DVD review: RAINBOW – Live In Munich 1977

Eagle Vision (also 2CD)

Originally issued in 2006, this DVD shows Rainbow live with their latest line up just prior to the release of the Long Live Rock’n’Roll album. It was filmed for the Rockplast broadcasts and hence was heavily bootlegged but officially released with decent sound and video quality and several extras it is pretty essential listening/viewing.

The set kicks off with the classic ‘Kill The King’, a similar arrangement to the storming version that featured Tony Carey, and while David Stone’s keyboard’s are well up front (compared to the LLRnR album) they’re not as up as Carey’s. It’s a fantastic version though and few bands have ever found a better album opener. Ever.

An 11 minute ‘Mistreated’ follows, the one Deep Purple song Blackmore regularly played with Rainbow, Dio handling the vocals well.

The set is very heavy on the first Rainbow album, featuring lengthy takes on ‘Sixteenth Century Greensleeves’, ‘Catch The Rainbow’ and ‘Man On The Silver Mountain’, the latter running to over 16 minutes.

While I was maybe overly critical of these in my original review back then, they are great viewing and listening, Blackmore having plenty of solos as well as slower extended parts, and Dio’s vocals get a spotlight too.

A little overplayed/drawn out at times (especially when you think of what had been dropped from the set from the Rising album). The band clearly well rehearsed though, and the interplay is excellent too. Bassist Bob Daisley plays some solid rhythms too.

But the star of the show, after Blackmore, is Cozy Powell, playing hard and solid throughout the set.

There new ‘Long Live Rock’n’Roll’ gets an airing and goes down well.

The highlight of the show is the 27 minute take on ‘Still I’m Sad’ (a short instrumental version appeared on the debut Rainbow album), and if features a guitar solo, several keyboard solos and a lengthy Cozy Powell solo, including his 1812 piece.

The set closes with ‘Do You Close Your Eye’s – 10 minutes of magic.

The whole set is amazing and for fans of Dio, Cozy or Blackmore it is essential.

The audio on the CD is worth checking out too.

Extras on the DVD include promo videos, interviews and a photo gallery, and as per the original release some sleevenotes too.

Now this is where fans and collectors will need to compromise – and is the reason I’d docked a ½ mark; while the new DVD has a bonus Rainbow Over Texas 1976 featurette, it omits the LLRnR replica tour programme (a physical insert) of the original. Yes I’m being picky but if you’re going to reissue a 5 Star release, don’t offer less than you did on the original. ****1/2

Joe Geesin

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)