Review by Rock Over America – by Taylor Carlson, Photos by Leah Burlington
Since the time of his death, a number of musicians, both former members of his band and friends/those who were influenced by him, have come together to start new bands dedicated to keeping that legacy alive. The first of the two was Dio Disciples, which now tours regularly and continues to have a strong following with fans. Another group called the Last in Line was started later, featuring Dio’s complete classic band lineup with new vocalist Andrew Freeman.
Dio Disciples has an impressive lineup that consists of the following individuals:
✞-Vocalist Mark Boals, best known for singing with Yngwie Malmsteen. Boals replaces former Dio Disciples vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens, Owens having been with Iced Earth and Judas Priest.
✞-Vocalist Oni Logan, best known for singing in George Lynch’s post-Dokken band, Lynch Mob.
✞-Guitarist Craig Goldy, who played with Dio on many occasions. He also played with classic 80s pop-rock band Giuffria.
✞-Bassist Bjorn Englen, who has played with Yngwie Malmsteen.
✞-Keyboardist Scott Warren, who played alongside Dio in the band Dio and Heaven and Hell. He also played with the classic 80s rock band Keel for a brief period.
✞-Drummer Simon Wright. Wright has arguably the most impressive resume of any of these musicians, having played with Dio, AC/DC, UFO, and Geoff Tate’s Queensryche.
With so much talent on deck and so many headbangers in the Vegas Valley flocking to Vamp’d for this show, needless to say the expectations were high. Ronnie James Dio is a man with a legacy that is as timeless as rock and roll itself, and this was an evening many fans eagerly awaited, myself included. Having seen Dio Disciples once before about a year and a half prior, and also having seen the other Dio tribute, Last in Line, with the complete classic lineup sans Dio Himself last Autumn, I was all the more eager for what the night had in store.
Before the curtain was raised, the opening droning sounds of Holy Diver began playing across the venue, with clips of Ronnie James Dio’s voice “narrating” over it, gaining the attention of the audience. And as soon as the curtains were drawn, we got right down to the actual track, with the band rocking out in fine form. With not one but two amazing vocalists sharing the stage, this group played all of the Dio classics and then some, exploring every avenue of his illustrious career.
In addition to the quality of the performance, in which every band member was on fire throughout, the setlist deserves considerable praise. This setlist went all the way back to Dio’s beginnings with Rainbow in 1975, all the way up to his more recent material prior to his death. With Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Dio (the band) classics throughout the set, the audience did not know what they were getting next, and consequently, discovered that the surprises around each corner were all the more exciting and thrilling to fans. Mark Boals mentioned that he was getting over a cold at one point in the show, but I doubt anyone would even have noticed if he did not say that. This is a group of musicians that clearly enjoys what they do, and strives to keep alive one of rock and roll’s strongest legacies.
One ongoing debate out there is as to which of the “official Dio tributes” is better, Dio Disciples or Last in Line. Both band excel beautifully in a number of areas. Dio Disciples definitely has better and more diverse setlists, because they pull from all phases of Ronnie James Dio’s career, though their sound is more akin to the later performances of the Dio band. Conversely, Last in Line has a tighter, more focused sound and is more true to the sound of early performed versions of these songs (as it is basically the complete classic band), but LiL has the major flaw of only playing material from the first three Dio albums and absolutely nothing else. So in the end, both bands are equally good in different ways. If one comes to your town and you are a Dio fan, you will be doing yourself a favor by going.
In the end this was a fantastic rock show, and it is great to see 2014 in rock and roll is getting off to a good start. I saw many people come to Vamp’d for this show, and I doubt any of them left disappointed. The setlist was spectacular, as was the performance itself. If you are a Dio fan and have the opportunity to see Dio Disciples, go for it. You will be glad you did.