What If.....Deep Purple Held a 50th Anniversary Concert Chapter 2: "Rehearsals and Revelations"

The rehearsals for Deep Purple's 50th-anniversary concert began in earnest in July 2018, at a state-of-the-art facility in London. The excitement was palpable as the band members gathered for the first time in years, each with their own unique experiences and perspectives.

The initial rehearsals were a bit rocky, with some members struggling to adjust to each other's playing styles. Ritchie Blackmore, in particular, had some difficulty meshing with Steve Morse.

"Ritchie is a force to be reckoned with," Morse said in an interview. "He's got a very distinct style, and it's taken some time to get used to. But we've worked out our differences, and it's been a real learning experience for all of us."

Blackmore himself acknowledged the challenges. "Steve's a great guitarist, but we've got different approaches to music. It's taken some time to find a common ground, but I think we've done a great job of blending our styles."

Ian Gillan and David Coverdale, the two vocalists, had some friendly disagreements about the setlist. "Ian wanted to do more of the classic songs, while I pushed for some of the harder-hitting tracks from my era," Coverdale explained. "But we compromised, and I think the setlist is going to be amazing."

Gillan nodded in agreement. "David's a great singer, and I've always admired his work. We've had our differences in the past, but we're both professionals, and we've put our personal issues aside for the sake of the music."

Roger Glover and Glenn Hughes, the two bassists, had a more complicated relationship. "We've had our differences in the past," Glover acknowledged. "But we're both professional, and we've put our personal issues aside for the sake of the music."

Hughes was more candid about the challenges they faced. "Roger and I have had our ups and downs, but we're both passionate about the music. We've worked through our differences, and I think we're stronger for it."

Ian Paice, the drummer, was the glue that held the band together. "Ian's been fantastic," Rod Evans praised. "He's kept everyone's spirits high and made sure we're all on the same page."

Paice himself was philosophical about the challenges they faced. "You know, when you've been playing together for as long as we have, you've got to expect some bumps along the way. But we're all professionals, and we've worked through our differences. It's going to be a great show."

Don Airey, the keyboardist, was tasked with honoring the legacy of Jon Lord, the band's iconic keyboardist. "I've been working on some special keyboard parts to pay tribute to Jon's incredible contributions to the band," Airey said. "It's an honor to be a part of this, and I'm looking forward to paying tribute to Jon's legacy."

As rehearsals progressed, the band began to gel, and the music started to take shape. They worked on a wide range of songs, from "Hush" and "Kentucky Woman" from the Rod Evans era to "Smoke on the Water" and "Child in Time" from the Ian Gillan era, and even some of the harder-edged tracks from the David Coverdale era, like "Burn" and "Mistreated".

"We're playing some amazing songs," Evans said. "It's going to be a real celebration of the band's music and legacy."

The band also planned to include some special moments, like a tribute to Jon Lord and Tommy Bolin. "We're going to do something special for Jon," Airey said. "It's going to be emotional, but it's a celebration of his life and music."

As the concert approached, anticipation grew. Would the band be able to pull off this monumental task, bringing together so many different eras and styles? The world would soon find out.

"I'm excited," Blackmore said. "It's going to be a wild ride, and I think the fans are going to love it."

"I'm nervous," Gillan admitted. "But I think we've got a great show lined up. It's going to be a real celebration of the band's music and legacy."

"It's going to be amazing," Coverdale said. "We're all passionate about the music, and I think that's what's going to shine through. It's going to be a great show."

The Wembley Stadium staff were busy preparing for the big night, setting for the big night. "We've had Deep Purple here before, but this is going to be something special," said a Wembley official. "The fans are going to go wild."

The tickets had sold out in record time, with fans from all over the world clamoring to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event. The excitement was building, and the band was ready to take the stage and celebrate 50 years of music.