Ritchie Blackmore Confirms His Return to Rock with Four European Shows in 2016

Here's a bit of good news for fans of Ritchie Blackmore and his old bands, Deep Purple and Rainbow.

The guitarist has announced he will play four rock-focused shows in Europe in 2016.

As any good Blackmore fan knows, he moved away from rock about 20 years ago and now fronts—with his wife, Candice Night—Blackmore’s Night, a traditional folk band.

“I am doing four dates in June, which will be all rock,” Blackmore told Noisey. “I have the band basically together and it will be [the best of] Rainbow and Deep Purple.” Blackmore didn’t confirm which of his former bandmates will participate, although Joe Lynn Turner has already suggested he could be involved. As we recently reported, David Coverdale also has approached Blackmore about working together again.

“It’s just having fun, but it’s only four dates in Europe,” Blackmore added. “I don’t want to do anymore because I take what I’m doing now much more seriously.”

Blackmore’s Night will release a new album, All Our Yesterdays, September 18.

Coverdale played with Blackmore in Deep Purple from 1973 to '75. Turner joined Blackmore in Rainbow from 1980 to '84 and was then in Deep Purple from 1989 to '92. Blackmore led Deep Purple from 1968 to '75 and then again from 1984 to '93; stints in Rainbow followed both times, in 1975 to '84, and then in 1993 to '97.