Name:
Yura
Country: Ukraine
Date July 2004
Hello Ritchie and Candice, The 18th of July I went in
Budapest from Kiev, Ukraine with my girlfriend spacialy to your
consert. First of all I would like to thank you for your autographs.
It was very nice of you. Thank you a lot! (specialy Candice)
I would like express you my admiration of the consert. It was
very fantastic show! I thought that during the consert I transfered
in times of Renaissance. It was a very good show with their herous,
improvizations and jokes. BRAVO!!!
Candice as usually was very nice and beautiful on the stage and
sang all songs with inspiration and with sure! Ritchie as usually
was very consentrated on music, playing and conducting perfectly
staying in a shadow on the stage.
All songs was executed perfectly. Specialy I was impressed with
"Fires at Midnight", the Sisters' Moon vocal party was great. It's
one of the best executions of the song I evere heared. It was the
fifth consert of Blackmore's Nignts I've visited. And every time
I open to myself something new. It feels very well that everybody
plays and sings with open soul and very sincerely. It's a wonderful!
I'm very glad that now you don't need to prove nothing for nobody
no more and you can create music and songs for yourself! A nice
surpise on the consert was a new song, it was sang very tenderly.
Once in 1979 I was read one Ritchie's interview where he said about
his big desire to play the Renaissance music in a such way like
it was 5-th certuries ago. That days I thought that it was incredible.
But now I realy see that all wishes that went from heart and has
the power of a dream comes true! The same we can found in Herman
Hesse's romans. At one side it's seems like a mysticism at the other
side as I think Ritchie always has a conseption in what way must
move his band! This is the one important thing that lacks his colleagues
from "Deep Purple" now.
And for a joke I would like to tell you that when I was 4-5 years
old the catoon in EX-Soviet Union I like the best was "Bremen musicians"
Fairy-Tales by Grimm Brother's .
I would like to wish you success in your creations in the same
direction, to use more authentical instruments that represent so
beautifuly Reaissance time in your conserts.
Sorry for my English.
Best regards,
Big fun of Renaissance music and admire of your talent
Yura from Kiev
Name:
Sara
Country: Borlänge Sweden
Date June 2004
Thank you SO much for the concert in Sweden! it was woundreful and
magic! You made my whole summer! Thank you for coming to sweden,
and please- come back!! :)
Name:
Marcel
Country: Netherlands
Your music is magic to me. The concert at the Pepsi Stage in Amsterdam
on October 31 was amazing. It was great to see Richie play live
for the first time. And Candice' voice is awesome. Most definitely
the best concert I visited in years, will never forget this! Futhermore
compliments on the last album. Ghost of a Rose is a very special
song for me as it gives me time to reflect on the people that were
lost along the way. Though the exact lyrics tell a different story,
I promised someone in the past to think of him when I see a white
rose... my Ghost of a Rose thanks to you guys!!!
From
Rock report in Belgium...
Gig Reports: Blackmore's Night
Anyone who decides to attend a gig by Mr Ritchie Blackmore knows
to expect the unexpected. For more than 30 years this guitar maestro
is not only well-known for his extraordinary talent, but also for
his infamous mood swings that have become an integral part of his
personality. On stage he has created an image of a gruffly, never
smiling and always criticizing man who avoids all eye contact with
his fans.
Tonight however we got to see a very different side of the man in
black. Not only was he cracking jokes, shaking hands and offering
drinks to those in attendance but a die-hard fan also got the chance
to play a few bars on Ritchie’s guitar! It almost seemed as if he
was trying to make up for lost time.
But whatever triggered it, it came as a totally unexpected but nice
surprise. My guess is that his lovely wife Candice Night is somehow
responsible for this radical change. Her infectious smile and lovely
appearance make her the perfect frontwoman for Blackmore’s Night.
On top of that she has an amazing voice that really shone during
a modest but nevertheless spine chilling version of Joan Baez’ “Diamonds
And Rust” (a track also covered by British metallers Judas Priest).
During this song and “Soldier Of Fortune” (Deep Purple) you could
hear a pin drop, but as soon as both songs came to an end a huge
cheer erupted from the 600 or so punters.
