RAINBOW - Live In Munich 1977 (CD + DVD)
November 1, 2024, a month ago
(Mercury)
Who could say no to a classic concert recording by the Long Live Rock N' Roll era line-up of Rainbow? Nobody! And while the group's performance in Munich from 1977 has been issued over the years in several different configurations, it is now finally being made available as a 2-CD/1-DVD set, simply entitled Live In Munich 1977.
The story goes that supposedly this show almost didn't happen, as two nights earlier, Rainbow leader Ritchie Blackmore found himself in trouble with the authorities in Austria, and finally arrived to Munich…but quite late. Still, the performance managed to be a keeper.
Included are outstanding renditions (Ronnie James Dio is at the peak of his vocal powers) of such Rainbow classics as “Kill The King” and “Long Live Rock N' Roll.” But a point simply has to be deducted from the final rating due to all the overindulgent/extended soloing that seemingly every tune is hampered by (for example, an over 27 minute rendition of '”Still I'm Sad”, a near 20 minute version of “Catch the Rainbow,” etc.).
