Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow With Ronnie James Dio Box Set Due Next Spring

 

The Temple Of The King 1975-1976 is the most comprehensive collection of the opening phase of Rainbow’s career to date, and is the first in a series of anthology sets covering the career of legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. The nine-CD set, newly mastered by Andy Pearce & Matt Wortham, is housed in Deluxe 7” packaging featuring a 24-page booklet featuring memorabilia, photos and sleeve notes by music writer Rich Davenport. It drops March 6, 2026.

Pre-order The Temple Of The King 1975-1976

The set spans the band's first two years and includes Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Rising, and the extended German concerts that were compiled as part of the double live album On Stage.

The final two discs comprise rare recordings, many of which are featured on CD for the first time, including band rehearsals, single edits, and rough mixes.

Rainbow was initially formed as a Ritchie Blackmore solo project in the early months of 1975, after a Deep Purple tour of the previous year. On that tour, they were supported by the American band Elf. The singer of Elf, Ronnie James Dio, left an impression on Blackmore, who asked him to sing on a cover of the song "Black Sheep Of The Family."

The sessions went so well that a full album began to take shape, with Blackmore and Dio collaborating on original songs. Blackmore had such foresight in this project, he solely funded the work and thus began the mystical musical world of Rainbow. The resulting record, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, was recorded between February and March 1975 at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany. With Blackmore's composing prowess and Dio's mystical lyrics, the band was set to take fans to a new level.

The album’s unusual stylistic blend of hard rock and classical music was partly inspired by Blackmore taking up the cello to help him break free of the confines of conventional guitar chord progressions. Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow was a top 15 hit in the UK and top 30 in the US, and was such a positive experience that in the Summer of 1975, that Blackmore left Deep Purple to commit himself fully to Rainbow.

Recruiting bassist Jimmy Bain, keyboard player Tony Carey and ex-Jeff Beck Group drummer Cozy Powell, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow undertook their first tour. By 1976, the band's name had been shortened to Rainbow, and a second album, Rising, was recorded in February of that year once again at Musicland. 

Rising, with its iconic sleeve of a fist holding a rainbow in a mystical scene, only features six tracks, including two epic compositions on side two, one of which, "Stargazer," is widely regarded as a Rainbow classic and a landmark in hard rock. The original musical stylings are often touted as the first neo-classical metal band. It was the perfect melding of Ritchie's guitar wizardry and Ronnie's soaring powerful vocals.

Taking the album on the road in 1976, the band added Deep Purple's "Mistreated" to their setlist, and song lengths were stretched to include improvisational sections. The band recorded shows in Germany and Japan, which were edited and compiled as the live album On Stage, released in the summer of 1977. Three of the German shows from Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Nürnberg are being released together for the first time outside of Japan on The Temple Of The King 1975 – 1976.

Robin Trower Releases 'Too Rolling Stoned' Video From Upcoming Live Album

 

British guitarist Robin Trower has revealed the latest live cut, “Too Rolling Stoned,” from his upcoming album One Moment In Time: Live In The USA, which will be released on January 30, 2026, via Artone/Provogue.  Check out the video below.

The 14-song setlist represents a whistlestop guide to Trower’s fabled career, the bluesman striking a keen balance of all-time classics and new songs that reflect where he stands as an artist in modern times. You’ll find no fewer than four songs from 1974’s gold-selling masterpiece, Bridge Of Sighs, still universally hailed amongst the greatest albums from the golden era of blues-rock. 

“Those songs have to be in there, because they’re the audience’s favorites,” he says of these roaring renditions of “Too Rolling Stoned,” and the previously released live version of “Day of the Eagle.” “That album is still a very powerful piece of music.”   

In the summer of 2025 and riding high on the acclaim for his latest solo album, Come And Find Me, the guitarist crossed the Atlantic for a 25-date run in the nation that has welcomed him since the start. 

Almost 60 years have passed since Trower first performed in the Land Of The Free, but as a British gunslinger raised under slate-grey South London skies, he still remembers the culture shock. “I first came here with Procol Harum in the late 60s. Back then, it was a different world,” he says.

