Deep Purple and REEF @ The O2, London 2024

On the 6th of November Deep Purple brought their signature hard rock sound to The O2 Arena in London, delivering an electrifying night of music that reminded everyone why they remain the ultimate legends of the genre. The iconic band was joined by the gritty, high-energy rockers REEF, who set the stage ablaze with their raw, blues-infused, surf rock adjacent style. 

REEF

Kicking off the evening was REEF, a band that’s been a staple of British rock since the mid-’90s. They wasted no time setting the tone, bringing ferocity, unrelenting energy and simply pure joy and good vibes that quickly caught on with the O2 crowd. Lead singer Gary Stringer was in superb form, his raspy, soulful voice filling the arena with the kind of grit and bluesy power that REEF has become known for. He had complete command of the huge arena stage, frequently coming up to the front, squatting and engaging with the audience and photographers alike. From the moment they launched into ‘Stone For Your Love’ and ‘Naked’, the crowd was immediately hooked. 

REEF’s set was a tight collection of their best-known tracks, including ‘Place Your Hands’ and ‘Higher Vibration’, and each song was delivered with a passion and intensity that matched their live reputation. The band’s blend of laid-back hard rock, blues, and soul felt like a perfect entree for the legends who would soon follow. By the time REEF closed with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’, they had well and truly warmed the stage up for Deep Purple’s performance. 

Deep Purple

When the lights dimmed and the unmistakable “Highway Star” riff filled the arena, the roar of the crowd was deafening. Deep Purple has been at the forefront of rock music for over five decades, and the band’s legacy was immediately felt. The photographers gathered in the pit all shared knowing smiles and nods as we felt privileged and honoured to witness actual music history taking place in front of our eyes. Despite being in their 70s, the legendary musicians showed no signs of slowing down. Ian Gillan’s iconic voice was in top form, hitting those soaring high notes with impressive power and precision – and unafraid to show off every once in a while to everyone’s delight. Ritchie Blackmore’s absence has long been felt, but the current lineup, with Simon McBride on guitar, showed they were more than capable of delivering the intensity and virtuosity that fans have come to expect from Deep Purple.

‘Highway Star’ was a strong opener – one you would expect for an encore – and it immediately established their dominance. From there, it was clear that the night would celebrate their greatest hits. Don Airey’s keyboard wizardry on tracks like ‘Lazy’ and ‘Knocking at Your Back Door’ added a layer of depth and complexity to the music, and the way he wove his parts into the dynamic, ever-evolving sound of the band was nothing short of mesmerising. His showmanship is so iconic, that he was given a couple of dedicated keyboard solos puncturing the setlist to fully allow his mystery to shine. The crowd responded with raucous applause after every solo. It was wonderful to see how each member of the band was having their time in the spotlight, Gillan often retreating to the back of the stage to let the crowd focus on each solo.  As the night progressed, the band mixed up the setlist, offering a blend of their classic hits and some of their newer material, showcasing the depth of their musical history. Tracks like ‘A Bit On The Side’, ‘Lazy Sod’ and ‘Portable Door’ from their recent album “=1” showed that Deep Purple still has plenty of fire left in the tank, while classics like ‘Space Truckin’’ proved that their musical chemistry has only gotten tighter with age.

Gillan would take his time introducing the tracks and peppering them with anecdotes – some would be a bit of a meander, like the one used to introduce ‘Anya’ – me and my fellow photographers, by that point sat somewhere high up the arena seats, looked at each other asking ‘where the hell is he going with this’ as he described what could only have been a lucid dream or a trip of sorts, before launching into the notes of ‘Anya’ and instantly everything fell into place. 

Even though they’ve been playing together for decades, it’s clear that Deep Purple still approach each performance with passion and infectious fervour. Roger Glover on bass and Ian Paice on drums form a rhythm section that’s as tight and formidable as ever. ‘Smoke on the Water’ is, of course, one of the most iconic rock songs ever written – it is the ringtone on my dad’s mobile phone, and it’s one of the first songs I played on the first show of my high school radio – and when the opening riff of this classic rang out, the O2 erupted into a collective roar, everyone’s phone cameras lighting up to capture the moment. The entire arena sang along to every word, creating a sense of unity that only a true rock anthem can evoke.  It’s moments like these that remind you just how deeply ingrained these songs are in the fabric of rock music and pop culture, and how they transgress generations – while the majority of the crowd was matching the ages of the legendary musicians, there were many families in attendance proving how universal Deep Purple’s sound is.

Gillan, who has been with the band since its inception, was particularly remarkable—his stage presence was electric. Throughout the evening, it was evident that his connection with the audience had never wavered. After the thunderous applause following ‘Smoke On The Water’ rang out, the band returned for three encores and sent us all off perfectly with ‘Black Night’. 

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