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On this day, 26 May 1974, Hard rock band Deep Purple played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre, with support provided by the American band ELF which featured Ronnie Dio.
Deep Purple was on tour in England and Wales (having played Scotland the previous month), for the first (and last) time with the new Mk 3 line-up, singer David Coverdale and bassist Glenn Hughes having replaced Gillan and Glover.
The shows were tremendous, with Blackmore, having gained more control over the musical direction, in particularly awesome form - effortlessly ranging from quiet blues to hard riffing. Although following Mk 2 wasn't an easy task, the band pulled it off and while some people missed the older material, few could deny the new set - already honed by a big American tour - was extremely powerful.
The band played the larger theatres and town halls right across the country, with a set list firmly based around the new Burn album issued just three months before. Only "Smoke" and a lengthy much revamped "Space Truckin'" remained from Mk 2 days, with "Highway Star" as part of the encore.
