Dio/Germany 1993

The heaviest and most valuable live document in Ronnie’s history has arrived! Ronnie’s career, which is popular in Japan, has been evenly suppressed, but this “Strange Highways” tour is an air pocket with almost no releases. From a rare tour whose set list is not even known to many fans, the German Offenbach performance on November 23, 1993 was discovered in master quality for about 90 minutes. The sound quality is completely recorded with the highest level of sound for audience recordings of this era. This Offenbach performance was the 15th live performance since the start of the tour on November 4, 1993, and the show was held in a hall with a capacity of 3,500 people, and the clarity, separation of each instrument, balance, etc. It is fully recorded with the finest audience recording source. Milwaukee’s broadcast sound source is known for this tour, but this far exceeds it even though it is an audience recording. Ronnie’s singing, as well as Tracy’s unique guitar, are not impaired at all, but rather each complements each other, creating a sound that can be enjoyed with an outstanding presence. In particular, the quality of the powerful bass is undeniable, and Vinny Appice’s laborious drumming is as powerful as a heavy machine gun. What’s more, the twists that can only be achieved after years of playing are exploding here and there, and he is showing off a play that is even better than his heyday. “STRANGE HIGHWAYS”, which contained the desire to make a fresh start as DIO, filled Ronnie with confidence, so much so that even in later years, Ronnie himself recalled that “It had the best songs and the best performances.” It’s a great piece of work, and even when you listen to it, you can see that it has a heavy yet catchy side, thanks to the efforts of band members such as Tracy and Vinnie Appice.The more you listen to it, the more you discover new things. However, the popularity of heavy metal at the time was on the decline, and the band’s work was criticized, and even Tracy, who had worked hard to produce the album, was criticized, resulting in an unfortunate outcome. According to records, there were about 1,000 people in attendance that day, and the numbers show that the band was struggling. However, the performance that unfolds live is a wonderful word, full of the momentum unique to the second debut period, and is roaring with tremendous singing rarely seen in Ronnie’s entire career. Ronnie’s philosophy of never cutting corners on stage has created an excitement from the audience that is several times greater than usual. In fact, a large number of 6 songs from the new album “Strange Highways” are listed here, giving off a strong sense of active work. It can be said that this was an extremely unusual period for DIO, who tended to play a large amount of old songs. In particular, “Hollywood Black” is extremely valuable, and many fans may not even know that it was being played. The motivation that pulsates here, “I’m going to hit it with this sound!”, is reminiscent of the “HOLY DIVER” tour, but the spirit to face adversity without giving up is even more so. Heavy songs and sounds add fuel to the fiery vocals, and you can fully enjoy the passionate singing that reaches the verge of yelling. Furthermore, The Last In Line, which was played in the second half of the set, followed by the encore Rainbow In The Dark, We Rock, and even Here’s To You, which was placed at the end despite being a new song! The spectacle and emotion that fills this place is heart-wrenching, and it concludes with an exquisite take on the day’s highlights. Let me tell you out loud that this work is definitely worth it just by listening to these four songs! There is no doubt that the band performed passionately with renewed enthusiasm and became one with Odins, and it will become one of the standard among the many DIO collector’s sound sources in the future. Please enjoy this masterpiece with dynamic high quality sound that is sure to get you excited! Live at Stadthalle, Offenbach, Germany 23rd November 1993 TRULY AMAZING SOUND Disc 1 1. Intro 2. Stand Up And Shout 3. Strange Highways 4. Don’t Talk To Strangers 5. Evilution 6. Pain incl. Guitar Solo 7. The Mob Rules 8. Children Of The Sea 9. Holy Diver Disc 2 1. Heaven And Hell 2. Man On The Silver Mountain 3. Drums Solo 4. Heaven And Hell(reprise) 5. Jesus Mary And The Holy Ghost 6. Hollywood Black 7 . The Last In Line 8. Rainbow In The Dark 9. We Rock 10. Here’s To You Ronnie James Dio – Vocals Tracy G – Guitars Jeff Pilson – Bass Vinny Appice – Drums Scott Warren – Keyboards