Deep Purple were honored with the International Achievement award at the 2019 Ivor Novello songwriting awards, held Thursday night (May 23) at Grosvenor House in London, England. NME caught up with singer Ian Gillan on the red carpet. Watch the video below:

Acknowledging an exceptional legacy that has inspired and shaped generations of hard rock musicians all over the world, the Academy bestowed the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement to the iconic Deep Purple Mark II lineup - Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord (posthumous) and Ian Paice.

Deep Purple's current lineup - comprised of Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Steve Morse and Don Airey - have announced The Long Goodbye Tour presented by Live Nation. The tour will include over 25+ dates across North America, kicking off on September 3 in Riverside, CA before concluding in Minneapolis, MN on October 19. See below for the full tour itinerary.

With a body of work spanning seven decades, Deep Purple has helped pioneer and define the hard rock genre whilst progressively moving into new areas to keep their sound fresh and attract new fans to the legions who have remained loyal since the band’s inception.

Known as one of the hardest working bands ever, Purple has released 6 studio albums since 1996 alone and has toured globally since forming in 1968 with little rest. In 2007 (almost 40 years after being formed) the band performed 40 dates in France to an award-winning audience of 150,000 whilst this summer, across the US and Canada, the band partnered with fellow hard rockers ‘Judas Priest’ embarking on a wildly successful 25 city tour!

Purple has stayed true to its musical roots taking from an eclectic mix of styles to create a distinctive sound that defines the band today, but which in turn, has created a legacy that very few bands could ever hope to replicate.  The band has written and produced so many “classic” songs that its audience ranges widely in age and background, something the band has embraced and caters to, with its concert setlists.

VIP Package Offers:

Diamond: Meet & Greet Package:

Package includes:

- Ticket in first 10 rows (In most markets) (or GA where applicable)
- Meet n Greet with band member (will not include Ian Gillan)
- Photo Op with band members (will not include Ian Gillan)
- Exclusive Autographed Litho
- 1 Personal Item autographed
- Exclusive VIP Merchandise- To Be Determined
- Commemorative laminate & lanyard

Gold: Merchandise Package:

Package includes:

- Ticket in first 20 rows (In most markets) (or GA where applicable)
- Exclusive VIP Merchandise To Be Determined

Tour dates:

September
3 - Riverside, CA - Fox Performing Arts Center
4 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
6 - Temecula, CA - Pechanga Theater
7 - Murphys, CA - Ironstone Amphitheatre
8 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield
10 - Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium
11 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
13 - Reno, NV - Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
14 - Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues
15 - Salt Lake City, UT - Delta Hall at Eccles Theater
17 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
19 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre
20 - Shawnee, OK - FireLake Arena
21 - Tulsa, OK - The Joint at Hard Rock
23 - Houston, TX - Revention Music Center
24 - New Orleans, LA - Saenger Theatre
26 - Orlando, FL - Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
27 - St. Petersburg, FL - Mahaffey Theatre
29 - Atlanta, GA - Coca Cola Roxy
30 - Nashville, TN - Andrew Jackson Hall @ TN PAC

October
2 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
4 - Monticello, NY - Resorts World Catskills Epicenter
5 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
6 - Portland, ME - Merrill Auditorium at City Hall
8 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
9 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
10 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
12 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
13 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre
15 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
16 - Northfield, OH - MGM Northfield Park – Center Stage
18 - Chicago, IL - Rosemont Theatre
19 - Minneapolis, MN - The Armory