Sometimes you find yourself in a cozy place and you don't want to budge; that's what happened to me on the same day that the tribute for Ronnie James Dio was supposed to happen. However, I tapped my inner strength only because  I know that in this show I am attending, there are to be many great musicians that are going to give 110 percent in honor of this amazing vocalist, named Ronnie James Dio. By 20:00 I found myself searching my closet for my one and only old faithful jacket, the one that was with me in the Ronnie James Dio show back in the days and I set off for the venue, The Gagarin club, a small and intimate place in Tel Aviv.

When I arrived I saw something amazing , something that only a tribute to Ronnie James Dio could bring, young people mixing with some old geezers, old geezers that probably remember the real Ronnie James Dio with RAINBOW and later on with BLACK SABBATH, this mix can only be in show of the highest caliber, and no doubt that Ronnie James Dio was.

So onward to the show, the tribute to Ronnie James Dio was planned with a stellar lineup, first of all the main musicians on stage for the show are members of the local and great band SWITCHBLADE, with some  guest appearance from band members of DESERT and THE FADING, yet again some great local bands; orchestrating all the show on the stage is the amazing Jo Amore. If you don't know of Jo, you require enlightenment; Jo is a veteran of the scene with his band NIGHTMARE and many tributes to Dio, he is also known as the European Dio the voice is very similar and the charisma on stage not far from Dio himself, so we are all in for a treat.

However before the tribute we got into a great start with DESERT has the starting lineup and the refreshers, or should I say the buildup band, prior to the tribute.
 

DESERT are soon to release their new album, "Never Regret" and what a great place and venue for performing the new songs to an angry mob. I did listen to the album, DESERT didn't disappoint and came to the stage all fired up and ready to kick ass.
 

I don't think I need to write on and on about the band, however I will say that DESERT did some lineup changes and performed more aggressive metal with their new album. This aggressiveness appeared on the stage with an explosive sound from all the band's members and of course Alexei Raymar on vocals, Alexei Raymar does show that on stage he can bring a fight to any lead vocalist in the world today and I'm not exaggerating. DESERT also has two great guitar players: Sergei Metalheart and Max Shafranski that deliver with Oleg Aryutkin on keyboard, Sergei Dmitrik on bass and Assaf Markowitz on Drums with an explosive show, mixing old songs like "Massada Will Never Fall" (such a classic song) and many new songs for the new album.
 

Only a short time after DESERT finished their show and the dust even didn't settle in, came Jo Amore and his band of bandits from SWITHCBLADE: Fede "FedeRock" Taich on the axe, Boris Siper with the blade (bass) and Moshe "Moshpit" Sabah with the hammer of war, so to speak.
 

Up to the stage, I can't even explain what happened in the Gagarin, the place become a whirlwind of metal storm, with Jo Amore's voice pounding all the fans like boulders falling from the sky, Jo Amore and the bandits did all classic Ronnie James Dio songs, taking the RAINBOW era and throwing in songs from the Dio era of BLACK SABBATH. Into the fray came to the stage also Alexei Raymar to sing alongside Jo Amore in the classic song "Holy Diver".
 

On stage was Sergei Metalheart from DESERT alongside Fede "FedeRock" Taich from SWITCHBLADE, throwing more power riffs to the mix, it was a revolving door of local musicians and Jo Amore on stage; mustn't forget Alex Zvulun from the acclaimed THE FADING that came with his axe to add more fire to the mix, playing also yet another classic "Rainbow in the dark". Last to appear was Lior Stein from SWITCHBLADE and CYRENIC to sing along on one of the biggest and iconic metal songs ever, "Heaven and Hell".
 

I can't write enough about the show, it's one of those experience that if you hadn't been there you can't understand what happened. I say thanks the Progstage for bringing Jo Amore  and the other bands for an unforgettable night. Who even remembers that Jo Amore and the tribute to Ronnie James Dio had supported Jorn Lande? I can say, tough luck you missed out on a great show

It took me over ten minutes to come to the realisation that the show ended, the whirlwind stopped and the fire had burned out, however the voice of  Jo Amore will echo in my soul side by side with Ronnie James Dio.