Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan, 81, has been hospitalized following a medical emergency, prompting the British rock group to cancel two German tour dates.
The band delivered the news to fans on Instagram Saturday, stating they were acting “with great disappointment.” The cancellations affect Saturday night’s show at the QI Arena in Leipzig and Sunday evening’s concert at the Sporthalle in Hamburg.
“This comes as a result of a medical emergency involving Ian Gillan, which has resulted in his current hospitalisation,” the group wrote in their official statement. The post was signed “With the greatest love and respect … Deep Purple x.”
The five-piece outfit — guitarist Simon McBride, bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Don Airey and Gillan — emphasized that ticket holders would not lose out. All previously purchased tickets will remain valid for rescheduled performances, they confirmed. The band added that they are actively working to find “suitable” replacement dates for both cities.
“We understand that this announcement comes at short notice and share the disappointment of all our wonderful fans that we are unable to perform in Leipzig and Hamburg,” the statement read.
Gillan has fronted Deep Purple through multiple eras since 1969, with a brief departure in the mid-1970s and another in the late 1980s. The band helped define hard rock and heavy metal with tracks like “Smoke on the Water” and “Highway Star,” and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
The Leipzig and Hamburg shows were part of the group’s ongoing tour schedule across Europe. Deep Purple has maintained a heavy live presence in recent years despite the advanced ages of several core members. Paice, 77, is the band’s only continuous member since its 1968 formation, while Glover, 79, joined in 1969 alongside Gillan.
The band did not specify the nature of Gillan’s medical emergency or offer a projected timeline for his recovery. No additional tour dates beyond the two German cancellations were mentioned as affected in the Saturday announcement.
Deep Purple’s current lineup has been touring in support of their 2021 album “Turning to Crime,” a collection of cover songs recorded during pandemic-era restrictions. The group released “=1,” their first studio album of original material in four years, in July 2024.