The stage set up depicted a medieval scene and perfectly fit the
band’s song material. Excellent versions of tracks such as “Under
A Violet Moon”, “Minstrel Hall” and “Home Again” took us all back
to a time long gone by. It really doesn’t matter whether Ritchie
played guitar, lute or any other stringed instrument, the man is
a true virtuoso. Take for example “Renaissance Fair” that was brought
in its traditional shape by support act The Geyers Brothers, but
was given a complete makeover by Mr Blackmore and came out sounding
totally different. Yes, ladies and gentleman, our man still has
what it takes! This gig was billed as an electric/acoustic performance,
so every now and then Ritchie picked up his electric guitar to give
us rousing versions of amongst others “16th Century Greensleeves”
(Rainbow) and the encores “All For One” (better known as “Wat Zullen
We Drinken”) and “Difficult To Cure”(Rainbow).
Towards the end of the gig more and more people exchanged their
seat for a place upfront and the band was called back for more no
less than 3 times. After some 2 hours this excellent gig came to
an end. And while the rock fanatic may have wanted a bit more, the
true music lover walked out completely satisfied.
Name: Trevor Meakin
Country: United Kingdom
Date 9th November
Location , Alexandra Theatre , Birmingham ,England
What a fantastic Concert , I have been a Blackmore fan since the
early 70's and seen him several times in concert , most in Rainbow
, but Blackmore's Night , far surpassed my expectations , the music
is simply haunting , and instantly gets you under its spell . The
Man in Black finally looks at peace doing what he was born to do.
Candice is a fantastic singer and together they compliment each
other perfectly . I was amazed at how many fans came dressed in
renaisance clothing , but once the music started it all came clear
, you are time travelled back to the 16th century and involved in
a festival fit for a king/queen.
I am now an avid Blackmore's Night fan and already my cd collection
is well on its way , I am just hoping that a DVD will be produced
, so come on guys , if you read this get one produced , its bound
to be a winner..
Regards
Trevor Meakin...
p.s. Candice would certainly make a great " Queen for a day
"
Name: Thomas
Country: Austria
Hi!
I was on your concert in Graz, Austria. Before I saw it, I hoped
it would be nice and quite good.
But this concert was better as any CD ever could be.
This concert was quite Marvelous!
It was really great.
Better than I ever could hoped it to be.
Very Thanks to you for playing in austria.
I hope you'll play here soon - you'll be always wellcome
Name:
David
Venue: Buxton Opera House
Ritchie, Candice and the band
Just a quick note of thanks for last nite’s show, it was marvelous.
Even better than the last time you were at Buxton. Hope the tour
is a success (I’m sure it will be if last nite is anything to go
by). Look forward to seeing you next year???
Cheers
Name: frans
Country: Netherlands
what a great concert last 31 october in amsterdam
what an enthousiasm ,we enjoyed it very much
i never saw Ritchie play so joyfull in my life
and i visit since 1978 (when he is in holland )
so Blackmore is the best f... the rest
thank you for a great evening that goes for the whole band
see you next year i hope
Name: Phil
Country: United States of America
Caught the show at the Westbury Music fair, I have enjoyed Blackmore's
Night for years but have never seen you guys preform live. What
a Great night! I had a blast, you all sounded spectacular and really
made me forget about the trials of everyday life for a few hours.
Thank you so much.
Name: Wayne &
Eleana George
Country: Select Country
Hi Ritchie & Candice,
I attended the concert at Westbury
Music Fair. Your show was outrageous. Your music gets better &
better. Thanks for the special seating. When we arrived we were
escorted to our special seats, 2nd row. Your music is just unbelievably
beautiful. I just can't stop listening to the new cd,Ghost of a
Rose,and I am already looking forward to the next time we meet.
Thanks for the good times!!!!
Name: mike stevens
aka the man in black 2
Country: United States of America
hi ritchie and candice. i just saw your show last night at westbury
in long island ny. i 've been a fan of ritchies since 1975. i really
enjoyed the show it was great, outstanding, phenomonal.candice never
sounded better she sings like an angel. oh yeah ritchie was great
too that's because he's the greatest guitarists of all time.i loved
every song.i knew every song played and sang along and clapped the
whole night.
Name: Mark & Karen
Colasacco
Country: United States of America
I was there Westbury Music Fair Friday, September 19, 2003 and as
usual the mood was right for the Knight Ritchie was on and Candice
was unbelievably sharp. Like wine they have gotton so much better
with time. Ritchie appeared happy while Candice was her playful
self sometimes having fun at Ritchie's expense although all in good
taste and fun. We are so appreciative and grateful to have the opportunity
to be part of thee event. If only there were more shows in the area
we would truly be there. Thank you Ritchie, Candy and the band for
another special night. Come back SOON!
