DEEP PURPLE RECEIVE PRAISE FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO TOURING
Concert fans beware. The British are coming.
Well, some of the British are traipsing through this country at this very moment.
Legendary rock band Deep Purple, possibly the group that plays more shows than any other act on the planet, are doing something they rarely do these days — performing in the United States. With a concert scheduled at The Pageant in St. Louis on July 24 and an Aug. 25 date at the new House of Blues in Dallas, the creators of the rock anthems “Highway Star,” “Child In Time,” “Woman from Tokyo,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Space Truckin’” and, of course, “Smoke on the Water” are hushing critics and giving fans two hours of smiles and goosebumps via a two-year-long tour in support of their latest compact disc, “Rapture of the Deep.”
The concept of a 24-month road trip was tackled only by the likes of Iron Maiden and Metallica back in their younger days. One would think that embarking on a such a lengthy concert schedule now would create struggles for Deep Purple or any other band whose members are at or near age 60. When it finishes in Europe in February, Deep Purple’s tour will have swept through 48 countries, an itinerary that no doubt would wear out younger bands.