Concert Reviews from Yngwie's Tour with Dio - November/December 2000

Orlando, FL (House of Blues):

From Adam Santucci:
Hello to everyone out there! I just wanted to say that I went to the Florida St.Pete show Friday night and not to my surprise it was sold out before I could get in, however, me and my friend John drove to Orlando last night to see that last show and it was incredible. Yngwie did allot of his classics like Trilogy Suite, Far beyond the Sun and I'll see the Light Tonight, just to name a few. Yngwie was in a great mood last night. You could see that he was enjoying himself and was very gracious towards the crowd. Dio and Doro were awesome too. It was a real treat to hear Dio classics like Rainbow in the Dark and Stand up and Shout. Overall all three bands did great and I couldn't imagine a better concert than Doro, Dio and Yngwie all in one night.

St. Petersburg, FL (Jannus Landing):

From Ray Lofthouse:
Awesome show!!!! My brother and I arrived at 4:15 to ensure that we would be upfront to see the maestro! We were outside talking to many friendly people, most of which seemed to be there to see Yngwie. Including a guy named George who had brought his 2 young sons to see their very first concert. I told them they could not have chosen a better one! And that they were about to see the BEST guitarist on the planet!

They let us in about 7:30, and we positioned ourselves to the right side as you were facing the stage, knowing that Yngwie would be right in front of us. Doro hit the stage at about 7:50 and did a great set. playing material from the Triumph and Agony album, when she was with Warlock. Songs included "I rule the ruins", "All we are", and even did a cover of Billy Idol's "White wedding".

Then it was time for the master, I had been waiting for years to see the best guitarist in the world, and now the time was finally here! I am standing 5 feet from where the maestro will be, pulling out my camera and ready for the show. Now is the time, Yngwie hits the stage with the band and rips into a thunderous performance of "Rising Force". Jorn's voice was great, and the band was tight. The drummer seemed to have a bad blister on his hand and it was wrapped in tape, must have been real painful but he played through it anyways, what a trooper!

Next they did "Masquerade" from the new c.d. Luckily for us it was a small stage and with all the equipment there was little room for Yngwie to move around the stage. I had my camera out, snapping off pictures and the maestro even seemed to be posing for the shots. Next came my favorite song "Far beyond the sun". What a rip-- it sounded as great as the Live in Leningrad version.

Also included were "Crucify" from WTEAW, "Trilogy Suite", "I'll see the light tonight" and a great blues number that Yngwie sang to perfection. It was everything I hoped it would be and then some! April was friendly and said hello before the show as she walked through the front gate.

Next it was time for Dio, and I was thinking that he would have to be at the top of his game to top the Yngwie performance. I had seen him three times before, with Rainbow, Sabbath, and solo a couple of years ago. I must say this was a poor performance. He seemed to be just going through the motions. He opened the show, did 2 songs and then left the stage and had the drummer do a solo? after only 2 songs? Everyone in the crowd was looking at each other wondering what was going on. After several more songs, it was another problem, the sound quit. We waited for about 10 minutes then decided it was time to leave, besides we had already seen the best! Thank you Yngwie for fulfilling the night I have been waiting for years to come true!

Atlanta, GA (Masquerade):

From Scott Dalrymple:
Hello fellow fans, I just saw Yngwie last night in Atlanta, GA. The show was amazing. The set list was : Rising Force, Crucify, Far Beyond the Sun, Masquerade, Trilogy, Guitar solo, Red House, Badiniere, end Guitar solo, I'll See the Light Tonight, and Evil Eye. I ran into April who was very friendly and she let me go to the tour bus to meet the maestro himself. He was the friendliest, nicest, legendary musician I have ever met. He was not rude and obnoxious as critics have said in the past. Yngwie autographed my leather jacket, Rising Force cd, and also personally (to Scott) signed a postcard that he was giving to his fans. He also handed out ink pens. Every fan got to go on the bus one at a time until everyone was greeted. Yngwie also notices the fans during his performance, as he let me know of me being on the front row and actually told me of some of my reactions. He also loved the fact that I sang along with all the songs. The show was very awesome and every bandmember was on. Thank you for your fan club because I would not even known about this show if not for you. Finally after 20 years of being a fan I was able to meet the man. I also caught a pick during the solo, and another pick was handed to me. I also have Yngwie original set list he used onstage.

From Paul:
Well, I saw Yngwie in concert last night at the Masquerade in Atlanta with my friend Randy and I have to say for the 45 minutes he was onstage with his band he made the absolute most of it! We saw Doro perform 1st and her show was good but Yngwie was the best.He didn't get on stage until 10:00 p.m. but it was well worth the wait. He opened with Rising Force and finished with I'll See The Light Tonight as an encore. He played Crucify and Masquerade from his new CD and he also played Evil Eye and Far Beyond The Sun which I was really happy to hear him play those tunes because they are 2 of my favs off his debut record. A few people in the crowd were shouting to hear I Am A Viking or Disciples Of Hell but I figured from the reviews from other fans that he wouldn't play them. Anyway Yngwie played greatly and did all the the tricks with his Strat that he is known for. His guitar tone was really good as usual and played with great precision and feeling. My friend and I were 15 feet from the stage so we were definitely close enough to see him play. His guitar solo was great too and I really liked how he played an excerpt of Eruption with his teeth.

