Ritchie Blackmore just gave Deep Purple fans a moment they’ve been waiting more than three decades to see.
The legendary guitarist reunited with his former bandonstage Wednesday (Aug. 12) at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, N.Y., marking his first performance with the rock group in 33 years. Blackmore joined the band for a rendition of their classic hit “Smoke on the Water.” Watch it here.
Blackmore co-founded the rock group in 1968 before ultimately leaving them in 1993. Before the surprise reunion, he admitted that returning to rock music was a little intimidating after spending years focused primarily on acoustic guitar.
“I have not played rock music in 25 years, actually,” he said in a previous Instagram video. “It’ll be good to see the old guys again.”
Following the performance, singer Ian Gillan revealed that Blackmore himself had sparked the reunion.
“A couple of days ago, I got a message from a local man saying, ‘I only live around the corner. Do you mind if I come and jam with you?’” Gillan joked to the crowd.
Watch the performance below.
