Black night is a long way from home after a summer touring Europe but luckily for us Ritchie Blackmore and his travelling minstrels brought a stunning show to Swindon for their last night before returning to the USA.

Blackmore Night is led by Ritchie who came to fame with rock legends Deep Purple. Lined up behind him on stage is a veritable army of musical instruments, including lyre, lute, mandolin and the hurdy gurdy with its mournful wail and all are played with panache. Ritchie never hogs the limelight, although many of us would have been delighted to listen all night to the magic of his solo playing, but there is no doubt that the piper picks the tune. Just by a blink of the eye or a raising of an eyebrow the guitarist conducts his minstrels. There is a lot of humour too and Ritchie enjoys keeping his band on their toes by changing the set list on a whim.

Speaking of pipers, the opening of the show is a European minstrel lured away to join Blackmore Night. As in days of yore he strolled around the theatre with his haunting tune played on a straight pipe before rendering half an hour of bagpipes from all over the world. It seemed a strange choice until we learned later that Ritchie had stolen many 14th century songs from his band. Ritchie then rocked them up in style and the appreciative Wyvern audience lapped it up.

Ritchie’s girlfriend for 20 years, now his wife, Candice Night is the lead singer and has that clear folk voice that translates well in to rock. She is our guide through a journey of music visiting Ritchie the wonder years, (Deep Purple and Rainbow) Ritchie BC (before Candice) and Ritchie with Blackmore Night. Her warm personality woos everyone from the musketeers to the serving wenches crowded in the pit who respond enthusiastically by clapping along at every chance.

There was no smoke on the water only a glorious set of a woodland hideaway with Robin Hood-esque overtones and brilliantly controlled lighting giving the perfect back drop to such songs as Queen For A Day, World of Stone which was really dramatic, Under A Violet Moon, an old favourite of many there by its warm reception, Fires At Midnight with leaping flames on a back screen adding fuel to the musical sparks, and various other renaissance- themed numbers.

My own favourite was Soldier Of Fortune that Ritchie wrote with David Coverdale, which he performed simply and stylishly, stripping it down and letting us savour the full flavour of his wondrous guitar mastery.

Again a Flamenco guitar solo had us all mesmerised, you could hear a pin drop, no mean feat in a packed auditorium full of foot-stomping, hand-clapping enthusiasts.

As it was the last night of the tour they invited a very special guest up on stage ... Lady Ga Ga! Actually it was the keyboard player who was obviously the jester in this band of players in another life when they performed at the court of Westminster before King Richard ll.

Along with his sense of comedy the pianist, like Ritchie, was obviously classically trained. He would easily have fitted in to King Crimson rock band or a full orchestra playing Rachmaninov. Another guest appearance came from little Autumn Esmeralda Blackmore, every inch the performer even at one-year-old. A fab solo with flashing lights from the drummer lent real excitement and a wander into the Pink Panther theme by the versatile violinist made everyone smile.

No-one left this magical medieval land of Ritchie feeling disappointed whether they were rock chics like me or minstrel madcaps it was beautifully crafted but informal enough to make us all feel part of the party. In fact it turned into a sing-a-long to Val de ri val de ra and as the last notes of Rule Britannia died – you had to be there for that one – the audience were invited up on stage by Ritchie for an impromptu dance with the great man to the tune of Snoopy versus the Red Baron.

Surreal but nice!

Flicky Harrison