Slinging his signature Fender Stratocaster, moving the air with 50-watt Marshall stacks and drawing on his full array of Fulltone pedals (try the wah masterclass on opener “The Razor’s Edge”), Trower is very much running the show. But as the veteran bandleader acknowledges, the flying sparks on One Moment In Time: Live In The USA are down to the chemistry between his trusty power-trio: a three-headed beast that moves as one through the set’s shifting dynamics and time signatures.

“I prefer this format because I have more freedom,” he explains. “In a three-piece, everybody is trying to make up for the missing instrument. We’ve got Richard Watts on bass and vocals: a wonderful voice, great musician. Then there’s Chris Taggart on drums, another fantastic musician. I’m very fortunate to play with guys of this calibre. We’ve been working together now for a good ten years. They have to watch me a bit, because obviously I’m leading and they have to follow – but they do a brilliant job.”

One Moment In Time: Live In The USA, then, is a document of Robin Trower in full flight, just as powerful when experienced through your home speakers as it was for the fans on the front row. “At the very least, you want the audience to be feeling entertained by the end of the show,” he considers. “But I’d really like them to walk out feeling elated. I want them to get something emotionally out of this as well…”

Roger Daltrey Of The Who Is Knighted

 

The Who frontman Sir Roger Daltrey has hailed his knighthood as both an “incredible honor” and a “dream” for someone from his background.

The 81-year-old singer, who launched and curated the Teenage Cancer Trust’s Royal Albert Hall concerts, was recognized for his services to charity and music.

Following Wednesday’s investiture at Windsor Castle, Sir Roger said that he accepted the honor on behalf of the charity.

“For me, it’s a double honor because I’m getting it for my work with Teenage Cancer Trust. So personally it’s wonderful,” he said.

“But for Teenage Cancer Trust, I’m accepting it on behalf of all those people who may never get an honor and without whom we never would have made the success we have made of our charity.

“It’s important to me that I make them realize they are really appreciated.”

The musician said: “It is an incredible honor, I was born in the Second World War and grew up in the streets in London, for a kid like me, achieving this, it’s a dream.”

He said he was on tour when the letter informing him of his knighthood arrived.

His wife Heather didn’t tell him while he was away and later “broke the news” when he returned home.

Sir Roger said it is important to “just love what you are doing”, adding: “Never fall out of love with what you’re doing and deliver it.”

Sir Roger stepped down from his role as curator of the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts in 2024 after more than 20 years in the role.

The concerts have raised more than £34 million for charity and have led to the setting up of 28 specialized units within the NHS.

Discussing his decision to step down, Sir Roger, who remains an honorary patron for the charity, said: “It needs young blood to survive and now (The Cure’s) Robert Smith is doing it next year and we’ll get a different curator every year then.

“I can’t believe I did it for 24 years because it’s not an easy thing they do.

“They manage to get six nights of music, one night of comedy, with people who are able to fill the Albert Hall.”

Sir Roger said he is “very proud” of the concerts and the fact that so many bands and artists are willing to perform for Teenage Cancer Trust.

Smith’s line-up for next March’s concerts include bands such as Manic Street Preachers, Elbow and Wolf Alice.

Sir Roger said: “I’m kind of intrigued because they are all bands I’m not really familiar with, so it’s opening my eyes.

“I come from a totally different generation of music, and we’ve used most of them, but it’s going to be interesting.”

Sir Roger said he is planning on attending the concerts and announcing the bands who are due to perform.

He said he is “still involved” with the concerts and is also the “spare band” if there is ever a situation when somebody has dropped out.

The singer added: “If they ever end up where someone can’t do it, I’ve always said to them I’ll throw a band together and I’ll do it.”

Since 2000, the charity’s annual gigs have seen performances from the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Oasis, Muse, Ed Sheeran, and more.

Triumph Announces First Tour In 30 Years With 50th Anniversary Trek

 

Canadian three-piece band Triumph have announced their first tour in 30 years with the Triumph 50th Anniversary Tour, produced by Live Nation.

 

A statement from the band reads: “Our fans have always been the heart of Triumph. Their energy, their belief, and the way they embraced the positivity in our music have carried us for fifty years. We’ve always said these songs were meant to bring people together - and that’s exactly why we’re coming back now. We knew there was still a chapter left to write. This tour is our chance to do it, together with the people who made the Triumph journey possible.”

