Over two years ago, just the mention of a Dio Hologram tour had me wanting to beat myself to death with my own shoes. “This is a travesty!” “They’re tarnishing the legacy of Dio!” “His bandmates should know better. Why are they even behind this?” I was angry, I was intrigued, I was angry that I was intrigued, I was defensive, I was hurt. I even wrote an article on my disapproval of this whole idea which can be read HERE.
It got to the point where longtime guitarist/best friend of Ronnie’s, Craig Goldy, tried to argue his case on Facebook with me.
Oddly enough, at some point, Craig sent me a private message that said, “Don, please call me at…” Shit. Is Craig going to tear me a new asshole and ban from all future Dio-related projects? Is he friends with Sebastian Bach? But who am I kidding? I’m not going to turn the opportunity to talk to Dio’sformer right-hand man. I called Craig and was prepared to stand my ground.
I was greeted with a really kind, warm voice that said, “Don, I’m glad you called. It’s easier to talk than to type.” For the next two hours, Craig would ask about me, what Ronnie meant to me as a young dude, and what his legacy meant to me now. Craig, in turn, would share amazing stories about his time with Ronnie, things he would say, and the things he would do for his fans. It was a very moving and emotional conversation that eventually brought us both to tears and, much like Ronnie would’ve loved to see, brought us together as friends.
Still, at the end of the call, I told Craig that I still didn’t agree with this idea at all and he told me, “Don, if this tour ever makes it to Atlanta, please come out and be my guest. I want you to see it before you pass judgment. If you see it and you feel something, please share it, if you don’t like it, share that too but at least come to your conclusion after seeing it for yourself”. That, to me, was a very fair offer so I agreed—I mean, come on, when Dio’s best friend asks you be his guest at a show and says it’s ok to write a snarky review about it, you don’t say no!
During the European leg of the Dio Returns tour, I was hearing mixed messages just as I thought I would. I did notice, however, that many of the “hate” comments were from people who didn’t attend the shows. Those that did attend the show had great things about it. They called it emotional, moving, and an unforgettable experience. I called it bullshit. How can a hologram move anyone?
Sometime in late March or so it was announced that the Dio Returns tour would be hitting North American shores and there was a June 3rd date set for Atlanta at Center Stage Theater. Craig messaged me and assured me that he’d want me there and, as I said before, I took him up on it but reminded him that I would be honest regardless of our friendship. He accepted that and I forged forward waiting for the date to get here.
The Dio Returns tour would feature long time band mates/friends of Ronnie’s such as Craig Goldy on guitar, Simon Wright on drums, Scott Warren on the keys, and Dio Disciples bassist Bjorn Englen. The tour would also feature two guest singersthat also happened to be two of my favorite singers: Oni Logan (Lynch Mob/Dio Disciples) and Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest/Iced Earth). It was also reported that the stage production would be of epic proportions, just like Ronnie would have liked it to be.
I’m not going to lie to you, the closer the tour got to Atlanta, I found myself getting excited. I was going to meet Craig Goldy, my all-time favorite Dio guitarist. But I was also nervous—I mean, there was a good chance I was going to have to write that I hated the show. You fartheads know that even a friendship with Craig Goldlycan’t keep me from spewing my Brainfart honesty. I purposefully didn’t tell more than a few close friends that I was going so that I didn’t get there with negative thoughts—I mean, more negative than I already thought!
Upon entering the venue, I did something I rarely do these days; I headed straight for the barricade and staked out my spot. Luckily I had just missed Love/Hate as they were a band I tended to lean towards the “hate” side. I believe Center Stage Theater holds somewhere near 1,000 people and I’ll say that there were maybe 300 or so. They actually had the sides of the theater curtained off which made sense because unless you are looking head on or slightly to the side, you wouldn’t be able to see the hologram.
As I waited for the show to start, to my right were these two guys who looked like they were fresh out of high school. I struck up a conversation with one of them and asked how he was feeling about the show. “Dio is one of my all time favorites. I wasn’t old enough to see him when he was alive so this is my chance to see it done in a pretty cool way.” When I asked if he was bothered that it was a hologram, he laughed and said, “If I was, I wouldn’t be here.” Fair enough, wee lad!
The house lights went down and the Stonehenge like LED screens lit up with visuals. Dio’s now famed live intro to “Sacred Heart” appeared on the screen and the place went nuts. The band took their positions and kicked things off with “King of Rock and Roll.” The visuals were nothing less than astonishing and then all of the sudden,Dio himself manifested from a ball of fire and starts singing.
Once again the crowd went nuts. I just kind of stood there dumbfounded, but the next thing I knew I was throwing horns and singing along. It was crazy “seeing” him again while knowing it wasn’t him. It was an amazing visual and the crowd loved it, but I didn’t “feel” it. I mean I was entertained, but I didn’t get the deep emotion that I got with the real Ronnie. But that all changed with the performances of Ripper Owens and Oni Logan.
For the 2nd song, Ripper took the stage to a huge applause and announced that this was a celebration of the life and the music of Ronnie James Dio. With that said, he shouted, “If you listen to fools…” and the crowd responded loudly with “The Mob Rules” and the band kicked right into the song. Ripper, as many differences as I’ve had/have with this guy, is a goddamn metal god in his own right. He delivered that song like his life depended upon it and I suddenly started to feel the emotions. The energy, the fire, the passion, it was all there and it resonated to the audience.