I was really happy to see him in concert once again and I'm only sorry that I didn't get to meet him after his concert because my friend and I left 30 minutes after Dio got onstage because it was getting late. I was going to e-mail you a couple days before the concert to see if I could meet him backstage or something but I never got around to it. Maybe I'll get to meet him next time when he comes to Atlanta and hopefully he'll be playing at a bigger venue like the Fox Theatre which is where he needs to be playing. I hope his popularity grows more and more in the states so he can play the bigger halls. The clubs are cool though because there is a more intimate feeling and there is a more closer connection between him and the audience. I just wish there was seating at The Masquerade although I was really happy with the sound. The place was packed and I think a few people were surprised at how many came out to see the concert. All in all it was a really great concert to see and I look forward to when he is top of the bill. Not to take anything away from Doro or Dio but he always seems to put on such a great live performance and basically leaves you breathless from the energy he has onstage.He is truely remarkable and always gives the fans more then their moneys worth!I know my friend was quite impressed as well. Well that is it for now so a great Thank You to Yngwie and his band for a great concert and I look forward to seeing him in concert next time he comes to Atanta,Ga.

From Georgia:
Yngwie's set was wonderful. The club was packed. It seemed more like a solo/jam session type of thing. There were more instrumentals which I thought was really cool. I guess it was more like that because they didn't have a whole lot of rehearsal time with the new singer. I can't remember the exact amount but I think he may have only sang three songs. That's OK with me...that just means more Yngwie! I noticed there were a few journalists there taking pictures. Do you know which magazines they were from? I met some really nice Yngwie fans last night. You'll be hearing from Martin soon. He's from Mexico City and a member of the fan club. He had been waiting for YEARS to see Yngwie. Yoel Levi [conductor for the Concerto Suite!] was there too and signed Martin's Concerto CD for him. He was thrilled!

Washington, DC (9:30 Club):

From Duane Baird:
We drove 200 miles to catch the show at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. The whole family basically went, myself, my wife Barbara and two sons (Jamie 20 & Jonathan 18) plus my youngest sons girlfriend. Kind of an early Christmas present from me. This was the first time any of us had seen him in concert. I must say it was worth it all. The place was packed. Yngwie put on a great show. For about half the show we were about 5 rows back from the stage on Yngwie's side. When the show first started the lights went out and you hear Yngwie riffage just blasting away and when when the lights came on, he came out and launched into the first song: (Rising Force If I recall correctly) He put a lot of energy into his performance, doing all the acrobatics he is famous for: slinging the guitar around his head, leg kicks, playing with his teeth and much more. He must have went through 100 picks the way he was flinging them that night. It was pretty smooth the way he would sometimes toss the picks and then kick them in mid-air out to the audience. It seemed like his stage assistant would have to run out and bring him more about every five minutes, he went through so many.

I couldn't get a good idea of what the overall sound was like since we were right in front of the PA columns on his side. I do know it was extremely loud. For the next half of the show we went all the way in the back to the top balcony and that made it much better as far as being able to pick up all the details of the sound. I thought the mix was pretty good, however I felt that the keyboards could have stood to be a little louder. The new singer does a great job and the whole band was tight. Needless to say Yngwie's playing was awesome. Yngwie was using 3 Marshall stacks on his side of the stage and 1 on the other. The set list was pretty much the same as mentioned in the last couple of reviews. A good combination of the old and new to satisfy everyone. As soon as Yngwie's set was over we left and hung out by the back door where they were bringing out his equipment so we could possibly meet him. A line quickly formed behind us. It was extremely cold that night and the line shrunk considerably as time went on. While we were waiting, Yngwie's stage assistant came out once and gave everybody one of Yngwies picks.

Yngwie didn't come out until just about the end of Dio's set which was about and hour and a half or two hours later and we were froze to the bone by then. Yngwie and April came out with security, and my wife says: "Hey Yngwie how about an autograph". April replied: "Give him about ten minutes and come to the bus". Everybody went and waited by the bus and security let everyone on one by one to meet him. The whole band was there and Yngwie was very gracious, everybody got to shake his hand, have a few words with him and he signed all of our CD's and posters we had brought with us. April was very nice. She gave my youngest son a pick before he left the bus. It was like being in the twighlight zone to actually meet the man in person. You don't know quite what to say for a minute. (Plus my brain being about half frozen from the cold didn't help much either) Not many people have this kind of affect on me, but It's not everyday you get to meet a musical genius. We all left wishing we could have talked with him longer, but we know he's a busy man. Myself as well as both my sons are guitarists and it meant a great deal to us to actually meet the legend. Thanks Yngwie.

New York, NY (Roseland):

From Peter Gasior:
I just saw the New York show at the Roseland and I thought it was great! It's a shame he had to get off so soon. I was very pleased to hear lots of older tunes. If I were going to change anything, I'd leave the singer home. I went to see YNGWIE -- that's all. The more he's doing his thing, the better. Words get in the way. Actually, I don't mind hearing him break into Hendrix or something like that. I think the ideal show would be Yngwie alone on stage, just noodling around for a few hours. Speaking of instrumentals, are there any plans for "Concerto Suite" performances in the states?

