Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow Rainbow/OH,USA 1997 Complete & Soundcheck Upgrade

After Ritchie Blackmore left DEEP PURPLE, RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW, which started with Dougie White and others in 1995, was slightly different from the old RAINBOW, but the album “STRANGER IN US ALL” and the accompanying live performances excited many fans. 15 years have passed since the end of the band in 1997. RAINBOW in the 1990s, which was Ritchie’s last hard rock band (at the moment), should be reevaluated now. To know the 1997 live performance, which was the last tour, this work “FINAL CHAPTER” is the first two-disc title you should listen to. Following the release of “STRANGER IN US ALL” in the United States, RAINBOW will realize their long-awaited North American tour from February to March 1997. Up until now, Chuck Berge, the only member of the ’80s (other than Richie), had been used on drums, but for this ’97 tour, John Miceli was brought in, and the tour began on February 20th in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and lasted about a month. In this work “FINAL CHAPTER”, the sixth performance on February 28th, the performance at “Alrosa Villa” in Columbus, Ohio, is completely recorded (including rehearsals!) with a super high-quality audience master provided by an overseas collector. This 1997 tour has been greatly pleased by the discovery of excellent audience sources in both sound and video since the beginning of this year. In particular, “LIVE AT THE MACHINE”, which recorded the Massillon performance on February 27th, became a hot topic among enthusiasts for its excellent quality. This work was recorded with the same taper as “LIVE AT THE MACHINE” (the taper recorded the Ohio live performance for two consecutive days). This live performance is known for its already released titles, but this work, which uses the original master directly, is excellent not only in terms of clarity but also in the spread of a realistic sound. The quality is so wonderful that it sweeps away many previously released works, and it was highly praised in specialist magazines. The main feature of this work is that Richie’s guitar can be enjoyed with outstanding sound (it seems to reflect the characteristics of the slightly small venue). From the appearance of playing with sharpness to the scene of spinning melodious musical tones, you can enjoy Richie’s charm to the fullest. Of course, Dougie’s fresh vocals are also a great listening experience. The play and balance of the entire band are also good, and you can enjoy the performance that is typical of RAINBOW in the ’90s. The energetic “Spotlight Kid” and the 9-minute long “Mistreated” are sudden listening spots. Especially in “Mistreated”, Richie plays a series of plays that remind you of the third period PURPLE, such as feedback and key phrases. You can enjoy this with a superb sound that focuses on the guitar, so fans will not be able to resist it! Furthermore, in “Still I’m Sad,” the playing of Greg Smith, one of the key players in this lineup, is also excellent (he also plays an active role in the chorus). John Miceli’s drums feel a little strange at times, but it is true that this is the individuality and accent of the ’97 live performance. Don’t miss Richie’s groove-driven playing in “Man On The Silver Mountain” in the middle of the live performance, and the dramatic “Black Masquerade” and “Ariel”. The final song of the set, “Perfect Strangers,” and the encore “Burn” also have a different impression from PURPLE, and keep the listener glued to the performance. You can enjoy the performance to the end, which is unimaginable if RAINBOW’s activities end with this tour (Ritchie moves away from hard rock). Another feature of this work is the sound check of the same day recorded as a bonus (5 tracks, about 15 minutes 30 seconds in total). This is not just a play to check the sound, but a take where Richie is checking his own condition that day, and you can enjoy his spirited performance (the slide play is also a must-listen). In particular, on track 13, he plays blues for about 11 minutes. He plays a rich guitar that is comparable to the main live performance. In this work, you can enjoy the best sound and performance focusing on Richie, from the main live performance to the bonus sound check. Live at Alrosa Villa, Columbus, Ohio, USA 28th February 1997 TRULY PERFECT SOUND Disc 1 1. Over The Rainbow 2. Spotlight Kid 3. Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll 4. Mistreated 5. Stranger In Us All 6. Difficult To Cure 7. Keyboard Solo 8. Still I’m Sad 9. Drums Solo Disc 2 1. Member Introduction 2. Man On The Silver Mountain 3. Of The King 4. Black Masquerade 5. Ariel 6. Lazy/Since You Been Gone 7. Perfect Strangers 8. Woman From Tokyo 9. Burn 10 Over The Rainbow Bonus Tracks 11. Soundcheck #1 12. Soundcheck #2 13. Soundcheck #3 14. Soundcheck #4 15. Soundcheck #5 Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar Doogie White – Vocal Greg Smith – Bass Paul Morris – Keyboards John Micelli – Drums