Then Oni Login took the stage and said, “This song needs no introduction.” The opening notes of “Children of the Sea” rung out and once again everyone went nuts. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Logan as he is such a captivating vocalist. He’s not a showboating kind of vocalist, but he also isn’t someone just going through the motions. Logan’s passion and dedication to the song were loud, clear, and cut me to the bone. It literally choked me up and took me back to that time when I would listen to this song and feel like Dio understood me even when I felt nobody else did. I started crying because it was powerful and I remember being one of those lost children.
After a few more holo-Ronnie songs (“Last in Line” and “Holy Diver”), once again, Ripper Owens took the stage to rage and urge the crowd on with “Stand Up and Shout” which, again, had him owning this song and doing it so much justice by putting everything he had into it. Following Ripper was the obligatory “drum solo.” I have never been a fan of solo sections, but one of the things I always loved about Dio was that he gave his musicians solo slots but they were always brief. Simon Wright absolutely annihilated his kit in a short but sweet solo and really showcased his ability to play with finesse, groove, as well as fantastic technical ability. I was definitely impressed.
I do have to take this moment to say that seeing Goldy play live for the first time ever in all my years as a Dio fanproved to me why he’s my favorite Dio guitarist. He knows how to capture the vibe of all of the songs. The quietest of the quiet and the heaviest of heaviest, he exercises his dynamic playing with a lot of feel and soul. Oni Logan once again took the stage to the beautiful guitar playing of Craig Goldy for “Don’t Talk to Strangers.”
I absolutely loved hearing Logan’s voice capture the original emotion of the song but then Ripper Owens comes in after the first verse and turns it into this power metal song. Up to this point I was really enjoying the dynamics of having each of the singers taking on songs that were suited for their distinct vocal style.. I just felt that this song, while still amazing,would’ve been more emotional with Logan as the sole vocalist.
One of the highlights of the show was Logan’s take on “Egypt (The Chains are On).” Logan has so much depth and versatility that it was great to see him take on such a heavy song showcasing his ability to truly be a great metal singer. Logan and Ripper did take a dual role in medley of Rainbow classics (“Catch the Rainbow” and “Stargazer”). Once again, while I loved hearing Logan’s tearjerking vocals on “Catch the Rainbow,” that vibe was kind of crushed when Ripper took the stage for his portion to sing “Stargazer.” Both are great songs, but I would’ve preferred to hear “Catch the Rainbow” in it’s entirety as opposed to hearing an abridged version.
As the show drew to a close, we saw more of the Dio hologram singing but this time, what made it cool was that he was joined on stage by Ripper and Logan. They closed out with an absolutely mind blowing rendition of “We Rock” that featured hologram Ronnie, Logan, and Ripper trading off verses. This was the first time I felt like the hologram had some sort of captivating presence.
The band returned to the stage in the same trio vocals line up with “Neon Knights” which, as much as I love that song,didn’t seem to stand too strong on the heels of such an amazing “We Rock.” I think trading places in the set would’ve been a more powerful move. Don’t get me wrong, it was still amazing, but the band seemed to leave it all with “We Rock.”
People, I would be a liar if I didn’t say that Dio Returns was nothing short of spectacular. The musicianship was amazing, the vibe was amazing, and the whole visual spectacle of it all made for an unforgettable evening. I didn’t find the Dio hologram to be a travesty or disrespectful, but it was the least moving aspect of the show. Maybeit’s because I was lucky enough to see Dio in flesh and blood.Overall, I think the show was really well done and I’m glad that theDio hologram was sprinkled throughout the show instead of just being shoved in your face all at once. I feel like this was great planning because honestly, I look at the hologram as just a part of the production.
Wendy Dio and members of his band have said that Dio Returns is a celebration of the music of Ronnie James Dio and they were not lying. After seeing this show, I couldn’t help but think that Ronnie would’ve actually thought that this was nothing but an honor to be remembered and to be able to come back from the dead and entertain fans both old and young, many timers and first timers.
Dio Returns is a production with a lot of love, heart, blood, sweat, and tears. Just like Craig Goldy told me, you should go and see it for yourself before you pass judgment. I walked in a doubter and I left with my heart filled with happiness. But it wasn’t because of a Dio hologram, it was because of the passion and the love put into the songs by his band and by the amazing Oni Logan and Ripper Owens.
The Dio hologram is just the icing on a much larger cake that is not getting anywhere near the credit it deserves. These guys are playing and singing their asses off—not to compete with a hologram but to complete the concept. The hologram is not the star here; the band is. I personally would love to see Dio Disciples hit the road on their own more extensively and even without the grandiose production, I know damn good and well that I will walk out of there having felt all of the emotions that I felt this night.
As I exited the venue, there was nothing but smiles on everyone’s faces. I didn’t hear anyone saying that it sucked or that it was a shit show like I thought it would be nearly two years ago when I first heard the plans for the tour.
For as long as there will be generations of lost youth, the message and legacy of Dio’s music will live forever and with Dio’s Disciples I see them carrying the torch for years to come. With or without the hologram, I support these guys and thank them all for making me feel again things I thought I’d never feel again. Long live rock and roll, long live Dio, and long live his songs and may they be the comfort for many young generations to come.
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