On October 22, 2005, Dio played the Astoria Theatre as an end to an 11-date tour. But this night, Dio played the classic 1983 debut album Holy Diver in its entirety. Dio, of course, is the band named for its frontman, legendary Ronnie James Dio, also of Black Sabbath, Elf and Rainbow fame.

Ronnie James, however, is the only remaining member of the original 1983 line-up. Some of these songs had never before been played live, and watching this concert brings back many memories.

Dio begins the night with Rainbow's “Tarot Woman.” Unfortunately, this is the weakest moment of the disc, and it happens to be the opening. “Tarot Woman” is just not a killer rockin' spectacle of a tune. But things begin to look up when Black Sabbath's “The Sign of the Southern Cross, ” off the Mob Rules album begins. Dio then finishes up a trilogy of tunes panning Ronnie's career with their “One Night in the City” off The Last in Line . And it begins…

The Holy Diver set list is a wonderful recapturing of a brilliant album. Hearing “Gypsy,” “Caught in the Middle,” “Straight Through the Heart” and my favorite Dio song, “Invisible,” increases the beating of the heart and a familiar excitement shakes from the inside. The more familiar tunes, “Holy Diver,” “Rainbow in the Dark,” “ Stand Up and Shout,” and “Don't Talk to Strangers” sound as hot as ever, as well.

After Holy Diver concludes with “Shame on the Night,” Dio continues on for a while longer with other highlights from his career, including the brilliantly performed “Gates of Babylon” off Rainbow's Long Live Rock and Roll album, Sabbath's “Heaven and Hell,” Rainbow's “Man on the Silver Mountain” and “Long Live Rock and Roll.” The former even incorporates a touch of the melodious “Catch the Rainbow.” The evening concludes with “We Rock” from The Last in Line.

Any longtime Dio fan will love to add this to his/her collection. Those unfamiliar with the rock god that is Ronnie James Dio will see why he's earned his holy reputation by glimpsing through “Holy Diver Live.”

Grade: A