AS promised, legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore has ended his 33-year exile from Deep Purple by joining them on stage in Wantagh, New York.
Blackmore, 81, joined his former band-mates for their final song at Jones Beach Arena which was, of course, “Smoke On The Water”.
Singer Ian Gillan, with whom Blackmore has been estranged, affectionately leaned on him for part of the emotional performance.
Gillan then told the audience: “I’ve gotta say something. A couple of days ago, I got a message. A couple of days ago, I got a message from a local lad. I got a letter from this man saying, ‘I only live around the corner. Do you mind if I come and jam with you?
“It was an absolute pleasure to have back on stage the founder member, the great legend, the immortal… Ritchie Blackmore!
“It was a great pleasure. I’ll see you in the bar.”
Blackmore’s partner, singer Candace Knight, said on Instagram: “This warms my heart.”
Surprisingly, Blackmore was able to stand up throughout the performance.
He explained on Instagram before he went to the arena: “I did have my injection in my lumbar area yesterday..
“It’s a special injection I have that enables me to stand in one spot, because if I’m playing a Strat on stage, I have a hard time with the shoulders and the lumbar area.
“I’ve got four herniated discs, if anybody wants them. And I had my injection yesterday of a steroid which helps me get through standing up on stage.
“But I do have a kind of a stool there just in case I start toppling over or something. But I know that Ian Gillan has his maladies too with his eyesight, I think.
“And so as you get older, you collect all these things…
“I think we’ve all got something to complain about. I just have more things to complain about than usual. And if don’t complain, I’ll find something to complain about.”