pigeon to [DEEP PURPLE singer] Ian Gillan in Portugal, where he lives at the moment. I hope I can compete with the [current DEEP PURPLE] guitar player [Simon McBride], 'cause I can see that he has very big amplifiers behind him. Night revealed that the song Blackmore will perform with DEEP PURPLE won't be "Highway Star", since "they're opening [the show] with 'Highway Star'," according to Ritchie. Circling back to Wednesday night's appearance with DEEP PURPLE, Ritchie said: "[Simon] is a very good guitar player. Blackmore didn't join his former DEEP PURPLE bandmates at the group's 2016 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony.