Now when you talk about Live Albums this version of Rainbow is my favourite incarnation of Ritchie Blackmore’s rotating lineup! The studio album from 1982 Straight Behind The Eye’s is an absolute classic of all things classic AOR. I reviewed the studio portion and it’s so good and for some crazy reason people do not really credit it as much as the Dio led version of Rainbow. As far as I’m concerned this is the era I discovered Rainbow so it’s the era I like most.
So here is the live portion from that tour back in 1982 recorded and filmed in San Antonio. Actually come to think of it this may be the exact same lineup that was on the live release Boston 1981. That one also is a great live show and of course the review of that show is lingering around somewhere on this site.
So there as you see above is the track listing of the show and it features some current stuff(at the time) and some golden oldies of Ritchie’s years when Dio sang for his supper with Rainbow and Ritchie’s days from Deep Purple.
Spotlight Kid is a great opener and Bobby Rondinelli just double bass’s the drums throughout the whole opener as Joe Lynn Turner sings indeed for his supper while Bassist Roger Glover(looking like an extra from Miami Vice) keeps the bottom end shuffling while at time keyboardist David Rosenthal locks in with Ritchie and they do solo’s together and at time separately. Watch the video posted below(Miss Mistreated is the second track added to the video) as you gotta love watching Ritchie as he has no idea he’s in San Antonio hahaha. Love the man’s non facial expressions but his guitar tone is wickedly dirty sounding on this album and when he locks in with the keyboards its a throwback to the Purple years gone by!
Must also make mention in the live video how I dig those set of eyes that drop from the ceiling and shot rays of lights throughout the crowd. Almost hokey but it’s 1982 for God’s sake! Give me props!
Joe Lynn Turner has a great voice suited for Rainbow but in this vid man he looks awkward as a frontman. That white leather jacket and him making fists is kinda silly and stuff but I guess he was trying to metal it up at times as a tough guy! Still though he can sing….
deKe's Vinyl Reviews & More... 
Got this on DVD too. Poor JLT is a bit awkward but the music is brill. Tearing Out My Heart is incredible. Blackmore’s solo! Phwooaar
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Its like JLT tries to be tuff but falls kinda short! Maiden opened up a bunch of North American shows on the SBTE’s Tour…
So here u have Dickinson circa 1982 with that Metal like contraption attached to his right arm looking all metal with the spandex and such and than comes the headliner JLT in his white leather jacket and weighing in at a 120 pounds….
Stage presence kinda lacking but his pipes more than make up for it!
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I bet Blackers was not happy having to follow Maiden! I think he had Saxon turfed off the support slot in Europe once cause they were going down too well!
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I could totally see that happening….sad though but yeah why….play your gig collect your cheque and chat up some birds at the hotel bar after the show and carry on into the next city the following night!
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I’m not sure if I have this or not? I don’t recognize the back cover. I have a lot of live Rainbow, some never played.
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HA..stuff not played??? SHOCKER!
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JLT’s hair looks very real on this one
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This was around the time I discovered Rainbow. Thanks to MTV and the video for Stone Cold. I actually don’t have any of their live albums.
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We got into them t the same time John!
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Did a spit take with my coffee on Miami Vice line! (I thought the same thing)… Those eyes!
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Cheese mo at its finest…..a Budget prop but very effective….hahaha
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Nice! I know we talked about Rainbow on the SBTE tour, but did you know I saw them on the Long Live Rock n Roll tour with Dio?
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Two words.
AWE. SOME
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Wow with REO Speedwagon….pre balladish REO!
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Yeah. It was a pretty killer show. Rock in the 70’s was a completely different animal.
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I’m sure!
My fist concert was right at the tail end of the 70’s and that KISS on the Dynasty tour Oct 6th 1979…
Judas Priest was the scheduled opener but cancelled and was replaced by a young John Cougar who got booed throughout….
First and real show that I seen an opener get that ….
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Nice! My first concert (and I’m probably aging myself) was Rod Stewart and the Faces when Ron Wood was still with them before becoming a Rolling Stone. Peter Frampton opened, which was killer.
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Ha…no worries but man thats something….Stones and Stewart/Wood….
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Sweet! A great time capsule for sure, Deke. Well-done!
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Oh, I think I thought that Dio was the Rainbow guy. I didn’t realise they were a revolving door.
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(Hadn’t finished)… until recently. I think that’s why I’d struggled to find a starting point.
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Yeah I got into Rainbow after Dio was gone and basically by the time Dio was finished in Sabbath as well…
Dude cruised through a few bands at a decent clip didn’t he??
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No kidding! But imagine having Sabbath and Rainbow on your CV?
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Blackmore has always had a revolving door deal with Rainbow …man no job security playing with guys like him or Coverdale for that matter
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That’s an interesting point Deke about the singer – you want to have the voice that fits, but you also want the presence on stage.
I’m not sure what the right ratio is (50/50?), I guess there are only so many Freddie Mercury’s that manage to be amazing at both!
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I’m with ya Deke on Rainbow discovery. The Joe Lynn Turner led version was first and then a few years later I went back and checked out the other versions.
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