From Jon:
Last night was phenominal! I don't think really many people seemed to take much liking to Doro, but Yngwie really rocked. Before the concert me, my girlfriend Lauren, and my friend Mark walked around and were 20 minutes short of catching Yngwie go from his tour bus to the performance hall. There was a small group waiting in the back totally psyched for the performance. Some got pictures w/ Yngwie, others got autographs. We waited on the line for approx. 2.5 hours and finally were let in towards the front of the line. Us, and everyone whom waited out back, got spots right along the rail behind the press box-->front row. We had cameras and everything and were ready for the show. As soon as Doro left the stage, everyone on the left side(our side) began chanting "Yngwie" as roadies took stage setting up for Yngwie's set. The lights soon dimmed and we all caught the glimpse in the far right of long hair in the shadows and could hear Yngwie in the back warming up. At this point the crowd was screaming. Only the hair we saw was Randy, Yngwie's bassist. The maestro came flying out only moments later, and everyone obviously went wild. The set was incredible. He played everything from "Crucify", to "Far Beyond the Sun", to "Masquerade", to the classics "I'll see the Light Tonight" and his infamous "Trilogy Suite/Guitar Solo/24th Caprice/Star Spangled Banner". Though his set was only breifly over an hour, it was incredible. We all saw April, Yngwie's wife, in the background, and as soon as Yngwie left the stage we began chanting "one more song..." and luckily to our surprise his roadies began putting Yngwie's stuff back on stage and he played a final song. It was incredible. Yngwie played w/ his teeth, sang "Redhouse", and there were plenty of other highlights. I was reluctant to catch 3 picks Yngwie chucked towards us. The people behind me got his towel. It was a great show. Simply put. And our pictures came out just fuckin incredible. Shout out's to Alan and everyone chilling behind Roseland before the show. Yngwie Kicked Fuckin Ass!

From Iedpaul:
I went to the Yngwie/Doro/Dio concert yesterday at Roseland in New York. It was amazing! Yngwie played Crucify, Masquerade, Far Beyond the Sun, Trilogy Suite, I'll See the Light, Red House, and another one I can't exactly remember. Doro was pretty good. I left after a little while of Dio because I only wanted to see Yngwie and things got a little crazy anyway, I was getting crushed in there because there wasn't any seats.

Worcester, MA (Palladium):

From Black Star (j maggio):
Just wanted to let you know how great the show was in Worcester. The band played great and Yngwie played even better than he did in Conneticut. The only complaint I had was the soundman at the show. There was too much of Randy's bass and not enough guitar. But that is blamed on the soundman, the band simply rocked and Yngwie is the GUITAR GOD!!

Hartford, CT (Webster Theatre):

From Tom Cillizza:
What a great show in Hartford, CT on Dec 7th. It was packed!! Most of the people I met were there to see Yngwie. It was an excellent show! You know for me, it would be Yngwie as the headline, I would have liked to listen to him for at least 3 - 4 hours. He was just great!! The other bands were real good, but Yngwie is my favorite. They should have had Dio warming up for the Maestro instead!! I want to thank you again for getting me in to sit-in during the sound check. April was so nice to me!! It made the shorter show not hurt so much!! Now I'll have to wait another year before I can be in the presence of the Maestro.!!

From Black Star (j maggio):
What a show! The show was great! I drove a little over 2 hrs to get there but it was worth it. This was my third time seeing Yngwie and I'm going to the Worcester show tonight. The set was: Rising Force, Crucify, Far Beyond the Sun, Masquarade, Trilogy Suite/Red House/guitar solo, I'll see the Light Tonight, encore Evil Eye. --Yngwie's #1 fan

From Clark Howell:
Dear Yngwie -Your band has come a long way since the fabulous Alchemy tour. You, of course, are still at the top of your game. Your playing is fiery, passionate, and energetic as ever. I loved your choice of songs (Set list in order: Rising Force, Crucify, Far Beyond the Sun, Masquerade, Trilogy Suite/Red House/Badinerie/Star Spangled Banner/Guitar Solo, I'll See the Light Tonight, Evil Eye). The new material is stunning and was extremely well received. It was obvious that you were able to relax more with the material and put your all into each song without having to worry about making sure everyone caught the next cue. Every time I think that you can't possibly top your previous albums, you prove me wrong and put out something even better, like what you did with War to End All Wars. I thought Alchemy was the World's best CD ever, but War is even better! Thanks for the guitar pick; not only did I get one, but everyone around me got one too. You are always generous to your fans, and it is much appreciated. I can't wait to see you again tomorrow night in Worcester, Massachusetts. P.S. - You might want to consider adding a new T-shirt to your selection - I bought one of the "Yngwie Who?" shirts, but the two high school kids behind me bought Dio ones, because they wanted to be able to wear them to school without getting in trouble. They wanted yours, but they could only afford one shirt, so they had to get the one with no four-letter words on it. P.P.S. - Doro is good to look at.

Cleveland, OH (The Odeon):

From Jonel Mandres and Amy Gillies:
I would like to share my experience with everyone. The last time Yngwie played Cleveland was with Dio on 12-3-00. I wasn't sure if I was going to go because I was actually a little mad at Yngwie for not coming to Cleveland since 94 and having to pay $40 for the imports! I've been a fan since Alcatrazz and have seen him live many times, he's indirectly influenced me as a person and musician. I've always loved his approach to guitar but most of all I really liked his lyrics, they would some how always coincide with what was going on in my life and had great meaning to me.

My fiancée Amy really wanted to go to the 12-3 show (she's loved him ever since I turned her on to Yngwie 5years ago) but I kept on going back and forth "yes we'll go, no I'm pissed at him I don't want to support him and I'll send him a message", so she scheduled herself to work the night of the show.

