What If.....Deep Purple Held a 50th Anniversary Concert? Chapter 3: "The Purple Project"

The idea for a support act for Deep Purple's 50th-anniversary concert had been floating around for months. Bruce Dickinson, the iconic vocalist of Iron Maiden, had been approached by Bruce Payne, Deep Purple's manager, with a proposal to put together a supergroup of musicians to open for the band.

"I was thrilled when Bruce approached me with the idea," Dickinson said in an interview. "I've always been a huge fan of Deep Purple, and I thought it would be an amazing opportunity to pay tribute to their music and celebrate their legacy."

Dickinson assembled a team of talented musicians, including Joe Bonamassa on guitar, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top on guitar, and Simon McBride, a guitarist known for his work with Deep Purple's touring keyboardist Don Airey, on guitar. The rhythm section would feature bassist Marco Mendoza, known for his work with Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, and Aynsley Dunbar, a legendary drummer who had played with Journey and Frank Zappa, among others.

"We all shared a passion for Deep Purple's music, and we wanted to create a setlist that would do them justice," Bonamassa said. "We chose a mix of classic rock anthems and some of our own material, with a focus on showcasing our individual styles and talents."

The supergroup, dubbed "The Purple Project," began rehearsing in earnest, working on a setlist that would impress the Deep Purple fans. "We rehearsed tirelessly, perfecting our performances and working on our stage presence," Dickinson said. "We wanted to make sure we were tight and ready to go for the big night."

The setlist included a mix of Deep Purple covers, including "Highway Star" and "Smoke on the Water," as well as some of their own material. "We wanted to pay tribute to Deep Purple's music, but also showcase our own unique sound and style," Gibbons explained.

The rehearsals were intense, with the musicians working together to perfect their performances. "It was a real collaborative effort," McBride said. "We all brought our own ideas and perspectives to the table, and it was amazing to see how it all came together."

The Purple Project's setlist included:

• "Highway Star" (Deep Purple cover)
• "Smoke on the Water" (Deep Purple cover)
• "Perfect Strangers" (Deep Purple cover)
• "Knockin' at Your Back Door" (Deep Purple cover)
• "The Devil Knows" (original song)
• "Fire in the Hole" (original song)
• "Thunder in the Night" (original song)

"We're really proud of our setlist," Dickinson said. "We think it's going to be a great showcase for our music and our talents, and we're honored to be sharing the stage with Deep Purple."

As the concert approached, anticipation grew. Would The Purple Project be able to live up to the hype, or would they fall short? The world would soon find out.

"I'm excited," Bonamassa 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."

"I'm nervous," Dickinson admitted. "But I think we've got a great setlist, and we're all ready to go. It's going to be a wild ride."

The Wembley Stadium staff were busy preparing for the big night, setting up the stage and sound system. "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 Purple Project was ready to take the stage and kick off the celebration of Deep Purple's 50th anniversary.