Watch Ritchie Blackmore play first Rainbow gig in 19 years
Guitar legend plays Deep Purple hits and more
After announcing his return to the electric guitar earlier this year, Ritchie Blackmore donned his Fender Strat once more to play his first gigs in 19 years over the weekend at Germany's Monsters Of Rock festival.
The setlist was crammed with bona fide rock anthems, including Rainbow's Since You Been Gone, Stargazer and Long Live Rock 'N' Roll, while Deep Purple's Highway Star, Black Night and - yes - Smoke On The Water also made an appearance. You can watch footage of the highlights below.
Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow consists of Lords Of Black singer Ronnie Romero, Stradovarius keyboardist Jens Johansson, Blackmore's Night drummer David Keith and ex-Blackmore's Night bassist Bob Nouveau. The band's brief run of dates culminate at Birmingham's Genting Arena on 25 June.
Black Night
Stargazer
Highway Star
Child In Time
Long Live Rock 'N' Roll
Get the MusicRadar Newsletter
Want all the hottest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features and more, direct to your inbox? Sign up here.
Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.
“We’ve never thought we have made the perfect record. We are always on the lookout to discover new ways of doing things, new sounds”: Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith on Tears For Fears’ restless creativity, artistic independence and the search for surprise
“I tried to make the concert feel like my own spin on a rock show. My dream was for people to jump and scream and be all sweaty by the end”: Olivia Rodrigo reflects on her hugely successful Guts World Tour