Well 12-3 comes and early in the day I decided I was going to work that night. By 2:00PM I was thinking " I can't miss this show it's Yngwie! What have I lost my mind"? So I decide I'M GOING who knows when he's coming back to town! I told Amy I'm going and she got really pissed! We got into a very serious major fight, she was like "you know I really wanted to see him and I'm scheduled to work tonight"! "You couldn't make up your mind before"! Then the fight went in a different direction and other things were brought up. Finally she was like "You should go he's one of the greatest guitarists in the world and really influenced you, enjoy yourself".

So now I called a guy I new who had an extra ticket (the show was sold out) and he said to call him back in couple of hours to verify and plan out the night. I call later and page him and he doesn't respond. I'm getting mad and thought he was going to screw me over. Meanwhile Amy calls me from work and said she talked someone into working her shift and wanted to go to the show! So we wind up outside the Odeon Concert Club looking for scalpers with tickets. Nobody was selling anything yet. It was freezing cold one of the coldest days so far this winter and we decided to go to a bar up the street for a couple of drinks and warm up. Amy was bumming out because we weren't sure if we would be able to get in. She kept saying "we should go back in line we're going to miss out on tickets", I said "no just wait, let's have some more drinks". Finally I decided we better get in line.

As we walk out of the bar MATS the keyboardist walks past! I go "Hey Aren't you MATS" I met you a long time ago? He's like "Yeah", I told him our dilemma how we didn't have tickets and all that he said he could do nothing but to go and talk to their manager April on the bus. So we go to the bus, knock on the door the driver opens the door, we ask for April she comes, She's like "who are you" we told her we were fans our dilemma with the show being sold out and Amy took the night off of work and she always wanted to see Yngwie blah blah blah. She's like "alright I'll get you two in". She invited us on the bus and had us write our names down on a piece of paper while the whole time I can hear Yngwie warming up burning scales, we were like "Thank you", she goes "you want to meet Yngwie"? We're like YEAH! She pulled the curtain and there he was on the couch of the bus warming up! I walked up to him and said "I LOVE YOU"!!!!!! He was like "hey how's it going". I was in heaven, Amy was in tears and couldn't believe it, She said "THIS IS THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT MEETING YOU! Yngwie was verrrrrrrrrrrry cool, I mentioned to him I haven't seen him since 94 and then he went off and remembered every single date he played Cleveland from 84! We were both floored! What a memory! Amy said to him how he influenced me so Yngwie goes "oh yeah" and handed me his guitar!!!! I was cold and not used to his instrument but started playing some quick riffs and his bus driver was watching me and at one point Yngwie goes "OH OH" (I'm a virtuoso also)! Then April had him sign two post cards with Yngwie on it to both of us which we have in gold frames in our living room. It all happened so fast, I couldn't digest it right away and didn't really realize what happened until we left the bus and got in line and felt like a million dollars and totally energized.

I can honestly say Both YNGWIE AND APRIL WERE TWO OF THE ABSOLUTE NICEST HUMAN BEINGS I'VE EVER MET. The whole time on the bus They made us feel comfortable and welcome and were very warm and sincere, I didn't get the impression Yngwie was doing it just to do it, he was really into the conversations we were having, I felt like they wanted us to stay longer but I was like we already got so much and we should get in line, I couldn't believe everything that just happened. Inside the Odeon we ran into the guy who screwed me on the ticket and showed him the signed pictures of Yngwie! THANK YOU YNGWIE AND APRIL! FOR GIVING AMY AND MYSELF AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE WE WILL NEVER FORGET!!!

From Bonnie Kopp:
Hello, i just wanted to let everyone know that i had a fantastic time at Yngwie's show on December 5th at the Odeon in Cleveland Ohio. And to top it all off, before the show I happen to be at BW3 getting dinner and who was there, yes the man himself and Mats Olausson, did not recognize the (2) other guys with them. But it was great! I did not interrupt their dining, but i was ecstatic just being in the same room with them. Anyway, just keep the great music coming, guys. I think you're great! Hope to see ya the next time you come back to Cleveland! Hopefully it will be soon and not so long between visits. Best Wishes, Bonnie

From Lee Aaron: After spending $225 to fly from Lubbock, TX to Cleveland and another $100 plus on car rentals, hotels and a ticket to the show, all I can say is that the concert in Cleveland was worth every dime. It has been 10 years since I have been able to see Yngwie live, and my timing couldn't have been better. Despite my desire to also see Dio, I left in the middle of the first song of his set in the hopes that I could meet the guitar king in person - I did! It was worth missing out on the Dio show. Thank you Yngwie for a breathless show!

From Louie Hendrix:
First I would like to thank Anne for giving me the information how I could get to meet Yngwie. I showed up at the show around 2:30 pm. I told one of the club workers about the fan club and he let me in so I would not have to stand out in the cold. He informed me that Yngwie had not arrived yet but they were doing the Dio soundcheck and I could watch. Well any way Yngwie's truck arrived at about 3:00 to unload and I talked to the bus driver for a little while while the crew was unloading. He told me that Yngwie will usually show up around 4:30. He was right; a van showed up with the whole band. I got to watch as they set up and did the sound check. During this time I was able to talk to April and she let me know that soon as he finished his sound check Yngwie would come over to say hello. She went and put some things away and brought me back a guitar pick. Yngwie played for about 45 minutes; then he asked if everyone was happy with the sound. April then walked over to him and told him I was there and he came right over. I was kind of nervous about what to say, but he was very friendly and we talked for about 20 minutes. He signed my guitars and we talked about guitars for a little bit. I thanked him for taking the time to talk. I then left and took the guitars back home, and arrived back at the show later that night. It was sold out and the place was packed. Yngwie played great; I only wished he could have played longer. I got used to him playing for about 2 hours at his other shows I recently went to. After the show I got to meet him again for a photo thanks to April. I had forgot the camera when I went earlier but Yngwie allowed me to get a photo after the show and he said it was no problem even though I felt embarrassed that I forgot it before. I've been an Yngwie fan for a long time and seen him many times, but this was the first chance that I had to meet him. It was a great day. As I said in the beginning THANK YOU ANNE!!!!!!!!!!

