Dio/OH, USA 1998

A new discovery of DIO’s best recording for the first time in a while. Introducing a masterpiece live album that shows off the outstanding skills of Tracy G, one of the most unique guitarists of all time. This work includes “June 12, 1998 Cincinnati Performance”. This is the best audience recording. Speaking of the Tracy era, it is generally treated as a dark history, and the intense member changes are a source of trouble for enthusiasts. In fact, there aren’t that many changes in regular members, but there are a lot of pinch hitters who only perform for a few performances. This is a good opportunity, so let’s organize the changes and understand the show’s position. “STRANGE HIGHWAYS TOUR” ・November 4, 1993 – December 12, 1993: 28 performances ・May 1, 1994 – October 2: 74 performances ・November 27, 1995 – December 2: 5 performances [Jerry Best substituted] “ANGRY MACHINES TOUR” [Jeff Pilson → Larry Dennison] ・November 7, 1996 – December 23, 1996: 35 performances ・February 6, 1997, February 16: 8 Performances《James Kotak substitute》・February 20, 1997-June 23, 1997: 79 performances・November 15-23, 1997: 6 performances《Jeff Pilson substitute》“TO HULL AND BACK TOUR”・May 19th – 22nd, 1998: 3 performances (Vinnie Appice replaced by Simon Wright) ・May 23rd – October 22nd, 1998: 64 performances ←★Coco★・October 23rd, 1998 -November 7: 12 performances (Bob Daisley substituted) March 4 + 5, 1999: 2 performances (June: Tracy G leaves) This is an overview of the Tracy era, which lasted about 6 years. Former LION’s Jerry Best, SCORPIONS’ James Kotak, Bob Daisley, etc. participated in spots here and there, but basically one person was replaced on each of the three tours. “TO HULL AND BACK TOUR” was a tour in conjunction with the official live album “INFERNO: LAST IN LIVE”, and Vinny Apis participated in OZZFEST as support for BLACK SABBATH for the first three performances. I ended up leaving the group. The Cincinnati performance of this work was the 15th concert after being replaced by Simon Wright. This work recorded at such a show is an audience recording with a powerful guitar. You can feel a sense of space in the sound of the vocals and bass drum, so there’s no mistaking it for a soundboard, but you might be mistaken for the guitar. The core is very close to each other and there is no sense of distance, and the details are super vivid. If you listen to it without any prior knowledge, it’s such a balance that you’ll think, “Is this a matrix of guitar IEMs and an audience?” However, this work is not a recording where only the guitar pops out with a blast. The greatness of the guitar lies in its close contact, and the vocals, drums, and bass are all held firmly in place, and the balance is good. This is a recording where the guitar feels “close” rather than “big.” Another unique feature of this work is the enthusiasm of the audience. “Annie’s”, where the event took place, is a nightclub with a capacity of 1,200 people, and the excitement concentrated there is amazing. Although the scale of the venue shows the unfortunate nature of those days, the people here are true fans who continue to love DIO even during those times. Each person burns like a spectrum in their heyday, and if the chorus is strong, DIO will fly around for a while! Cole is also hot. The performance sound of this work is so powerful that it can overcome even the enthusiasm of such core fans. It is a scorching live album that overflows with the feeling of being in a small closed room and the real thrill of being surrounded by passionate fans. What unfolds at such a scene is a show that is similar to “INFERNO” but different. Let’s organize the set here. ●RAINBOW (2 songs + α)・Mistreated (incl. Catch The Rainbow)／Man On The Silver Mountain (incl.Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll) ●HEAVEN AND HELL (3 songs)・Heaven And Hell／Children Of The Sea・Songs that cannot be heard on INFERNO: Neon Knights ●HOLY DIVER (6 songs) ・Straight Through The Heart/Don’t Talk To Strangers/Holy Diver/Stand Up And Shout/Rainbow In The Dark・Songs that cannot be heard on INFERNO: Shame On The Night ●THE LAST IN LINE (2 songs)・The Last In Line/We Rock ●STRANGE HIGHWAYS (1 song)・Songs that can’t be heard on INFERNO: Evilution…and so on. It seems to be an “INFERNO” version that also includes “Mistreated”, which was a hot topic at the time, but this work also features four songs that cannot be heard on that official version. Particularly noteworthy are “Shame On The Night” and “Neon Knights,” which have been revived after a long absence. Tracy was one of the heaviest guitarists of all time, so the heaviness of Sabbath and the aggression of HOLY DIVER suit him well. Don’t expect to reproduce historical phrases since there is still no intention of copying, but if you just want to trace them, you can listen to recordings from the Sabbath and Viv eras. The guitar that you can do whatever you want like WHITESNAKE from the Steve Vai era is also suitable for bootlegs. And the fans at the scene were overjoyed by the revival of “Shame On The Night,” and during the intro, the entire venue imitated Ronnie and even erupted into a howling chorus (?). Even though the number is not a representative song, the audience is enthusiastic and Ronnie sings in response. This is why the Tracy era cannot be underestimated. DIO from the Tracy G era is generally shunned. That’s why the scene was so hot. The audience’s belief that “Only those who understand should understand” is packed full of energy, and Ronnie’s fighting spirit is fueled by this full live performance. One of the realistic sounds that you can’t experience on a sound board. Live at Annie’s, Cincinnati, OH, USA 12th June 1998 TRULY PERFECT SOUND Disc 1(43:34) 1. Intro 2. Evilution 3. Straight Through The Heart 4. Don’t Talk To Strangers 5. Holy Diver 6. Drum Solo 7. Heaven And Hell 8. Children Of The Sea 9. Stand Up And Shout Disc 2(50:04) 1. Shame On The Night 2. Mistreated(incl. Catch The Rainbow) 3. The Last In Line 4. Rainbow In The Dark 5. Neon Knights 6. Man On The Silver Mountain(incl.Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll) 7. We Rock Ronnie James Dio – Vocals Tracy G – Guitar Larry Dennison – Bass Simon Wright – Drums Scott Warren – Keyboards