one4review | On 14, Aug 2026

This is a bizarre true story. Well, mostly.

Based on his excellent book Stealing Deep Purple, McLean classes his show as a live documentary, primarily about Deep Purple and the strange events of 1980, when an unauthorised version of the band, featuring original singer Rod Evans from the 1960s ‘Mark 1’ line-up and four others who had no connection with the band, managed to play across America without permission, all thanks to an unscrupulous US manager.

McLean goes through the history of Deep Purple and the legacy of fake bands, and this behaviour isn’t new. Bootleg versions of Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf and even Frankie Goes to Hollywood have all done the rounds, exploiting legal loopholes and flim-flam managers taking advantage of them.

You’ll be asking yourself how no one actually recognised the fake band when they went on stage. The answer is through deception and literally turning the volume up to 11, smoke on the stage rather than water, and lights so blinding that no one could actually see the band.

It’s a huge story, and McLean focuses primarily on the events in Mexico, where this bootleg Purple played to 70,000 people before the concert descended into a riot. You get the background story, the events that took place, how this gig changed the Mexican live music scene and, eventually, what could be construed as something approaching a happy ending, although at the same time careers were destroyed.

It’s the storytelling which is key here, and McLean’s lo-fi approach really helps, with plenty of comedic value added along the way. You don’t really need to know too much about Deep Purple either, as he explains everything in enough detail to keep you with him, never dumbing down either 

Connoisseur of rock or casual passer-by, this is a really well-researched and excellent show, and well worth checking out.

4 stars ****
Reviewed by Steve H.
Back Room at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Slow Progress Cafe and Records
Until 30th August (excl. 18th and 25th)
16:00 – 17:00