1989

Newcastle Mayfair, May 22nd 1989

Ian Gillan got bored during the recording of the third Deep Purple reunion album and the others sent him home. He promptly set about doing some low-key club shows under the alias Garth Rockett, with a band called The Moonshiners, musicians got together by his DJ mate Phil Easton. After a couple of warm-up shows they did a short UK tour in May, which included this show in Newcastle. However the ticket printer was given the wrong information, and billed them as The Moonlighters!  Given the nature of the tour, perhaps a more apt description. The Deep Purple scenario became more disrupted and Ian knew the writing was on the wall, so The Moonshiners was disbanded in favour of something more permanent later in the year, and Naked Thunder would emerge the following year. Deep Purple had played the famous Mayfair club in 1970.

Thanks to Pericle for the ticket.  DTB family tree : http://www.deep-purple.net/tree/gillan/garth-rockett.htm
Garth Rockett photos : http://www.deep-purple.net/gallery/moonshiners/moonshiners.htm