On May 30, 2026, THE DEAD DAISIES returned to the stage for a very special one-off performance at the legendary Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois, reuniting with vocalist and bassist Glenn Hughes for a night that blended the band’s modern hard rock catalogue with Hughes’ celebrated DEEP PURPLE legacy.
The lineup for the evening featured Hughes alongside guitarist Doug Aldrich, drummer Tommy Clufetos, and guitarist David Lowy. The show was structured as a unique 50/50 split set, opening with a full run of THE DEAD DAISIES material before shifting into an extended celebration of DEEP PURPLE classics.
The band kicked off the night with a 10-song DAISIES set that included fan favorites and newer cuts. The performance opened with “Unspoken” and moved through “Resurrected,” “Chosen And Justified,” and “My Fate,” before delivering a cover of CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL’s “Fortunate Son.” The first half continued with “Born To Fly,” “Rise Up,” “Radiance,” “Hypnotize Yourself,” and closed with “Holy Ground (Shake The Memory).”
The second half of the show was dedicated entirely to DEEP PURPLE material, showcasing Hughes’ historic connection to the band. The set included “Stormbringer,” “Sail Away,” “Space Truckin’,” “Gettin’ Tighter,” “Might Just Take Your Life,” “Smoke On The Water,” “Mistreated,” and “Highway Star.”
According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for the show was as follows:
- Unspoken
- Resurrected
- Chosen And Justified
- My Fate
- Fortunate Son (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL cover)
- Born To Fly
- Rise Up
- Radiance
- Hypnotize Yourself
- Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)
DEEP PURPLE set
- Stormbringer (DEEP PURPLE cover)
- Sail Away (DEEP PURPLE cover)
- Space Truckin’ (DEEP PURPLE cover)
- Gettin’ Tighter (DEEP PURPLE cover)
- Might Just Take Your Life (DEEP PURPLE cover)
- Smoke On The Water (DEEP PURPLE cover)
- Mistreated (DEEP PURPLE cover)
- Highway Star (DEEP PURPLE cover)
Encore:
- Long Way To Go
- Burn (DEEP PURPLE cover)
In a recent interview with Illinois Entertainer, Hughes reflected on reuniting with THE DEAD DAISIES and the energy behind the performance.
“It’s great to be back with my friends. This is my family; I love everyone in THE DEAD DAISIES,” he said. Everyone is such a good friend of mine. So for me to go back and play the songs I did with THE DAISIES, and to, of course, play a set of DEEP PURPLE songs, is a miraculous achievement.”
He also spoke about the concept behind the night’s dual-set format and what it meant to him personally.
“Joining this great idea of having two sets, DAISIES and then PURPLE, it’s exhilarating for me,” Glenn continued. “I think it’s exhilarating for the people who are coming to see it. All the songs I did with PURPLE are classic songs, and I’m so grateful to have been in the band during that period of time. But there’ll be some other classic songs as well. I’m smiling because it’s a moment to celebrate both THE DEAD DAISIES and, of course, the era of DEEP PURPLE that I was in.”
Hughes previously spent four years as a member of THE DEAD DAISIES before exiting the band in May 2023. Following his departure, the group welcomed back former frontman John Corabi. Corabi originally joined the band in 2015 and remained until 2019, when Hughes stepped in for his first stint with the group. This upcoming performance marks a rare return appearance for Hughes alongside the band for a one-off concert event.
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