Grand Rapids, MI (Orbit Room):

From Joseph Huebner:
Doro/Yngwie Malmsteen/Dio December 03, 2000 at the Orbit Room, Grand Rapids, Michigan. What a time! The concert was totally worth the money, however, it was what happened after the show that was beyond words. Folks, IF you play guitar you know who Yngwie Malmsteen is. Joe Olcheske, Robb (my brother) and myself went looking for Yngwie after the show. We found him at a nearby TGIF's. Bold as we are, we sat down at an adjacent table from Yngwie, the band, and his wife. The waiter approached, and my bro and I decided to give the band something since they put on a killer performance. We picked up their total tab. Great icebreaker, eh? You bet! Yngwie, in my opinion, is one of the friendliest people one could meet. We talked about a variety of topics, come to find out that Yngwie's son and my daughter's birthdate are pretty close. Alot was said, and I cherish privacy so I won't go into details. However, I want to personally thank Yngwie, April, and the talented and very friendly guys in the band and crew. It is my greatest hope that Yngwie enjoyed playing here, and we can't wait to catch up with him again. A very Loud VIKING THANKYOU to Yngwie & Co. Yngwie, I am ordering the "right shirt"!

From John Miller:
The show in Grand Rapids, MI on Dec 03 was fantastic. What a guitar monster!

Detroit, MI (Harpos):

From Al Paiz:
Here's my 2 cents worth for this leg of Yngwie's tour: December 1: Tell you what, Yngwie lit this town up! He was hot, in top form, clean and precise, good sound, and the only problem was his delay, or flanger, I guess, that wouldn't give him that exploding sound at the end of Trilogy/solo, when he cranks it up full. Well Yngwie and the band played an hour, and did two encores. Opening song: Rising Force. Closing song: Evil Eye. Inbetween: Crucify, Masquerade, Trilogy suite-Star Spangled Banner-classical-Red House, his patent intro to, and then Far Beyond the Sun, I'll See the Light Tonight. Equals out to abuot 10 songs. Well Yngwie was real good with the crowd. They were just blown away by CRUCIFY, so many were banging their heads! With this being new material and all, there was a real buzz in the crowd, people just smiling and going: "whoooa!!" afterward and lotsa love was being shown for this new song! I saw many, MANY girls enjoying Yngwie's set, dancing, shaking their heads. I love all those bombing chords in CRUCIFY, they're PERFECTLY what I' ve always wanted to hear him play, to shut those people up who say he doesn't play heavy or dark enough !! Yngwie really kept the audience going through out his whole set, a really physical performance, and we were loving it! . About half way thru Dio's set, just near the end of "Magica" I looked back and most of 'em were gone. People seemed to move and be happier hearing Yngwie's new material almost to the point of familiarity. But Dio was fun to see for the first time since '86, how that voice has held up after all these years is amazing. Still sounds GREAT. But I do believe our hero conquered on this nite, he really slayed, for the short set and limited lyrical numbers. Getting another dose tonite!!

December 2nd: All that can ultimately be said about this show is that it topped all other Yngwie shows I' ve seen, save HOB Chicago last year,(yes, my Chicago freinds, I'm doin' a little bit of ass-kissin' there, LOL!!) his set on this night was TWICE as good and high energy! (when I thought there's no way he could top last nights' performance..:) Yngwie and this crowd just absolutely ROCKED throughout his entire set, just freakin' nuts!! There wasn't any slam-dancing, that I could see, no stage-diving, but everyone just had A GOOD TIME!! No one, alive or dead, in my opinion ever played a more grooving, rocking, and hi-energy blues than he did tonight--- just jaw-dropping, fist raising, and draining...Sorry WRIF (radio), none of your blues-rock legends can in no way touch the scorching blues number he played tonite ....Dio managed to excite the crowd much more tonite than last night (no doubt Yngwie helped to whip 'em into a frenzy) everyone stayed this time, and actually had a wild time himself, for those of you who were there. ;) Yngwie, HARPO'S is the place for you to be!

Chicago, IL (HOB, 2nd show):

From Ted Pappas:
I saw Yngwie last week at House of Blues in Chicago. He was great. Unfortunately, his set only lasted about one hour. It was a good hour and I wish he could have played another hour or two or more. The opening act was pretty good, if you like their style of music. We left after hearing dio for about 10 minutes. Couldn't take too much of him. But Yngwie made my day. Good music, exceptional musicianship, and quite the showman. I wonder, will he ever get a singer who can SING? I thought Joe Lynn Turner was the best singer to perform with Yngwie. Some of the others weren't that bad but most of them seem to scream more than sing. I suppose this could be Yngwie's preference and if so, so be it.

From Joe LaBanco:
We saw Yngwie 2 nights in a row, Nov.28th & 29th at House of Blues in Chicago - it was fantastic! It was too short, of course, with 3 bands on the bill. But Yngwie was in top form from the 1st note; both nights were great, we got our asses KICKED!!!