Name: Michael Kashmanian
Country: United States of America
Hi all of you,
I had the rare chance to see the band
at Westbury Music Fair in their last (of 2) US show tonite. All
I can say is AMAZING!!! Before the show began, we were asked to
move from our very good fan club seating, to the 3rd row. From then
on the magick just overwhelmed us all. A fantastic 3 musician band
fron the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (which sounded very much
like Tull) opened the show, and got all of us primed for what was
to follow. You could feel the electricity in the air as the band
began playing the instrumental lead into "Cartouche" on
a darkened stage. The Audience began to clap along, and it seemed
that that excitement never ended. (my hands are still numb and my
throat raw from singing along). Candice's pure, clean voice and
Ritchie's wickedly smooth guitar(and other instruments) just played
off each other, and off the audience as we were treated to a potpouri
of tunes from all the albums as well as a taste of Deep Purple,
and Rainbow. Never have I experienced such intimicy between the
players and the audience. This was a show i will never forget. Glad
you came home Candice.
Name: J.T.FINNERTY
Country: United States of America
GREETINGS & SALUTATIONS! I JUST GOT BACK FROM ATTENDING THE
BLACKMORE'S NIGHT SHOW AT THE WESTBURY MUSIC FAIR IN NEW YORK ;WHAT
A FANTASTIC SHOW!!RITCHIE CONTINUES TO PROVE HE'S ONE OF THE GREATEST!!CANDICE'S
VOICE IS THE PERFECT MATCH FOR HER UNEQUALED BEAUTY!THE BAND WAS
TOP NOTCH ALL THE WAY!THE SET CONSISTED BASICALLY OF MOST OF THE
MATERIAL ON THE DOUBLE LIVE (PAST TIMES WITH GOOD COMPANY) PLUS
ABOUT FOUR FROM THE NEW GHOST OF A ROSE.ANYONE WHO SAW THIS SHOW
KNOWS HOW LUCKY THEY ARE TO HAVE BEEN THERE!THIS WAS ONE OF ONLY
TWO SHOWS IN THE STATES.A TRUE PLEASURE THAT'S FOR SURE!
Name: Robert Neuberger
Country: United States of America
Dear Candice,Ritchie,Band members
and entourage,
It was with great anticipation that
I made my way to the Theatre of the Living Arts at South St. on
September 17 , 2003 to finally see Blackmore's Night in person.It
is a good thing that CDs do not wear out because mine would have
done so long ago.
The atmosphere was unlike any other
concert I have ever attended.Up and down South Street could be seen
many people dressed in period clothing for the show.The que in front
of the theatre looked more like a Medeval gathering.
It was great to immerse myself in
a long ago age for an evening.
The Blackmores Night set was greeted
with a rousing cheer as the musicians took the stage and then the
MAGIC began.We all know that Ritchie is a virtuoso's virtuoso and
that his meticulous technique and beautiful tone are legendary ,
but he surrounds himself with other musicians whose abilities are
equally impressive . Ritchie changed from delicate acoustic playing
to straight ahead trademark Strat wailing with ease never loosing
a stride and always playing for the whole and the audience.
Carrying the MC's job (and the vocals
,of course ), Candice' clear beautiful voice captivated all.Her
ease of delivery and warm repoire with the audence speaks of a polished
professionalism well beyond the lovely lady's years.Candice' voice
and the voices of her lovely background singers could only be rivalled
by their beaming smiles.Here indeed are people who love what they
are doing and it really comes across to the audience. Rolling easily
through numbers like " Shadow Of The Moon" , "Fires
At Midnight" , " Under A Violet Moon " , "Soldier
Of Fortune " ( and my personal favorite )," Renaissance
Faire ", (many with extended arrangements and intros put in
),it is easy to see why Richie has said this to be his most satisfying
project.One finds oneself swept away and soon either dancing or
singing along or both!!More than three hours worth of great music
passed by in a wink before the band finally left the stage with
the audience still wanting more.
Want something different from the
boring norm of mass produced industry music?Want to see what a musical
experience should really be like?Watch for Blackmores Night the
next time they play near you.Better yet buy their CDs and support
a group of musicians who have the integrity to follow a dream and
bring it to fruition!!!Did I enjoy them? I'll be first in line when
tickets go on sale the next time they pass through.I only hope that
they make Philly a permanent stop on their list of tour stops.
