RAINBOW / Raising Japan Tour 1976 Kyuden-Kinen Taiikukan (2CDR)

CD01:
01. Starting Cheer > Tuning
02. Over The Rainbow
03. Kill The King
04. Mistreated
05. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves
06. Catch The Rainbow
07. Band Intro (MC by Jimmy Bain)
08. Man On The Silver Mountain > Blues > Starstruck
09. Keyboard Solo
10. Stargazer

CD02:
01. Still I'm Sad (incl. Keyboard Solo)
02. Drum Solo
03. Still I'm Sad
04. Encore Break
-(encore)-
05. Do You Close Your Eyes
07. Ending (Over The Rainbow)

Lineup:
Ritchie Blackmore: Guitar
Ronnie James Dio: Vocals
Jimmy Bain: Bass
Tony Carey: Keyboards
Cozy Powell: Drums

This release features a live performance by Rainbow from their first-ever Japanese tour, recorded on December 13, 1976, at the Kyuden-Kinen Taiikukan in Fukuoka, Japan. Following the release of their debut album, Ritchie Blackmore dismissed all members except for Ronnie James Dio and recruited a new lineup to record *Rainbow Rising*—a landmark album for the band. This tour served as promotion for that record and marked Rainbow’s debut in Japan. While several highly regarded live recordings from this 1976 Japanese tour have been released, this Fukuoka performance is exceptionally rare; not only is the audio quality excellent, but the fact that it captures a concert in Fukuoka—a rarity for that era—adds significantly to its value. The performance itself is outstanding, and the band introductions—featuring bassist Jimmy Bain—offer a unique, localized touch that makes this recording a truly compelling listen. The sound quality is derived from an audience recording—an exceptionally high-standard capture for its time. While there is some minor instability in sound pressure, the recording is clear throughout. The original cassette master source has been meticulously restored, with noise reduction applied and the audience noise carefully balanced in volume, resulting in a powerful, highly listenable presentation.