From Bob Adamovich:
The second show in Chicago was just as awesome as the first. Yngwie was rippin' everybody a new one. The sound was better too. Seemed they turned it down a half notch and seemed to make a big difference in sound quality. Everything seemed higher energy the second night and some of the songs were a little more up tempo, (if you can imagine that). The entire concert was absolutely fantastic. Yngwie as always was a shining star in the midst of a deep dark void. We know this void as modern music. The man is truly the great composer of our time. I'm happy to be around to hear him play live and listen to his recordings. My heart was pounding after the last encore and is still beating against my chest as I write. Overall the two concerts were better than I could have expected and can't wait to see him again. It was so great to be able to see him on two consecutive nights. Thank you Yngwie. Thank you Spitfire records. Thank you Mike Spitzer. And thank you Anne. The only thing I could add is if you have even half a chance to see Yngwie......DO IT!

Chicago, IL (HOB, lst show):

From Bob Adamovich:
Just got back from the Yngwie concert and some time to digest the whole thing. So here we are, (my friend and I), checking out the fan club website looking at past reviews of recent concerts and thought we'd add our comments about tonight's performance. I could sum it up in two words: HOLY SHIT! Yngwie was absolutely brilliant. From his first solo, I knew he was in top form and ready to blow the socks, (and other unmentionables), off of everyone there. He certainly carried that promise through to the final tune of the show. All I can say, from a laymen's perspective, is I was in a trance through most of his show, and absolutely rockin' my ass off the rest of the time. Yngwie has one more show here in Chicago tomorrow night, and I can hardly wait! One thing though, his time on stage was limited and I would have preferred to watch him the entire night, but maybe next time. Doro was actually pretty good and rocked the house. Good heavy sound, enthusiastic players. Didn't stick around for Dio. We're gonna check him out on Wednesday night the 29th. Yngwie just blew us away tonight. Will tell you about tomorrow's concert too.

From Joe LaBanco:
The show at H.O.B. in Chicago was magnificent, of course we wished it was 5 times as long ... but Yng was in incredible form & everyone was great!! We're going back tonight to get our butts kicked thoroughly all over again! We were a little disappointed that our names weren't on the guest list, but it would take much more than that to dampen our sense of euphoria! BTW, I'm so addicted to WTEAW it's ridiculous!

From Brian Cashmore:
We met him last night at Rolling Stone Records in Chicago [before the HOB show]. We weren't allowed to pose with them, but we could take as many pictures as we wanted. Yngwie was very cool and his show at the House of Blues last night was awesome. His t-shirt "Yngwie Who?" is totally cool.

Minneapolis, MN (Quest):

From Pete V:
I've been an Yngwie fan for a while now. He's the reason I started playing guitar. I've seen him in concert a bunch of times, and he sounded great. BUT, last night I saw him play at " The Quest, " in Minneapolis. The sound was sound so bad my ears we're bleeding. I couldn't even tell one song from another. I mean it was BAD. I love the guy, and he looked great and all, but it was just a bunch of overdriven noise. Please contact him and tell him to turn it down, or at least mix it better. Dio came out next and sounded awsome!!! They really rocked the place, great sound too. Thanks for your time, Pete V.

Denver, CO (Ogden Theatre):

From Warren J. Lordo:
All I can say, is that the maestro never ceases to amaze me. I showed up at the Ogden around 6:30 PM, I was surprised to find that there were already many people lined up outside. I joined the line and patiently waited to go on in. Finally a little after eight, they opened the doors, and I rushed right in to get a prime spot for Yngwie. I got right up to the stage on the right side, so that was really cool. Doro came out and played well, they did about a six or seven song set. When they were done, I was getting really excited. I couldn't wait to see Yngwie again, it seems like it had been forever since I saw him for the Inspiration tour. Finally the lights went out, and the fog came on. Many were very excited awaiting the arrival of Yngwie. He came on and ripped right into Rising Force. It was totally amazing, I couldn't believe that I was finally hearing and seeing him live again. He did a very well played set, including"Crucify" and "Masquerade" from War to end all Wars. As well as "Far beyond the Sun", and "Ill see the Light Tonight." It also included a few instrumentals, and Yngwie's awesome guitar solo. I was amazed of all the energy Yngwie seemed to have on stage. He is looking better then ever too, I am glad that he kicked the smoking and alcohol. It seems like it is making a big difference. I guess I was bummed that Yngwie didn't play longer, but he did an exceptional set for the time that he did have. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get down to the show early enough to meet him, but I am confident that I will indeed meet him someday. Thank you Yngwie and crew for an amazing night.

Colorado Springs, CO (Music Hall):

From Damian:
Hey All, I saw the show last night! All I can say is WOW! Yngwie is the KYNG! Don't miss it when he comes your way. I will be at the show in Denver tonight. I was able to hook up with Yngwie before his set, he and April were very gracious (Antonio was with grandma and grandpa). He signed my YJM strat, gave me the pick he was warming up with, and we chatted guitars. Too cool. The only bad thing was that my @*%&*$%^@! camera would not work! Oh Well. What a great memory it will be anyway. Look for a LIVE Concerto suite video! From the mouth of Yngwie , it is coming!

