![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/gillan1.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/morse3.jpg)
British tour goes on sale
We have 4 dates for the UK tour in November: Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and London Hammersmith. Tickets for these go on sale tomorrow, February 6, at 9 am. Please note that these dates are not yet confirmed by Purple management.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
1 days notice?! Please, please, please don’t be true! This is the first time I’ve even heard a rumour of a UK tour, there’s been no rumblings at all!
February 5th, 2009 at 19:10Am I going to have to take penultimate day of work, off sick to get my place in line?!
Don’t get me wrong, I really do want DP to tour the UK! Just would have liked a few more days notice to get some money into the bank to buy tickets!
February 5th, 2009 at 19:11This brings some comfort to my pain!
From http://www.deep-purple.com/faq.php
“The official site will ONLY list dates that have been confirmed. Just because you have seen tickets on sale does not mean the gig is confirmed. When the band’s management tells me to post dates I will. Those dates are then confirmed.”
February 5th, 2009 at 19:29i’m SURE mr Gillan promised small UK gigs this year!
February 5th, 2009 at 20:12It appears they are mixing arena and some smaller venues in the tour, as long as they are true headliners and not on another joint tour then i’ll be happy, the rumour that came my way was that steppenwolf are the support, time will tell I suppose!
February 5th, 2009 at 20:28Here we go again (sorry Bernie)! 4 gigs so far, 2 theatres, 2 sheds. One theatre a possible for me Hammy Odeon (don’t care what you call it these days it’ll always be the Odeon to me). What’s wrong with places like De Montfort Hall in Leicester, they might have a volume limit but after my last 2 DP gigs that might not be a bad thing, might get some quality rather than quantity! Anyway, it’s all academic really, no new album (yet) so it will be a greatest hits package just like the last too many years, I’ll wait for the DVD Ta.
February 5th, 2009 at 20:47what i’m worried about is NOT getting a ticket. i tried to get tickets for 2 other bands this year, bang on 9am the day they went on sale and didn’t get close.
as i understand the manchester apollo doesn’t open it’s box office so it’s into town or the other options.
grr…
February 5th, 2009 at 21:27What are the chances of more dates being announced? I don’t want to get a ticket for Manchester if they’re likely to be playing closer to me.
February 5th, 2009 at 22:33If I remember correctly the 2007 dates were announced by Gillan whilst on stage at Milton Keynes and tickets for all dates went on sale the following week, I can see the managements problem, they want to wait until all dates are booked before they confirm, trouble for us lot is ‘do we buy now hoping to get a good seat or do we wait until further dates are added hoping they are playing at a venue close to home, the Hammersmith show is the best venue so far as they are realeasing some standing tickets.
February 6th, 2009 at 07:584 dates? Still it’s better than nothing, Jim Murphy, I picked up a leaflet outside the MK bowl in 2006 where the 2007 dates were listed so they knew they were doing a full tour well before the MK show, I remember Bruce Dickinson announcing a full Maiden tour at Donington 1988, the year after he guested with Bon Jovi and ‘let it slip’ about the following years headliners, Tom, so far, I’ll be going to Manchester, but if we get a show in Sheffield, Hull or Grimsby, I’ll be changing my plans, Rik you should easily get a ticket for the NEC but I’d only go there if I couldn’t get a ticket for anywhere else, to the other 2 posters, fingers crossed…so Sheffield city Hall/Arena? Hull Ice Arena/City Hall? Or better still Grimsby Auditorium? Hopefully these tickets will do a steady trade and we will get a few more shows.
February 6th, 2009 at 09:35I understand that a second night at Hammersmith will be announced next, and the possibility of a third also exists. Could this be a chance for the third to be a “fans special”. The promoters wishes taken care of on the first two, and the bands and fans wishes taken care of for once?
February 6th, 2009 at 09:44David Sanderson, where abouts do you live? I live near Immingham which is near Grimsby. I’m not buying a ticket for Manchester yet, I’m going to wait.
February 6th, 2009 at 09:45The only good point about the ‘new’ NEC is you can buy standing tickets but the sound there is awful, i’d like to see a Liverpool date added, pref the Empire as the Echo arena is too big, pity they took the tent down! too many arena/shared headline tours have produced poor shows, back to basics is what we want.
February 6th, 2009 at 10:16Tom, Grimsby, If they can’t fit in the Auditorium, I hope they play the overlooked Hull Ice Arena or do a Sheffield show (maybe even Doncaster Dome…good enough for Def Leppard a few years ago).
Jim, if they do Liverpool Empire or Royal Court it’s only 35 miles from Manchester, so do you really think they will do 2 theatre shows in close proximity? I would love a tour like 2002, you know, 20 odd dates in theatre sized venues.
So, what say you fans? We should petition DP to do a proper UK tour rather than spend a fortune on either going to an aircraft hanger type venue, paying £4 for a pint, seeing a band through binoculars or having time off work to go a long way and meeting people from Cornwall/North East/Wales/Ireland who have travelled even further.
