Rollin’ along
Current mood: blustery
Category: Music

The new year is rollin' along nicely so far. I finished driving on the TSO tour and I am out driving for Queensryche's Take Cover tour until March. Apart from the sub zero freezing cold and snow one day to + 45 (f) temperatures the next day. I am enduring Mother natures wrath just fine thank you.

I've received a few enquiries about DIO or Heaven and Hell tours this year...I've heard the same rumours you've heard. I listen to Sirius radio and read Blabbermouth, but have heard nothing from the office so they are what they are...just rumours. My best advice is to keep checking the official sites for any updates...you will hear or see them there first.

See ya'

Steve

9:57 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Happy New Years
Current mood: happy
Category: Music

Better late than never...Happy New Year to ya'll.

I spent New Years Eve in Birmingham Alabama. On Dec. 28th I had to fly to Little Rock Arkansa on a couple hours notice after one of the drivers on the Trans Siberian Orchestra tour had to leave on extremely short notice. Needless to say my New Years plans with the Lovely Janice were cancelled. While Janice understands the nature of the business, it wasn't fair to her...yet again.

I finished the TSO tour and did the returns to Winnipeg on January 8th and flew back to balmy Ajax for a couple days to get things organised at home before I fly back to Winnipeg on Saturday to pick up my truck and head to Seattle to load the gear for the Queensryche tour that I will be driving on.

I have spoken to a few people from the DIO camp and corresponded with others. Everyone that I have been in contact with had a good Christmas and New Year holiday. I'm not sure what this year will bring for us but I'm sure it will be great...as usual.

Other than that life just keeps rolling merrily along. See ya' on the road.

Steve

1:05 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Merry Christmas
Current mood: excited
Category: Music

Well its been a crazy month for me. I haven't really had much time off since returning home from the Heaven and Hell tour...and yes I miss being out with the band and crew.

I did manage to get out and see Trans Siberian Orchestra in Toronto with the Lovely Janice and her parents. I also saw TSO (west) in Grand Forks ND and Minneapolis MN last week. The lighting designer (Brian Hartley?) for TSO should be winning awards for what he put together this year. Truly unbelievable.

I was out in the Prairie Provinces and States last week. I'm still undecided if minus 45c is better than the foot and a half of snow I came home to...oh well it is winter, just have to deal with it.

I've been out driving for the Detroit auto show as well as Anita Baker, Paul Anka and Feist...not all on the same bill. Just a few one offs here and there. Anita and Paul were nice people...Feist was great. Feist has gotten so big so fast they didn't even know they had semi truck carrying the bands gear. I talked with Leslie Feist a couple of times. She is a really nice down to earth person. I hope she does well at the Grammy's, nominated 5 times... Nice to see a Canadian band doing well.

I am pretty sure I'll be around the house for Christmas...I can't see the plans changing much...but stranger things have happened. I'll be spending Christmas at home with the family for the first time in a couple of years so I am looking forward to that. This will be the first Christmas with my grandaughter and I'm really excited about that. Now all I have to do is start my Chrstmas shopping which I am NOT excited about.

I hope this Christmas brings everything you all wish for and the New year is a good one for you as well. Thanks for all the great messages I have received from all of you over the past year.

God Bless and Merry Christmas,

Steve

6:22 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Heaven and Hell...done and dusted...
Current mood: awake
Category: Music

Well after 9 great months the Heaven and Hell tour has come to an end. Over the past months there were 98 shows...all of them great. I had the privilage of touring with great musicians and a great crew who worked extremely hard to make every show a magical one.

While I've only been home for one day and am looking forward to some well deserved rest. I know in a few days I'll be missing everyone involved with the tour and wishing we were heading out for another leg...who knows what the future holds, maybe we'll all be together again for another round.

I must thank Ronnie, Tony, Geezer, Vinny and Scott Scott for the great times and fantastic shows...you guys are awesome. The crew for working their asses off every night and every show: Roger Summers, Pedro Howse, Big Scott Sentinella, Lorenzo Banda, Chris Leckie, Mark Scrimshaw, Andre Bargman, Terry Welty, Joe "Fluffy" Denham, Chuck Smith, Orlando "Fozzy" O'hare,  Mike Clement,  Charlie Lewis and Sian Balogh. Also the team of managers Gloria Butler, Ralph Baker and your staff. A very special thanks goes to Wendy Dio and Diana DeVille. Who have always treated me great and supported me...Thanks !

And to my very dear friend (and boss) Ronnie: "keeping you sane while letting you drive me crazy" is without a doubt the greatest gig I've ever had and I wouldn't trade it for anything...even Copenhagen... I love you.

I also want to thank all of you that I met while we were out and to those of you who kept in touch through email and other posts. Music is an international language that we all speak and understand...you fans are unbelievable.

Now its time to get some rest. Spend some time with the family...then next week get behind the wheel of the big rig and hit the highway with Paul Anka...