Sincerely , Your Fan,
Bob N.
Name: Steve
Country: United States of America
Ritchie, Candice, the band and
others,
I've been a fan of Blackmore's Night
since Strangers in Us All, and of Ritchie since the early 70's,
and all I can say is last nights show in Philly was AWESOME, AMAZING,
SPECTACULAR, you name it, best show I've ever been to GREAT show,
the music, the songs, the sound, the camaderie, the numerous encores,
just totally blew us all away. I've seen you twice now, once in
NY 2 years ago and now Philly...pls. come on back soon! You now
have a new fan...my brother, who joined me this time. As several
fans mentioned, we witnessed, again, "the greatest guitarist
in the world". Candice, you were PHENOMENAL! Keep on rockin
for a long time!!!
Name: Wojciech Chodkowski
Country: Poland
I'm 38. I've been listnenig to Ritchie's music for 25 years. This
year I heard Ritchie live the first time in my life - in June in
Warsaw. This concert was amazing. Great atmosphere, great music,
great performance!
Name: cookycrawford
Country: Poland
saw your show at westbury,fantastic!
i miss you badly.your newest cd is so melodic,Candice sounds superb!
ritchie will always be my favorite guitarist.your fellow bandmates
are execellent especially the violinist! call me if you ever want
to kick the football around. hope to hear from you soon....cooky
Name: Marge
Ericson
Country: United States of America
Dear Ritchie & Candice: Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou
for the magic you wove last night at Westbury Music Fair! I hope
you'll consider making it a regular venue. (Hey, it's not a castle,
but the acoustics are great, and it's in the area.) I enjoyed myself
tremendously...you just keep sounding better and better. I have
one question though: every concert I've been to in the past (all
here in the U.S.) has ended with "Now and Then" and last
night you left it out. I, for one, missed it. But I still love you
and loved last night's music..
Name: Jim Kennedy
Country: United States of America
I flew into Philadelphia from Los Angeles to catch the September
17th show at the Theater of Living Arts.
Capacity looked about 400 or so with many people dress in medieval
costumes.
The band hit the stage about 9:45 or so and played close to 2 ½
hours!
Lots of smiles and joking around from Ritchie and Candice
We were even treated to Ritchie playing the Hurdy Gurdy…Wow!
When the show ended the band left the stage but Ritchie and Candice
stayed behind for a few minutes and signed autographs at the front
of the stage.
I thought I would enjoy this but I was really blown away.
I think this is what Ritchie was meant to do all along.
Here’s a partial set list:
Cartouche.
Ghost Of A Rose
All For One
The Clock Ticks On,
Play Minstrel Play,
Minstrel Hall,
Renaissance Faire
Under A Violet Moon
Past Times With Good Company
Durch den Wald Zum Bach haus,
I Still Remember,
Village Of The Sand
Diamonds and Rust,
Mr. Peagram's Morris And Sword,
Soldier Of Fortune
16th Century Greensleeves
Fires At Midnight
Bits of Beethoven’s 9th, Burn, Self Portrait
Writing on the Wall.
Rainbow Blues
Home Again
Now and Then
Name: Andy esposito
Country: United States of America
Hello there
I just wanted to tell you guy's ..how
much i enjoyed your show the other night in westbury. All the songs
sounded great..especially the new tunes..diamonds and rust was just
awesome!! I do wish you would have played rainbow blues..but then
again you could of played all night!! LOL Thanks for a great show!
blacmores night fan forever!
Andy :)
Name: Tim, Deb,
Sara, & Carly
Country: United States of America
Blown Away by Blackmore's Night on the "Hurricane Isabel
Tour" in Philly! We drove 10 hours to see the show in Philly.
I'm a long time follower of Ritchie, but hadn't seen him live in
probably 20 years! My children love the music and I had to treat
them to the "live" version. The show was excellent! Emotional,
spontaneous, tremendous...how do you describe it? The band played
on...and on...for I think, 2 1/2 or 3 hours. We didn't want it to
end! My wife and kids had never seen anyone play like Ritchie-who
was ON FIRE that night. Now they know what I've been talking about
all those years. Thanks BN for giving us a great show. It's easy
to see that you care about your fans!
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