Deep Purple Singer Ian Gillan, 81, Hospitalized After Medical Emergency as Band Postpones Two Concerts
Deep Purple have postponed two concerts in Germany after singer Ian Gillan, 81, was hospitalized following a medical emergency. The announcement came Saturday, October 31st, only hours before the first performance was due to begin.
Gillan was still in the hospital when the group issued its statement. The band did not disclose what had happened to the singer or provide a diagnosis.
No discharge date or recovery timetable was announced. The group also did not say when Gillan would be able to return to the stage.
The interruption comes during Deep Purple's Splat! World Tour, supporting their latest studio album. Released July 3rd, the Bob Ezrin-produced record is the band's 24th studio release.
Leipzig and Hamburg Concerts Will Be Rescheduled
The affected performances were scheduled for October 31st at the QI Arena in Leipzig and November 1st at the Sporthalle in Hamburg. In their announcement, Deep Purple said they were unable to perform either show as planned.
The group acknowledged the short notice and the disappointment of fans who had expected to attend. Its team is working to find suitable replacement dates for both concerts.
All tickets purchased for the two performances will remain valid for the rescheduled shows. No new dates were included in the announcement.
Dortmund Remains on the Band's Published Tour Schedule
As of October 31st, the next concert on the band's published tour calendar was November 3rd at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, followed by Berlin's Uber Arena on November 4th and Frankfurt's Festhalle on November 6th.
Those listings do not establish that Gillan will be ready to perform. The band's announcement did not address whether any additional concerts would be affected.
The published itinerary continues beyond Germany with an Amsterdam appearance on November 9th and several French dates. A run of British concerts is scheduled to begin in Newcastle on November 18th and finish with two London appearances, at the Eventim Apollo and Royal Albert Hall.
Gillan Rejected Retirement Speculation Earlier This Year
Image Credit: Ben Houdijk / Shutterstock.
During a summer interview at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Gillan pushed back against suggestions that he was preparing to step away from performing. The conversation with The Independent was published July 19th.
"What I said was when I felt I didn't have the strength, then I would retire," he explained. At the time, he praised the energy of the band's live performances and expressed enthusiasm about its new music.
Gillan first joined Deep Purple in 1969, helping establish the lineup behind recordings including "Smoke on the Water" and "Child in Time." After several departures and returns, he has remained the group's lead vocalist since 1992, as the Press Association reported.
The current lineup also includes bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Simon McBride.
