Ritchie Blackmore is set to perform with Deep Purple for the first time in 33 years, joining the band for an encore at their concert at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York. The appearance would reunite the 81-year-old guitarist with the group he co-founded in 1968 and is significant because he has largely stayed away from rock music for decades.

Blackmore announced the planned appearance during an Instagram Live stream with his wife, Candace Night, saying he had not played rock music in around 25 years apart from a brief Rainbow reunion in 2016. He said the encore would not be “Highway Star”, which Deep Purple planned to play at the start of the 12 August show; the band are currently touring North America in support of their latest album, SPLAT!, with Kansas as support.