Deep Purple (Mark VIII)

Deep Purple are playing Eventim Hammersmith Apollo on Tuesday 24 November, part of a run of UK dates. It's the Mark VIII line-up on stage: Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Steve Morse and Don Airey.

They're rock legends whose career is just shy of 60 years. The albums that put them on the map — In Rock (1970), Machine Head (1972) and Made In Japan (1973) — drove them to the top of concert grosses and album sales worldwide, with 'Smoke On The Water' becoming one of the most recognisable riffs in rock. They also have a bit of a claim to fame from early on: they were the first rock band to play a classical concerto at the Royal Albert Hall with a full orchestra, back in 1969, a performance later released as the live album Concerto for Group and Orchestra.

They haven't stopped recording either. Their latest record, -11, was their 23rd studio album, released in July 2024. The London show is one stop in a UK tour, so if you're not around for this one, there are other dates on the run. Tickets start from £64, and the show starts at 7pm at the Apollo on Queen Caroline Street, W6 9QH.