Deep Purple’s 1974 performance at the California Jam festival stands as one of rock’s most infamous live shows, largely due to guitarist Ritchie Blackmore’s

Deep Purple’s 1974 performance at the California Jam festival stands as one of rock’s most infamous live shows, largely due to guitarist Ritchie Blackmore’s explosive onstage behavior. Held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in California, the festival featured a lineup that included Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Black Sabbath, and Earth, Wind & Fire. Deep Purple was slated to perform at sunset, but due to scheduling issues, they were urged to take the stage earlier, a request that Blackmore vehemently opposed.

As the band began their set, Blackmore was visibly agitated. Mid-performance, he noticed a cameraman encroaching on his space. In a fit of rage, Blackmore smashed his guitar into the camera lens, destroying it. He then proceeded to throw his guitar into the audience and continued his rampage by throwing amplifiers and monitors into the crowd. The chaos culminated when a roadie poured gasoline onto one of Blackmore’s amplifiers, which Blackmore then set alight, causing a massive explosion that blew a hole in the stage.

The aftermath of the performance was equally dramatic. To avoid confrontation with fire marshals and ABC executives, Deep Purple exited the venue via helicopter. The damage to the camera was estimated at $10,000, and the band’s managers settled the matter.

This incident marked a turning point in Blackmore’s relationship with the band. Just a month later, during a show in Birmingham, England, Blackmore threw a drink at a cameraman and subsequently left the stage, signaling the deepening rift within the group. He would officially leave Deep Purple shortly after, and the band was forced to bring in Joe Satriani to finish a series of dates in Japan.

The California Jam performance remains a testament to Blackmore’s fiery temperament and the volatile dynamics of Deep Purple during that era. It also highlights the challenges of managing artistic vision and personal egos within a high-pressure touring environment. Despite the chaos, the performance has become a legendary moment in rock history, illustrating the lengths to which Blackmore would go to assert his control over the band’s presentation.