DEEP PURPLE PLANS HOLY LAND PERFORMANCE

Lead singer Ian Gillan to visit Israel for first time as infamous 60’s rock band schedules two concerts for September

Or Barnea
Published:  06.18.08, 21:41 / Israel Culture

Deep Purple is coming to Israel: The legendry rock group is joining the numerous international musicians coming to perform this summer, and will hold two performances on September 8 and 9 at Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv’s port.

The British band, dating back to the late 1960s, will arrive in Tel Aviv as part of its European concert tour starting in July and concluding in mid September.

Since the 1960s the band has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Its last album, Rapture of the Deep, was released three years ago to surprisingly outstanding reviews by top international music magazines.

In an exclusive interview with Ynet last year, lead singer Ian Gillan spoke of the possibility of coming to perform in Israel, and said the band actually had plans for doing so.

He added that the band’s management had recently been working with local producers doing the inviting, and that there had been talk of an upcoming performance. He also remarked that he had personally “almost” visited Israel three times. The band has performed in the country once without Gillan, posing Joe Lynn Turner as the lead singer.

In summation, according to all sources the word is now official – Deep Purple is coming to Israel.