See ya'

Steve

7:35 AM - 1 Comments - 5 Kudos - Add Comment

Japan and Singapore
Current mood: indescribable
Category: Music

Well two more Countries done. Japan was cool. The band played two Loud Park shows in Tokyo and Osaka and two other  headline shows in Tokyo and Nagoya with Trivium as support. Trivium is a great young up and coming band that are making their name and music well known around the world. Part of their crew are DIO alumni so they are definatley on the right track. Beau and Melissa King handle tour and production management while Josh "Hippy" Williams handles FoH.

We also hit Singapore, the first time I've been there. Great little Country. Hot, humid, muggy and beautiful. Way too many shopping malls for me.

We met some very nice people. Per and Sarah from the Grand Hyatt treated us exceptionally well and were very gratious. Per is from Sweden and is one of the most knowledgable DIO fans I've ever met. Both Per and Sarah took us out to the Brix night club after the show and a good time was had by all. A special thank you to Uncle Tom and Andy who looked after us in the lobby bar. Megadeth played the night before us and we had the chance to chat with Glen and Shawn (fellow Canucks) for a while.

It was a long 33 hour trip home for me...compound that with  - 4 c temperature and frost on the ground in Toronto...not ready for the cold yet. First stop was Tim Horton's for a real coffee (actually 3) then a quick visit with my good friend Rick...I always threaten to visit him at work and never do. Then it was home for a nice long 10 hour nap. Now its 1:30 a.m and I'm wide a wake. I'm going to try and stay on this schedule until after the U.K tour.

Time to grab a couple beers and take the dog for a walk around town. Night time in Ajax is kind of cool and interesting...I'll be dressing warm !

See ya'

Steve

5:26 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

2nd U.S leg...done
Current mood: tired
Category: Music

I've just checked into my hotel next to LAX for my flight home in 3 1/2 hours. The 2nd leg is now complete and we have 8 days off before we head to Japan and Singapore then to the U.K to wrap this baby up.

This leg of the tour went great. All the shows were as usual f**king awesome. Alice Cooper and Queensryche were great people, band and crew...thanks to all of you for making things run so smooth.

I've posted a few more photos from various shows. Thanks to all who have sent me messages and it was great to meet some of you along the way.

I'll update this once we get to Japan...in the mean time I'm going to spend some time with my family...and enjoy a good old Canadian Thanksgiving meal when I get home.

See ya'

Steve

3:43 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

U.S tour update (Denver)
Current mood: cold
Category: Music

To all of you asking about my blog and the lack of updates. The tour is going great. Not much to update or blog about. All the shows are awesome. I can tell you the weather here in Denver is a lot colder than the east coast, I actually broke out the jacket this afternoon.

I have posted a few new photos and hopefully have credited the right people.

I don't know about any dates after the November dates in the U.K. You'll have to check the official sites for tour dates and any other news.

Simon Wright is keeping busy with Rhinobucket for a short U.S tour and Rudy Sarzo is doing shows with Blue Oyster Cult around the U.S. You can get dates from their respective sites. The DIO band is still together and everyone is looking forward to next year.

This covers the most asked questions...update complete. Well no one asked about the weather, I just threw that one in.

See ya'

Steve

11:20 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

U.S.A tour
Current mood: happy
Category: Music

It's been a while since I've updated the blog. The U.S tour is well under way and everything is going great. The shows are as usual outstanding. The schedule isn't as grinding as overseas.

Mohegan Sun was profitable for a few of the crew. I made a little lunch money at the let it ride table.

I'm looking forward to Hamilton so I can see the lovely Janice and my kids.

If anything interesting happens I'll let you know.

See ya'

Steve

11:55 AM - 0 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment

Mexico
Current mood: happy
Category: Music

We've just completed a quick 3 shows in 3 days run of Mexico. All the shows went great but the travel was little gruelling, but we got it done.

Back in the USA now for the next leg of the tour. I'm looking forward to seeing Queensryche and Alice Cooper on the same bill. This leg of the tour will be great for all the fans. 

Steve

10:44 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Australia / New Zealand...done
Current mood: tired
Category: Music

Well the Australian tour has ended and the flights home were great. I'm feeling a little jet lagged today...I had a nice visit with my daughter and grand daughter early this morning, slept all afternoon and most of the evening. A late dinner... wings and beer with Janice. Now another nap seems to be in order.

The tour down under was fantastic. The people were so friendly and the shows were all great as usual. We spent a fair bit of time out and about, sight seeing and taking a lot of pictures. I'll post some pictures when I have a little more time. I'm taking one day off then I'm doing some local truck work in Toronto for the Justin Timberlake shows at the ACC Sunday to Wednesday. After that I plan on taking the rest of the week of before I head to Mexico the following week for the start of the Mexico / U.S leg of the tour.

The wintery Australian weather was easy to deal with from my perspective. The temperature in most places were 60's to 70's a little rain and wind here and there...Auckland was a lot colder but nothing like the winters here in Ajax.

I will get to all the messages in my inbox later this week. I didn't get on line to often on this leg. The internet was a little to pricey for me at the hotels. There are quite a few messages and I will need some time...and a few rum and cokes to answer them all.

See ya'

Steve

11:12 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment