Deep Purple delighted fans in Istanbul with a thrilling performance last night (June 26) at Maçka Küçükçiftlik Park in Istanbul, Turkey, reports Türkiye Today.
Led by founding vocalist Ian Gillan, the lineup included Simon McBride on guitar, Roger Glover on bass guitar, Ian Paice on drums, and Don Airey on keyboards. The concert opened with their iconic hit “Highway Star,” followed by a lineup that included favorites such as “A Bit On The Side,” “Hard Lovin’ Man,” “Into The Fire,” “Portable Door,” “Anya,” and the timeless classic “Smoke On The Water.”
Addressing the enthusiastic crowd, vocalist Ian Gillan expressed his joy at returning to Istanbul, saying, “It’s wonderful to be back in Istanbul. We feel incredible energy from you on stage. We love you all.”
During the performance, keyboardist Don Airey paid tribute to Jon Lord, a founding member who passed away in 2012, with the song “Uncommon Man.” Airey’s keyboard solo, which incorporated Mozart’s “Turkish March” and Türkiye’s national anthem, “Independence March,” received thunderous applause from the audience.
This summer, a new chapter is set to be written in the Deep Purple story. The new album, =1, is on its way, and it comes with 60 minutes of never-before-seen footage.
Join Deep Purple backstage on tour in their new documentary, Access All Areas. Subtitles are available in English, German, Spanish and French. The bonus DVD is exclusively included in the limited-edition =1 CD+DVD Digipak and limited-edition =1 box set.
Deep Purple recently released “Pictures Of You”, the second single from their upcoming album, =1.
An update from Deep Purple states: “Enjoy an exclusive look behind-the-scenes! Be the first to see our brand-new pictures from the ‘Pictures Of You’ video shoot.”
“Pictures Of You” is now available for streaming and as instant gratification track with all digital download pre-orders for the new album. Additionally, the single is offered as part of a four-track bundle which features two previously unreleased live recordings from 2022 in Milan, Italy: “When A Blind Man Cries” and “Uncommon Man”
For collectors, the excitement continues as the physical pre-sale of “Pictures Of You” is underway. The single will be released on CD and 12” vinyl on June 28, with each format being strictly limited to 5,000 pieces worldwide, and each copy being hand-numbered
Accompanying the new single release, the official music video for “Pictures Of You” can be viewed below:
The enigmatic album title =1 encapsulates the band’s philosophy of unity amidst complexity, promising an album that resonates deeply with their five decades spanning hard rock legacy.
In a recent interview regarding the sonic direction of their upcoming album, Simon McBride shared insights, saying: “The new album will reflect what the five of us create in the rehearsal room. Many of the songs, like ‘Portable Door’, were written in the first sessions and literally came together in 5 or 10 minutes. It all was so easy and natural.”
Ian Gillan, highlighting the organic nature of Deep Purple’s song writing, added: “Throughout Deep Purple’s history, our best songs have always been those that were written in no time at all. We’ve played what felt good and developed songs as we have always done.”
The enigmatic title =1 symbolizes the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one. Its full meaning will be revealed in the coming weeks, with the artwork also playing its part. Fans have already been speculating after mysterious equations and depictions of multiverses appeared in London, Paris, and Berlin in recent days.
With three consecutive No.1 albums in their back pocket, this is Deep Purple at their pinnacle. Now WHAT?! (2013), inFinite (2017), and Whoosh! (2020) have sold over one million copies worldwide, making Deep Purple one of the most successful rock bands currently active. The latest studio album, Whoosh!, reached #1 on the album charts in 7 countries and charted in the top 10 in another 12.
Taking the US by storm this summer Deep Purple will be shaking the walls of arenas, with an explosive lineup of unforgettable hits taken from their repertoire of rock spanning over half a century.
=1 will be released on July 19 via earMUSIC as Ltd. CD+DVD (Digipak), CD (Jewelcase), 2LP Gatefold (black, 180g), Ltd. Purple 2LP Gatefold (180g), Ltd. Crystal Clear 2LP (180g) and Ltd. Box Set (CD+DVD Digipak, 2LP black Gatefold, 3x exclusive 10” vinyl editions feat. live recordings from Deep Purple’s 2022 tour, exclusive Collector’s T-shirt, 2x exclusive guitar picks, 1x exclusive art print, 1x exclusive lanyard, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket giving access to all shows on the Deep Purple =1 More Time tour).
All LPs include a rich 12-page vinyl sized booklet. The bonus DVD features the approx. 60min documentary ‘Access All Areas’ joining Deep Purple backstage on tour and providing an exclusive look behind the scenes.
Further exclusive items are available via the official album store (here): Ltd. 2LP Picture Disc, Ltd. Cassette, strictly limited canvas signed by all band members – limited to 50 items only and various other merchandise items.
Tracklisting:
“Show Me”
“A Bit On The Side”
“Sharp Shooter”
“Portable Door”
“Old-Fangled Thing”
“If I Were You”
“Pictures Of You”
“I’m Saying Nothin’”
“Lazy Sod”
“Now You’re Talkin’”
“No Money To Burn”
“I’ll Catch You”
“Bleeding Obvious”
“Portable Door” video:
=1 More Time tour dates:
August
14 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
15 – Tampa, FL – Seminole Hard Rock Event Center
17 – The Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
18 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Casino – Grand Theater
19 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
21 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center
22 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
23 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
25 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
27 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
28 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion
30 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
31 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
September
1 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
3 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
4 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC
6 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
7 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
8 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