Universal City, CA (Universal Amphitheatre):

Electric Basement Review:
DIO/YNGWIE MALMSTEEN/DORO PROVE TO BE A POWER TRIO. The Metal Veterans Tear It Up At The Universal Amphitheater in Hollywood, CA, By Brian Coles 11/19

There is medieval metal and there is THE Medieval Metal. RONNIE JAMES DIO, the grandfather of the mystic metal epic, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, the cocky classical guitar maestro and DORO, the first lady of power metal, proved an undeniable force in front of 10,000 of the most loyal followers you're gonna find in Southern California. This wasn't just some metal show, but a mini-Monsters of Rock. And the occasion was rich with uncanny enthusiasm. The buzz was healthy as Doro took the stage and reminded the gaping audience exactly who she was and that she was back in full. Her set was brief, but her voice and energy never let up. She performed some newer material from Calling the Wild, in addition to the must have closer "All We Are" from her Warlock days. It was clear the audience wanted to reconnect with her, for much of the pit was already filled when she took the stage.

And then there was Yngwie. you gotta love him! Handicapped by the lack of a lead singer throughout most of his set (Mark Boals recently quit the band), he had to make do with flare. And he did make do. Flinging guitar picks like a rain bird sprinkler (of which only 40% made it to the crowd!) and managing a series of leg kicks, he tore it up and yanked notes so high into the stratosphere, I think we may just have another hole in the ozone layer. Rabid Yngwie fans had euphoric seizures near the front row, pausing only to take pictures with a camera they snuck past the laid back security.

As a curtain call, a very special surprise was in order, and the mad axeman delivered. Yngwie, to the shock of many, introduced original Rising Force lead singer Jeff Scott Soto. Hands raised in the air and audience members kept looking at each other as if they couldn't believe their eyes (and I don't think it was because Soto's hair was cropped, but I could be mistaken). The band proceeded to pummel the masses with prime, first generation power metal. Yngwie and Soto hugged each other at the end, leaving us to wonder if this is a permanent partnership or a one off magical moment.

Speaking of magic, the man himself was due next. The arena was packed to capacity at this point, with many a fan trying to weasel down into the pit before the lights went down. Those that didn't make it, kept on trying throughout the evening. The Spitfire Safety Crew did their best to keep the musical chairs to a minimum, but you can't deny passion. Back to the beginning. The house lights evaporated instantly, preempting anxious conversation. The eery "Holy Diver" intro effects rumbled through the amphitheater and EVERYONE stood on their feet. The stage lights shot forth as Craig Goldy ripped into "Sunset Superman" while Dio took the mic in earnest. Behind the band was a giant Holy Diver album cover tapestry, stretching some 30 feet across the back of the stage. Amidst atmospheric lighting and smoke, the band knocked out "Invisible", "Stand Up and Shout", "Don't Talk to Strangers" and "All The Fools Sailed Away" before cooling down for a minute. RID than announced that the band was going to perform the Magica album. Though they didn't play every song off the album, they did play most, including "Lord of the Last Day", "Fever Dreams" (which got an spirited response), "Challis", "As Long As It's Not About Love", "Losing My Insanity" etc. During the Magica set, the tapestry changed to the Magica cover, as one would expect.

The closing numbers brought the house down. "Holy Diver", "Heaven and Hell" and "Rainbow In The Dark" gave way to tossing Dio banners onstage and even a couple fans making their way onto the platform. One was booted off, the other was invited on. A kid about 10 years old with a Dio bandana rocked out with RJD for a couple minutes and then went back stage, returning with 2 drumsticks courtesy of the band. Lucky bastard! But the mass hysteria would not end there. Instead of an encore, Dio asked the crowd if they wanted another one. "YES!" they screamed. "Last In Line", "Man on the Silver Mountain" and "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" had both the band and crowd rocking harder than they had all night. A mini-mosh pit even erupted during "Last In Line". The band finished all smiles and bowed out of the frenzy. Oh and yes, Ronnie's voice sounded better that ever. The man is a legend for a reason, ya know.

Metal Edge Online Concert Review:
November 20, 2000 DIO, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and DORO PESCH rocked L.A.'s Universal Amphitheatre on Saturday night, entertaining an audience that included a considerable number of rock VIPs: GENE SIMMONS (a friend of Doro's since he produced a CD for her in 1990), JOHN CORABI (about to hit the road with RATT), LIZZY BORDEN (still working on lining up a tour), BOB KULICK (who produced two tracks on Doro's new Call of the Wild disc), JOHN CHRIST, BULLETBOYS guitarist JASON HOOK, and JEFF SCOTT SOTO, the former RISING FORCE frontman who made a one-song appearance with Malmsteen and was slated to play one more show. Soto, who has been singing (quite lucratively) in the cover band BOOGIE NIGHTS, misses doing original material and wants to get back to it soon. Also on hand were DAVID GLEN EISLEY, visiting with ex-GIUFFRIA bandmate Goldy (he's in that Schwab investments TV commercial with Ringo Starr and has a solo album out in Europe), ONI LOGAN, and JON LEVIN and TOMMY HENRICKSEN, who'd played with Doro in WARLOCK and hadn't seen her in 11 years (watch for photos in our Gallery). In Doro's current band is drummer JOHNNY DEE, who recorded a live BRITNEY FOX album with the band's second singer TOMMY PARIS and said that there may be a studio album in the future. Doro is thrilled to finally have a U.S. release and tour for the first time in eight years and plans to a headlining club tour early next year. Malmsteen will also probably go out on his own in 2001, but isn't yet sure where. He does plan to do a three-night staging of his "Concerto Suite" in Tokyo, Japan in June. His War to End All Wars album, out tomorrow, features singer MARK BOALS, who is no longer in the band. "We didn't come to an agreement and I decided to terminate," says the guitarist, who feels that "the singer in my band is another instrument, no more. In most bands it would make a huge difference but in my band, it doesn't. I write all the melodies." More from Malmsteen in our Members video interview features and Photo Gallery later this week, plus a Fender guitar giveaway.