February 6th, 2009 at 10:47Tom, I will contact Solid Entertainments to see what’s going on, please do likewise, they only took a mini bus to Sheffield 2004 and nothing to the 2007 show so I had to make my own way down, Solid Entertainments state they need a minimum amount of interest and they also cancelled the 2003 NEC trip so yet again I had to make my own way down, even the MK show trip only went ahead because a coach from Hull picked us up, I’ll get to see DP one way or another, come on guys, surely you can risk adding venues such as Newcastle City Hall, Sheffield City Hall, Cardiff St David’s Hall, Brighton Centre, Liverpool Empire, Edinburgh Playhouse or other venues of a similar size and seeing how the tickets go?
February 6th, 2009 at 11:00@David, why not play both Liverpool and Manchester, they usually play Bournemouth and Plymouth, that must be around 35/40 miles difference, they have the new Echo arena instead of the tent now in Liverpool but that seats 11000(any more than 5000 crowd should be outdoors really, here’s hoping for another MOR)looking at past tours in the UK they usually play all the arena’s but share the headline(I remember Frampton blowing Purple off stage in Manchester)best tour Purple did in the UK(since Morse)was 96, a repeat of that would be mouth watering!
February 6th, 2009 at 11:08I have just got off the phone from the Empire in Liverpool and they have had no confirmation of any bookings for Purple this year and an email reply from the Echo arens stating the same, yet!
February 6th, 2009 at 11:11Jim, if they did the Evening News Area in Manchester, a theatre in Liverpool and maybe a show in Yorkshire/Lincs area that’s the north covered, maybe if they did St Austell or Plymouth, Cardiff, Newcastle, Sheffield, Ipswich for example on top of these dates everyone would be happy, but why ignore Belfast/Dublin? I think us British fans would love to see DP in an Arena or theatre near us soon and they haven’t played Ireland for years or Northern Ireland EVER. Surely Belfast deserves a show?
February 6th, 2009 at 12:42Bickenhill Barn or to give it is new name LG Nec Arena tickets via agents are £38 plus booking fee and admin and they are only using 8 blocks and the standing area. Might be more intimate but the sound will still probably be awful. S’pose we’re looking at £100 or so with parking, last time it weas £6.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:43tamadam2: if they do 3 nights at Hammersmith, surely they can fit in other areas of the UK? I love Purple and I will get to see them but if they can sell 3 x 3,483 (is that the capacity of Hammersmith?) tickets, surely they can be cofident about getting a good return in 2500 to 3000 capacity venues across the UK, come on guys, add some more dates and just watch those tickets sell like hot cakes.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:51Martin, I was lucky in that the Grimsby show in 2002 (on this date by the way) was only 15 minutes walk away, just why do they play Arenas and cordon most of the seats off? Surely 15 to 20 theatre dates, selling 30,000 to 40,000 tickets, maybe 10,000 T shirts and possibly 2,000 new fans is better business, better a full theatre than a half empty Arena?
February 6th, 2009 at 12:56Nice to see some UK dates being added, as some are better than none. With due respect, they ain’t gonna sell out over night. It will be interesting to see who they have on the bill as well, as long as it ain’t Styx!
February 6th, 2009 at 13:40£38 per ticket! Blimey! I remember only paying £15 back in 2002, in the Liverpool Empire!
February 6th, 2009 at 15:52David,
February 6th, 2009 at 15:55I quite agree with you, I’ve been to NEC which is close-ish, and Nottingham Ice Stadium and the sound has been atrocious, just cos they don’t use half the arena doesn’t meen the sound won’t get the and reverberate.
I saw the 1st Morse era tour at the De Montfort in Leicester and took my 7 year old (with hearing defenders) and it was great. It’s all very well having the arenas but if they’re just tin boxes with no acoustic design it’s not worth going. In my youth (20-30 years back and living in London I had the choice of The Rainbow or the Hammy Odeon or Wembley (and thats an iffy choice, Mk 4 with TB was ok sound wise but disappointing otherwise). Soundchecks are a load of b’s, you set up based on an empty hall and sadly with such large PAs the only way they think they can improve is to turn it up, no time for EQ changes once the set starts. Smaller, theatres with nice padded seats absorb things better so soundcheck settings are nearer “audience in” conditions hence less volume and better sound.
Princess, I remember 21/- (£1.05) at The Royal Albert Hall in 1971, Ashton Gardner and Dyke supporting! What percentage inflation does that work out at?
February 6th, 2009 at 16:01At least Deep Purple goes to your country. Count your blessings.
February 6th, 2009 at 22:00Craig, good point about support bands, the last few tours we’ve had these mini package tours which for me are great value but I would love to see a support band do 45 minutes to 1 hour and DP do say about 1 hour 45 minutes, I thought Styx were quite good myself! I hope they get someone like Airbourne or the Swedish band H.E.A.T, I was only thinking the other day whatever happened to The Planets who opened up in 2002? I bought their album and quite like it but you never seem to hear of them now.
February 7th, 2009 at 06:05David,
February 7th, 2009 at 14:54The Planets were a Mike Batt creation, now he has Katie Melua, who is probably making him more money so they’ve been dropped. Same old business!
