you are going, I am pretty much out of luck. This is why I wish they would tour the states any other time of year than the summer. It is impossible to make vacation plans when they tour during the summer. I’ve been lucky in the past but this time my luck has run out. Enjoy the show!

  38. 38
    sterling says:

    Cranberry,

    There is a ring of, oh, if not truth, then perhaps fate in your comment. The emphasis on Machinehead may well be pandering to a lowest common denominator – a “maximize bums in seats and pay the mortgage” mentality. And your comment on DP and not management being the driver is likely true in some larger context.

    So yes, let’s enjoy the music and count ourselves fortunate to have heard this band in any form (excluding the fake ’80 version).

    But I do miss the dangerous times, those times when excitement and mayhem, and not perfect production, were the objective. I love live rock in all its forms, but I really love it when the band strives to surpass itself. When I listen to my old DP boots thats what I hear. Nevermind who is playing, the overwhelming sense I get is a band that is striving to be a whole lot better than it actually is, a band pushing itself and fearkesskt taking amazing chances. Which is great, because they were (still are) great players and a great band. So that battle makes for extraordinary listening. It doesn’t always work, but its not for lack of spirit or talent.

    Just listen to the ’72 3 CD set recorded live in Japan. A number of different takes on most of the songs – some are amazing, some just good. But what’s amazing is how the band, within a three day period (give or take), could produce such great variations on the material.

    And this is what the current line up lacks. Maybe it has to do with youth, and my expecting too much of a band that on average is old enough to be my kids grandfather. Perhaps being professional musicians squeezes the life out of the music and reduces the risk taking. I said earlier I didn’t expect Morse to wrap his guitar around a stack. But my God, imagine if the band exuded that level of emotion today. Screaming feedback, instruments stressed to breaking limits, kits toppling, amplifiers overheating (even without accelerants). Sometimes I think Gillan has it, but he has no means of expressing it.

    The production of good product shouldn’t be confused with good rock. The last two DP shows I saw were fun, family affairs. Apple or Pepsi banners would not have been out of place. My three nine year olds would have been comfortable. But I’ve also played them my two DP DVDs (Cal Jam and a Black&White from the early 70s). They were captivated by the energy and borderline chaos. That’s what’s missing today.

    It may be I have offended some sensibilities in this forum, which is not my intent. I’ve followed this band since ’71 (not as long as some, longer than others) which gives me no particular rights or privedges. But! I do feel rock is best played loud, played on the edge and played for the moment. And as much as I’ve enjoyed recent DP shows, its more because I know the words and notes, and less because I was amazed and surprised.

    I would really love to be amazed and surprised.

  39. 39
    chris st. germain says:

    Anybody know who’s opening at DTE in Detroit 7/27?

  40. 40
    Craig Storey says:

    I have the utmost respect for every fan’s comments, but do find the above comment ref borderline chaos to be rather out of place, when you have a band approaching the Autumn of their careers as a band, rather than the young bucks they, and many others, were, a long time ago. They were, and are now, an extremely enjoyable band to watch, and far removed from a band that go through the motions, of which many new and more senior bands tend to do.

    On the subject of touring, anyone is damned lucky to have any dates at all to be honest. I can readily appreciate that the US is an entirely differant propect to trekking in the UK. However, don’t forget that at the start of the DP revival in 85, the whole of the UK only one date, at Knebworth.

    In finishing, good luck to anyone seeing them in the US. You will not be disappointed.

  41. 41
    Rascal says:

    Youth and hunger…………..thats what they lack.

    No doubt it will come to us all.

    As enjoyable as DP are, the edge, the power, and the guts of the shows we see now is far removed from the shows of the 1970’s and even the early 80’s. Of course some of us will blame that on Blackmore and Lord leaving, but the hunger disappeared before then.

    I guess a good deal of ticket sales are based on nostalgia, hence the older material. Deep Purple maybe good, but they been so much better.

    I have enjoyed DP through the highs and the lows of their success.

    The farewell tour will come sooner rather than later.

  42. 42
    MrPtheDPfan says:

    http://ksvy.org/shows/MrP.htm Well if they wanted to spice things up . What happened to “Ted” ? And try doing “Don’t Let Go” from ROTD .And if you saw the Gillans Inn Tour you heard an absolute kickass version of “Not Responsible” Here I go raving mad again .Or “Somebody Stole My Guitar” thank god I have the radio show where I can play some of these songs that the dumbass commercial stations just ignore. Mr P

  43. 43
    obelisk2290 says:

    I have tickets for deep purple on july 6 in pompano beach florida. thats still north america even though they say it starts july 12 in atlanta. I have not seen them since june 5 2001. Dave Mason opened the show that night and purple/s performance can be seen on the perihelion DVD

  44. 44
    obelisk2290 says:

    sorry my mistake july 14 is the show

  45. 45
    MrPtheDPfan says:

    So you know ,The Warfield show in SF 8/15 went on sale today Sun 6/24 . I bought in the first 3 minutes . Best reserved I could get was Row E and F in balcony #1 . Dead center but ,but that’s 11 to 12 rows up from the rail . I would have thought I could have snagged the upper loge . It will work , but hard to believe I couldn’t do better right at the bell . Almost $10.00 convenience fee per ticket plus a $6.00 processing fee for the order . Ticketmaster rapes again . Fuggin pricks !

  46. 46
    Sergey from Atlanta says:

    Hey guys , you wrote a lot , but why you didnt notice that Jon Lord is missing from tomorrow Atlanta’s DP line-up?
    Jon Lord ! Does it mean anything to you or it doesnt? Just shame on you .

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