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Dio

Live In Chicago, 2000

Review by Gary Hill

There was a time when Ronnie James Dio was one of the most well-known and respected vocalists in the heavy metal genre. His fame may have faded a bit, but several things have not. His voice is the first of those. When you hear Dio recordings, the vocal work is impressive, but the thought always comes up that it might just be studio production. Well, when you hear the man live, you realize that those studio recordings don’t do his voice justice. This man has a set of pipes on him that is unbelievable, and he just doesn’t lose it at all. The other thing that shows up is the fact that, although the number of fans might be a bit less than in his heyday, they are every bit as enthusiastic and dedicated, maybe even more so.
Ronnie James has also surrounded himself with a band that holds their own with any of the best of the heavy metal field. These guys really rock. The choice of material was intriguing, as well. He seems to have left aside his mid-era music, instead focusing on the early tracks from the classic era and the more recent songs. If you add in a great Rainbow medley of “Man on the Silver Mountain” and “Long Live Rock and Roll” and a few Sabbath cuts, you have the bulk of this very entertaining set.
     
The bottom line, if you were a fan of Dio in the day, or just a fan of metal in general, you will really love this live show. Do yourself a favor and check the man out the next time he comes around.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: The Early Years Volume 6 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-The-Early-Years.
     
 
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