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