From Derek:
Overall a great concert. Doro played and was surprisingly good; the crowd was getting into it by the end. Then Yngwie hit the stage, it had been since '86 since i saw him and he was better than I ever remembered. As he started to play you could feel the crowd really getting behind him and Yngwie certainly did not disappoint-- a killer set list and his band was very very good. I thought he played just the right amount of time; he didn't give the crowd a chance to catch their breath. He was in fine form and was really loving it, you could tell. If you get a chance to see this show, don't miss out-- you will be glad you made it. Also Dio played after and was also pretty good.

From Chris Schneider:
45 minutes, instrumentals + Yngwie singing Red House in the middle of Trilogy Suite, then Jeff Scott Soto encore playing I'll See the Light Tonight. Good performance, as Yngwie said onstage it was short but sweet. I left afterwards, didn't care to see Dio. $6.50 drafts! Only Yngwie shirt was the 'Yngwie Who?' shirt for sale. MANY people left after Yngwie, I was laughing because I think it should have been the other way around with Dio as the opening act. I have NEVER seen Yngwie open with Far Beyond the Sun, but he did and it was suprising. I had to get pumped up quick as I am used to him opening with some track off his latest that I don't even know well yet. Maybe I am leaving something out but I recall: Far Beyond the Sun Evil Eye Trilogy Suite + Spasebo Blues + Red House + Solo Icarus Dream Suite ( Just the 1st part, before the acoustic guitar enters, pretty much how he did the opening to Far Beyond the Sun on the Live in Leningrad album ) Black Star Arpeggios From Hell ( much more added since the Full Shred video ) I'll See the Light Tonight Shit I think I am forgetting something oh well. Jeff said " Lets see if it sounds like it did in 1985 in 2000 " and kicked off the encore song. He was really good. Well, I am tired. I think the future shows will be way different, since the singer is there now and the new album is launched. I had a great time, despite how pissed off I was last week. Through a 'hook up', I got lower level seats.

Las Vegas, NV (House of Blues):

From Thom Beckman:
I just had to say what a great show Yngwie did at the Las Vegas House of Blues this past Friday. My friend and I flew in from Seattle just for the gig. Dio and Doro were amazing too, but we were there to see Yngwie. The last time I saw him was on the Odyssey tour so I was really looking forward to it. The guy is just incredible. He comes out blazing and never lets up for a second. I loved hearing all the instumentals and the crowd was really into it. Now he just needs to play Seattle again soon!

From Vincent:
Hello Ann. This is Yngwie's most BIGGEST fan! I saw Yngwie in Las Vegas this past Friday (11/17/00), and the only thing that wasn't good was that he was the opening act. I saw him last year when he was the main attraction, and that was the show to see indeed, but even though it was only for 45 minutes that Yngwie got to play this year in Vegas, it was worth waiting to see him play. When he played, it was like listening to the most gifted guitarist that ever lived. Yngwie was born to do what he does indeed, but not just because he plays fast because anyone that practices long enough can learn to play fast. Yngwie though plays with such feeling, and with such passion, and especially with such melody, and this is what separates him from all of the rest of so-called virtuosos. I was so amazed to see Yngwie's incredible improvisational skills, which no-one even comes close to, provided that one plays with the same vituosity that Yngwie plays. To be able to choose any note on the guitar and lead off from there is a skill that no-one even comes close to. If Yngwie weren't around doing what he does, I sure wouldn't have anything decent to listen to except classical music. Thank goodness for Yngwie J. Malmsteen! Well, that's all. I want the whole world to know that Yngwie J. Malmsteen rulz bar none!!!!!!!!!!!

San Francisco, CA (Fillmore):

From Jerred Mathews:
I went to Yngwie's show in San Francisco last night. I showed up three hours before the show hoping to see Yngwie. I asked one of the workers whether Yngwie's tour manager was there and I told him about the list forwarded by Anne to Yngwie's management. Of course, the guy didn't know anything. At that point, I didn't think Yngwie was going to come out. Some people started to run down the sidewalk so I went to see what was happening. Then I heard my dad screaming, "Jerred!!" I ran back like mad and there he was. I couldn't believe it. Yngwie and April came out to the gate. Yngwie gave me a couple of picks and April gave me an Yngwie Fanatic pen. Yngwie then autographed the cover of my Rising Force songbook and Alchemy poster. Then I got my picture taken with him. Last night's show was the most amazing performance I've ever seen from any musician. Yngwie is the most exceptional guitar player I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. You can listen to an Yngwie album or see a concert video, but you have to be there to know what I'm talking about. There's a certain energy that comes from his music. It was like a religious experience. For everyone fortunate enough to have tickets, you are in for a treat.

From Sandra Banducci:
I was there!!!! He had to do all instrumentals, I guess Jeff Soto didn't show up... But it was a great 45 minutes. He was wonderful. He looked much better, probably due to not smoking, and he had a genuine smile... He was relaxed and just did his thing. The audience was really there to see Dio, but there were chants of YNGWIE, YNGWIE, YNGWIE. Just testing the "smoke" people got excited.......Actually, the total instrumental was better than some of the songs... But I think it wore him out. Arpeggios from Hell was great, or was it Blitzkrieg???