The date was Saturday August 16th,1980. Rainbow took to the stage to headline the first rock festival ever staged at Castle Donington – a concert that would inevitably be the last live show featuring the line-up of Ritchie Blackmore (guitars), Don Airey (keyboards), Graham Bonnet (vocals), Roger Glover (bass) and Cozy Powell (drums).
On April 22nd, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release this very concert — Monsters Of Rock – Live At Donington 1980 as a DVD + CD set and via digital formats [MSRP $19.98].
Monsters of Rock contains all the surviving footage of this concert, and marks the first time that the audio from the show has been available as a full-length standalone CD.
This show was the culmination of Rainbow’s tour in support of the hugely successful 1979 album Down To Earth. Featuring new tracks alongside classics from earlier in their career, the set includes Since You Been Gone, All Night Long, Stargazer, Long Live Rock N’ Roll, Catch The Rainbow, Eyes Of The World, and more. Punctuated with virtuoso solo spots which allow Blackmore, Airey, and Powell to shine, Monsters of Rock highlights the sheer musical prowess in the band. The show climaxes with Blackmore destroying his guitar and thrusting it into an amp which promptly bursts into flames before fireworks burst overhead, concluding a truly explosive show.
Rainbow is a legendary rock band in every sense of the word, and Monsters Of Rock – Live At Donington 1980 captures an incendiary performance at a significant point in the band’s career.
View a video clip of All Night Long below.
Monsters Of Rock – Live At Donington 1980 track listing:
CD:
1) Lazy
2) All Night Long
3) Catch The Rainbow
4) Eyes Of The World
5) Guitar Solo
6) Difficult To Cure
7) Will You Love Me Tomorrow
8) Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll
DVD:
1) Intro / Eyes Of The World
2) Since You Been Gone
3) Stargazer
4) Catch The Rainbow
5) Lost In Hollywood / Guitar Solo
6) Difficult To Cure / Keyboard Solo
7) Drum Solo / Lost In Hollywood (reprise)
8) Lazy
9) All Night Long
10) Blues
11) Will You Love Me Tomorrow
12) Long Live Rock N’ Roll
9 Responses
Ohhhhh yeah, finally, this gem is being released officially. The Monsters of Rock vinyl version of Stargazer is friggin’ killer. Absolutely can’t wait for this puppy to come out. 1st, March 25th Judas Priest Battle Cry then April 22nd Rainbow MOR live, It’s gonna be a good year for music releases!!
Is this true because I have not seen anything regarding the release on any other sites? I hope it is as I was one individual who signed a petition for its release as well I was there in 1980 visiting relatives and got to go at the last minute so it means a great deal in that way.
Michael,
Eddie was sent an official press release from Eagle Rock Entertainment, which was then passed on to me, for posting. So, I would think if this wasn’t true, Eagle Rock would have sent out a retraction stating it was erroneous information.
Also, just because a story was not posted on other news forums, does not mean it is not true. I have found that multiple sites have reported on stories, that in the end, were not factual. So, while you are correct that more sources tend to corroborate a story, there are always exceptions to a rule. Maybe, this is one of them?
Cheers,
D 🙂
The track listings for the CD and DVD must be reversed.
The DVD should contain the full show including the solos, the CD would max out at 80 minutes.
Mikey,
You are probably right, but that is how the press release was sent to me. I will flip it, since that makes more sense.
D 🙂
I’m glad to see that Rainbow is mining the archives for releases.
I finally got around to watching the 1995 Black Masquerade DVD release with Doogie White on vocals, and it’s really good.
Looking forward to this one too. I’m hoping the 1984 Japan show comes out in this country, as it looks like the deluxe Ritchie Blackmore Story DVD is unavailable in the US.
The Black Masquerade show is very good, nice that it was released. I have a pro shot bootleg of the Japan ’84 show, the version of I surrender is the same version that’s on the Masters of Metal-It’s alive cd, but yeah would be nice if they released it officially. That and Live Between The Eyes as well.
I used to have a b@@tleg of the 1995 show, but Temple of the King was left out, so it was nice to upgrade.
The 1984 Japan show in available on the deluxe overseas version of The Ritchie Blackmore Story DVD.
Live Between the Eyes was available overseas too, but it’s never been released on DVD in the US.
very cool video. graham bonnet looks like a cross between david bowie and cliff Richard if they raided joe Jackson’s closet.