Tickets for the Triumph 50th Anniversary Tour with special guest April Wine, will be available

beginning with a presale running Wednesday, December 10 through Thursday, December 11,

giving fans early access to seats. 

American Express Card Members in Canada can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Wednesday, December 10 at 10:00 AM local time through Thursday, December 11 at 11:59 PM local time. The general on-sale follows on Friday, December 12 at 10am local time at livenation.com.

Formed in Mississauga in 1975, Triumph - Rik Emmett (guitar, vocals), Mike Levine (bass,

keyboards), and Gil Moore (drums, vocals), rose from playing high school auditoriums and rock

n’ roll bars to selling out arenas, Triumph has sold over 15 million albums worldwide and earned multiple gold and platinum certifications, building a global following through headline tours and landmark festival performances, including the 1983 US Festival before 500,000 fans. 

2026 TRIUMPH 50 TH ANNIVERSARY NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

CANADA

April 22 — Sault Ste. Marie, ON — GFL Memorial Gardens

April 24 — Toronto, ON — Scotiabank Arena

April 25 — Hamilton, ON — TD Coliseum

April 28 — Halifax, NS — Scotiabank Centre

April 29 — Moncton, NB — Avenir Centre

May 1 — Laval, QC — Place Bell (Montreal)

May 2 — Ottawa, ON — Canadian Tire Centre

May 5 — Winnipeg, MB — Canada Life Centre

May 7 — Edmonton, AB — Rogers Place

May 8 — Calgary, AB — Scotiabank Saddledome

UNITED STATES

May 13 - Rosemont, IL | Rosemont Theatre (Chicago)

May 14 - Milwaukee, WI | Miller High Life Theatre

May 16 - Kansas City, MO | Starlight Theatre

May 17 - St. Louis, MO | Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

May 20 - Irving, TX | The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory (Dallas)

May 21 - San Antonio, TX | Frost Bank Center

May 22 - Houston, TX | Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land

May 24 - Tampa, FL | MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

May 26 - Atlanta, GA | Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park

May 28 - Camden, NJ | Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Philadelphia)

May 30 - Sterling Heights, MI | Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill (Detroit)

June 3 - Darien Center, NY | Darien Lake Amphitheater

June 5 - Wantagh, NY | Northwell at Jones Beach Theater (New York)

June 6 - Boston, MA | Leader Bank Pavilion

Toto, Christopher Cross & The Romantics Announce 2026 Summer Tour

Toto, Christopher Cross and The Romantics have announced plans to tour North America Summer, 2026, produced by Live Nation. The run commences on July 15 in Bethel, NY at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts with 32 appearances planned prior to the final event on August 30 in Toronto, ON at the RBC Amphitheatre. 

For all tour dates and tickets (general on-sale begins on Friday, December 12 at 10AM local time), visit the Toto Events page.

This past year has been one of the strongest in Toto’s 48 years of existence with more than a half a million fans coming out to see them perform, alongside over a billion streams counted this year alone. The weekly average is more than 20 million plays at the DSPs, which has triggered additional certifications throughout this past year. Total streams at Spotify exceed four billion and seven billion across all platforms.

Toto’s largest hit “Africa” has achieved the milestone of two billion plays at Spotify alone, while “Hold The Line” exceeds one billion streams. On the sales side, “Africa” has been certified Diamond by the RIAA (10 million sold), with cumulative sales now approaching 11M. Additionally, “Hold The Line” has been certified triple platinum for sales of three million copies, while “Rosanna” hit the milestone of double platinum for sales of two million copies. 

Toto is currently helmed by guitarist and vocalist Steve Lukather and singer Joseph Williams.  

Special guest Christopher Cross and the members of Toto have been friends and collaborators for more than four decades. On September 1, 2024, Christopher performed as direct support for Toto at the Hollywood Bowl. Subsequently, the two artists have toured the world together performing across Europe, Australia, New Zealand and The U.S. this past Summer. In December, they’ll travel to Chile, Argentina and Mexico with one another.

The Romantics – singer Wally Palmar, guitarist Coz Canler, bassist Bruce Witkin, guitarist Joey Malone on Guitar, and drummer Mike Rizzis – are currently touring now and into 2026 when they'll join Toto and Christopher Cross.

