STRANGE KIND OF WOMEN - European Purple Women Tour 2026

When DEEP PURPLE ROCK CLASSICS like HIGHWAY STAR, SPEED KING, CHILD IN TIME, BURN and the legendary SMOKE ON THE WATER were shaping the hard rock scene of the 70s, these 5 musicians hadn't even been born yet!

Their roughly 90-minute stage show - passionate, high-energy and full of conviction - captures the spirit of the rock icons' work and wins over first-timers and seasoned fans alike. Very few tribute acts manage to genuinely match their heroes in both sound and spectacle. Ian Paice, Deep Purple's legendary drummer and the band's only surviving founding member, took notice - and was so impressed that he joined them on stage for a concert in Graz. Afterwards he said: "It's really a lot of fun playing with them. They do a really great job, have a fantastic sound and give everything. I really enjoyed playing with them."

The lineup of "Strange Kind Of Women - The Classic Deep Purple Years" consists of five professional, internationally active musicians. Out front are two artists who have earned admiration and fame in Italy: since autumn 2023, London-based lead singer RONNIE has been the voice of the band, joined by guitarist Eliana Cargnelutti (the rising hope of Italian blues rock). They are backed by Chiara Cotugno on drums, Margherita Gruden on keyboards and Paola Zadra on bass.