Deep Purple & Kansas at F&M Bank Amphitheater, Long Beach

Legendary rock bands Deep Purple and Kansas took the stage of the Farmers & Merchants Bank Amphitheater on Friday, September 11, 2026. As with many in attendance, this was my first visit to the venue, which opened in June of this year.

The Amphitheater offers views of the neighboring Queen Mary and the Long Beach skyline just across the water. The 7pm start time for the show provided an ideal backdrop to the stage as the sun cast its final rays of the day on the downtown buildings. The temperature was what we expect from a late summer night in Long Beach; warm with a gentle breeze and a great vibe.

Given the talent performing that evening, the crowd leaned maturely. Deep Purple and Kansas formed in 1968 and 1974, respectively. True fans in attendance had decades of memories to thank the bands for.

That depth of experience showed as each band performed at high caliber. Many likely assumed each band would have lost a step in their later years, and many were wrong.

Though not as energetic as their first tour, each band put on a show. I was pleasantly surprised to learn how many more of their songs I knew. Moreover, the energy was intense, the singers were great, and the musicianship was on fire. In short, I was impressed.

As I scanned the crowd, the demographics mainly matched the bands. A bit older, a bit less rebellious and wild, though still there to rock. Likely many in attendance were also enjoying their retirement. Anyone taking issue with this crowd did so out of jealousy. But there were a lot of Gen Xers, several Millennials like me, and a sprinkling of Gen Z folk rounding out the crowd. Like the bands entertaining us, decades of life experience enjoying the show. Maybe it was my own memory of this music, but I felt connected. I saw people my parents’ age singing the songs of their youth while smiling and dancing in the aisles. Some embracing their partners and friends, others jamming solo. I saw those of my age smiling, likely reminiscing as I was at late-night pool games with their dads while the boombox belted guitar riffs from the two bands gracing the stage. And those younger than me jamming with their grandparents or just themselves with their impressive breadth of musical knowledge.

This was a fitting scene for Long Beach, a city of relevance for well over a hundred years with a legacy of important contributions to art, life, technology, business, and culture. The city is practically timeless, much as the performances and those enjoying them were. That evening, two of the classic rock Gods blessed Long Beach with their creations. And a good time was had.