In 1983, Dio was just beginning, and they had released Holy Diver a couple of months before the show was recorded. During the 1983 show Dio plays 4 songs from Holy Diver. The rest of the set includes songs from Black Sabbath's 1980 album Heaven and Hell along with Rainbow songs “Man On The Silver Mountain” and “Starstruck.” The band included guitarist Vivian Campbell, bassist Jimmy Bain, drummer Vinny Appice and keyboardist Claude Schnell.
By 1987, Dio had a few more albums under their belt and more material to chose from. The lineup for that show was nearly the same as 1983, except that Craig Goldy was now the guitarist. 4 of the songs from 1987 were also played at the 1983 show, along with tracks from The Last In Line (1984), Sacred Heart (1985) and Dream Evil (1987). Dio also played Sabbath and Rainbow songs during this show.
Both sets are great, with excellent audio quality, but I prefer the 1987 show because it is longer and includes songs like “The Last In Line,” “Rock and Roll Children” and Sabbath's “Neon Knights.” Ronnie James Dio was one of the greatest vocalists in metal history, and his powerful voice was especially effective in a live setting. Dio At Donington UK: Live 1983 and 1987 prove that, and are a worthwhile addition to any Dio fan's collection.
(released November 9, 2010 on Niji Entertainment)
