Dio - At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987
Release Date: 2010Nov09 (US)
Label: Niji Entertainment Group
Rating: 4.5/5
On May 16th, 2010, Ronnie James Dio ascended from this mortal coil after a courageous bout with stomach cancer. Gone but never to be forgotten, this 2CD set is the first posthumous release from Dio’s label, Niji Entertainment Group. It captures Dio at his the top of his game, containing live tracks from both the Holy Diver (1983) and Dream Evil(1987) tours, as well as material from his stints in Black Sabbath and Rainbow.
“Stand Up And Shout” kicks off the 1983 set. I’d like to note that the sound quality is superb and makes one feel as if they have gone back in time to the actual show. I recommend “Children Of The Sea” (beautiful, powerful and much better live!), “Holy Diver” (induces goosebumps up my spine, one of my favorite Dio tracks) and “Heaven and Hell” (excellent cover, retaining Vinnie Appice on drums, in which the duo of Vivian Campbell and Jimmy Bain do a damn good job of emulating Butler and Iommi). This is an great document of Dio at their best.
The Dream Evil tour brought a change in the lineup with Craig Goldy replacing Vivian Campbell on guitar. Most of the 1987 tracks are shortened versions of studio tracks, which I feel is a big disappointment. You can’t capture the excellence of “Holy Diver” or “Children Of The Sea” in less than 2 minutes! Despite this, there are excellent versions of “Neon Knights” (Craig Goldy adds another dynamic to this track and it becomes even more sinister!), “Naked In the Rain” (excellent “sleeper” track), “The Last In Line”, “Man On The Silver Mountain” (prefer this over the 1983 version), “All The Fools Sailed Away” and “Rainbow In The Dark”
I don’t really think that it’s fair to compare both shows against each other, due to the fact that they were two unique shows. I believe that even the most hardcore Dio fans would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. If you’re looking for raw animal magnetism, the 1983 show may appeal to you; if you’re looking for technical dominance, try the 1987 show. At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987 stands out as an example of how a band can make a successful transition from the studio to a live outdoor venue.
Dio may be Latin for god, but who needs prayer when you can raise the horns! \m/
FCC:
Try: 3, 4, 5 (1983) 2, 3, 10, 11, 13 (1987)
1983:
01. Stand Up And Shout
02. Straight Through The Heart
03. Children Of The Sea
04. Rainbow In The Dark
05. Holy Diver
06. Drum Solo
07. Stargazer
08. Guitar Solo
09. Heaven And Hell
10. Man On The Silver Mountain
11. Starstruck
12. Man On The Silver Mountain (Reprise)
1987:
01. Dream Evil
02. Neon Knights
03. Naked In The Rain
04. Rock And Roll Children
05. Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll
06. The Last In Line
07. Children Of The Sea
08. Holy Diver
09. Heaven And Hell
10. Man On The Silver Mountain
11. All The Fools Sailed Away
12. The Last In Line (Reprise)
13. Rainbow In The Dark
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