On December 6th, Dio Returns: The World Tour featuring a Ronnie James Dio hologram fronting a band kicked off at matrix in Bochum, Germany. The band features Dio Disciples guitarist Craig Goldy on guitar, drummer Simon Wright, keyboardist Scott Warren, and bassist along Bjorn Englen on bass. Video is available below.

The tour will make stops in Poland, Spain, Romania, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Belgium before the end of 2017. A teaser for the tour is available for streaming below.

Guitarist Craig Goldy has weighed in on the tour, offering his thoughts in the face of some disapproval amongst Dio fans for hitting the road with a Ronnie James Dio hologram.

Goldy: "The band Dio was run like a family because it was a family. And when an important family member dies, those left behind often do things to keep their lost loved one’s memory alive. Ronnie had an extended family; his fans from all over the world. They were his family and his friends, too. Whenever we do a Dio Disciples concert in my heart it is not a concert at all, but a memorial service in the form of a concert. His music played such an important role in so many people’s lives from all over the globe including myself. In times of trouble he was the voice that I turned to. It was like we were friends before we ever met. That is what a fan was to Ronnie, a friend that he just hadn’t met yet. But then because his music was so amazing it got released around the world and he did get to meet almost all of his fans.

When the Sacred Heart tour came out Ronnie practically cut his profit margin in half bringing the fans an 18 foot fire breathing dragon. It really did have fire coming out of its mouth, lasers shot out of the dragon’s eyes, and wherever that laser would land an explosion would take place, both visual and audio. He didn’t hike up ticket prices for all that.... it was his way of giving back to the fans.

So even though a lot of money was made, a lot of money was being spent. And I think that is when all the problems started with certain band members because they didn’t have the same heart for the fans as Ronnie and Wendy did. It started to become about money. And I’ll just stop there because things are getting better with certain band members and I don’t want to spoil it.

The hologram is supposed to be a gift to the fans, plain and simple, given in the same spirit in which Ronnie gave. People don’t remember but Wendy was a big part of how that whole Sacred Heart stage set was built, put together and without hiking up the ticket prices. Same thing for the Dream Evil tour, with a giant metal spider that came down out of the rafters and I shot it with lasers out of my guitar, and then wherever I pointed my guitar an explosion would occur. It was magical days with magical people behind that magic. This hologram is just that. Some people never got to see Ronnie on stage with Sabbath and Rainbow, some of these holograms eventually will bring back those days, too. This is something that is done in the name of love, honor, missing him and respect. Nothing else, and that is the truth.

So, this hologram tour is meant to honor the man and his music in the same spirit in which that man gave to this world, so we now give. And people will be missing out on an incredible experience if they let bad comments make that decision for them."

Read Goldy's complete post via Facebook here.

Tour dates:

December
7 - Die Kantine - Cologne, Germany
9 - Progresja - Warsaw, Poland
13 - Bikini Barcelona - Barcelona, Spain
14 - Teatro de las Esquinas - Zaragoza, Spain
15 - Escenario Santander - Santander, Spain
17 - Arenele Romane - Bucharest, Romania
19 - O2 Academy Islington - London, United Kingdom
20 - Poppodium 013 - Tilburg, Netherlands
21 - Trix - Antwerp, Belgium

Dates initially announced for Finland, Sweden and Norway are being rescheduled for a larger run through Scandinavia in 2018.

The Dio Returns tour will also make stops throughout Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, United States, Venezuela and other countries, with more dates to be announced.

The Ronnie James Dio hologram will perform throughout the show, treating fans to an alternating set list that will feature songs such as "Rainbow In The Dark", "We Rock", "Neon Nights", "King of Rock & Roll", "Man On The Silver Mountain", "Heaven & Hell", "Holy Diver" and more.

The Dio Returns tour will feature Dio’s actual live vocals, with the Dio band playing live, featuring Craig Goldy on guitar, Simon Wright on drums, Scott Warren on keyboards and Bjorn Englen on bass. Veteran metal vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens will also perform, with singer Oni Logan also joining on select dates.