Social Distortion To Headline Little Steven's Underground Garage Cruise 2

“Little Steven” Van Zandt and Sixthman, the leader in festivals and music cruises for more than two decades, are proud to announce Social Distortion as the official headliners on Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise 2, sailing April 3-7, 2026, from Miami, FL to Cozumel, Mexico on Norwegian Pearl. 

This marks the California-based punk rock band’s second trip on the cruise following their performance on last year’s inaugural voyage. In addition to two performances from Social Distortion, the lineup  has been rounded out by Jesse Malin, with all bands performing multiple sets. Limited bookings remain available exclusively at UndergroundGarageCruise.com. 

Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise 2 promises four nights of pure musical mayhem with multiple sets from each band, surprise collaborations, autograph sessions, theme nights, a special merch store, an onboard tattoo parlor, and so much more. There will be multiple sets from Rival Sons, Michael Monroe, Buzzcocks, The Raveonettes, The Sonics, Redd Kross, The Big Star Quintet, Marky Ramone Plays The Ramones, Black Lips, The Mooney Suzuki, Low Cut Connie, Supersuckers, Barrence Whitfield & The Savages, The Courettes, Jason D. Williams, The Surfrajettes, The Dollyrots, The Pandoras, The Woggles, Palmyra Delran & The Doppel Gang, Wyldlife, Soraia, Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts, The Forty-Fives, Gyasi, The Jellybricks, Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey, and GOONS!

Further highlights will feature SiriusXM Sessions at Sea, with special performances and conversations hosted by DJs from Little Steven’s Underground Garage on SiriusXM – including Master Of Ceremonies Michael Des Barres, Palmyra Delran, Kelly Ogden, and The Mighty Manfred – to be broadcast later on the SiriusXM Underground Garage channel.

The Norwegian Pearl features fully stocked bars on (almost) every corner, tasty dining experiences, the Pool Deck (with multiple hot tubs), the Pearl Club Casino, Mandara Spa, Body Waves Fitness Center, Sports Court, and so much more.

Beyond the onboard experience, cruisers will have the chance to enjoy a shore excursion in Cozumel, Mexico, renowned for fantastic fishing, snorkeling, and diving opportunities and exploring historic Mayan ruins. Please note: Shore excursions will not be available until 4-6 weeks prior to sailing. Cruisers can book an excursion upon receipt of their official booking number.

Grateful Dead Set Guinness World Record For Most Billboard Top 40 Albums

 

It's been announced that the Grateful Dead have officially claimed the Guinness World Records title for the most Top 40 albums charted on the US Billboard 200. After previously making history with their 59th Top 40 entry in February 2024, severing a shortly-held tie with Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, the group has since extended their own record to 66 Top 40 albums, up to and including the #25 debut of Dave's Picks Vol. 56: Rainbow Theatre, London, England - 3/20/81 & 3/21/81 this past November.

"This Guinness World Records title is something that no one could have anticipated 60 years ago when the Grateful Dead began, but the record demonstrates the dedication, passion, and loyalty of the massive legion of Dead Heads, as well as the consistent quality of the Grateful Dead's recorded output and archival activities over the past six decades," says David Lemieux, Grateful Dead legacy manager and archivist, and producer and curator of the long-running Dave's Picks series.

"We're excited to see the Grateful Dead reach another milestone with this Guinness World Records title. Rhino has been committed to preserving and honoring the Grateful Dead's legacy through quality archival releases. What a wonderful way to close out their 60th anniversary celebrations," shares Mark Pinkus, President of Rhino Records.

The newly-certified Guinness World Records title marks the latest in a series of celebrations that have honored the Grateful Dead's 60th Anniversary throughout 2025, following their commemorations in the 47th class of the Kennedy Center Honorees, as well as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year during this past year's Grammy Awards. 

Earlier this fall, the band partnered with Pantone to create "Grateful Red" and "Stealie Blue," immortalizing two colors that have been synonymous with the Dead and their iconography for the past six decades, while Rhino released the Grateful Dead's first official greatest hits compilation, Gratest Hits, as well as a 60-CD collection, Enjoying The Ride, a 6LP/3CD collection, The Music Never Stopped, and more.

For further reading, VintageRock.com offers several Grateful Dead articles and reviews.