I quite like Katie Melua! Made a few enquiries earlier. My local coach/concert ticket will only run transport if there is ‘sufficient’ interest, so it’s either Manchester (the nearest) by coach or my own steam, Glasgow (if it’s the same hall, Clyde auditorium, I’ve been before and it’s not a bad venue, fair trek but what the hell) The NIA which is not too long a run but I’ll try getting a decent Manchester ticket first or having a weekend in London (I’d choose Hammersmith with it’s far superior acoustics over Wembley Arena any day!), but I notice some agency is already advertising standing and front 10 rows for Hammersmith already! I’m just hoping they add more dates if possible, but I’ll get to see them just not sure where yet!
February 7th, 2009 at 17:53T, (#26)
Right on. It’s been almost two years since I saw the band in Atlantic City, New Jersey House of Blues and NYC Radio City Music Hall… (What a great theater….) They brought both houses down!!
C’mon lads, get in the studio and get a new gem out!
Peace,
Ted
February 7th, 2009 at 18:14now if you buy on the net using a credit card and use the standard postage option these are the prices(uk of course). you can eliminate postage by picking up at box office(?) and the booking fee can be removed by buying at the venue box office i guess(?)with cash or debit card(?) although i’m not sure what the status is about booking fees or handling/service charges etc at other places. i think they make these rules up as they please.
all tickets are £38.00
BIRMINGHAM – £46.95 (booking fee £4.00, transaction fee £1.70, post £3.25)
February 8th, 2009 at 00:31GLASGOW – £43.55 (booking fee £3.80, post £1.75)
MANCHESTER – £46.75 (booking fee £5.25, post £3.50)
LONDON – £45.00 (booking fee £4.75, post £2.25)
Last time i tried to buy from the Box Office at NEC it was open at the most unwork-friendly times. Bit like the plans to demolish the Earth in Hitchhikers Guide being on Alpha Centauri.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:00Check the box offices before you go or you could have a wasted journey.
Based on Rik’s OnLine figures, plus parking (now £8 but could vary according to event, (from NEC website)) at the NEC a basic night out for 2 will set me back £101.90. Thats before £15-£20 for a programme, £20-30 for an official t-shirt, £4 a pint for a glass of warm,flat gnat’s p**s and probably £3-5 for a salmonella burger.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:10Jeez, we’re having a weeks holiday in Cornwall, albeit in a tent, August Bank Holiday week for less than that.
Like I’ve said before, i’ll wait for the DVD!
For goodness sake, why do people post without even checking basic facts?
Plymouth to Bournemouth 35/40 miles? It’s over 120!
Purple play St Austell? Where? The Coliseum closed years ago.
Petition DP? How would that work? How many times have we seen Roger, Ian etc say where they play is down to the promoters? The band have very little say.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:51#30 I was at the Atlantic City show too. House of Blues—small venue with a house band. Good show—but the stage was too small and Ian P.could only be seen at certain angles.
February 8th, 2009 at 19:26Martin,
Forget the programme, beer, t-shirt and burger and get your sad *ss to the show!
February 9th, 2009 at 01:48Yes, my a** is sad, especially as I have been going to DP gigs since 1968 (Goldsmith’s College Mk1)and it’s got to the point where I can’t enjoy going to the same gig year after year at venues where you are lucky to be able to see the band without video screens,enjoy quality sound and hear something new.
February 9th, 2009 at 12:29I’d rather pay £12 to see The Hamsters or Bernie Marsden in a small venue with good sound or even go to a pub to see Nick Simper and the Good Old Boys for nothing or even spend 2 hours playing a pub with my band, where I know the sound is good cos I set it up.
I just tried to get Glasgow tickets and Ticketmaster has none available in he stalls, the best I can get is several rows back in the balcony.
Tickets have been on sale for three days, and already the stalls are completely sold out? I don’t believe it!
February 9th, 2009 at 22:20Any one know what this tour is being billed as? not a continuation of the Rapture tour surely, with no new album to feed from then the set list could be pretty tasty!!
February 9th, 2009 at 22:38Well whether the tour for the four shows (so far) listed have to be confirmed or not I wasn’t going to hang around.
Two standing for Hammersmith Apollo (Martin – you’re right when you still refer to it as the Odeon, saw Tull there back in 78′-’79 and will always think of it as the Odeon).
Will make a weekend of it and have a great time, soooo excited and only 9 months to go!
Anyone recommend a decent London Hotel?
February 11th, 2009 at 02:02http://www.londontown.com/
February 11th, 2009 at 22:38http://www.londontown.com/LondonInformation/Hotels/ExpressByHolidayInnLondon-Hammersmith/9944
7 mins walk from venue.
Thank you for that Lee – much appreciated.
February 14th, 2009 at 00:36just got my glasgow ticket, re support act i actually thoght styx were really good, though the best recent gig was when lynrid skynrid were support, great night in glasgow especially since it was standing only
February 17th, 2009 at 22:37