Dio
Dio Live At Donnington 1987 (Reference Lacquer of Side 1 & 3 ONLY)
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

Ultra rare 2010 Capitol Records reference lacquer. Playback is strong, grading NM- overall, with a brief anomaly/bump during pressing at the start of track three on the B-side (approximately four revolutions). Beyond this, the lacquer delivers with clarity and presence consistent with its purpose as a mastering reference. Labels are misprinted with "Donnington" instead of Donington.

An exceptional and highly elusive artifact—this 2010 Capitol Records reference lacquer drawn from the legendary Donington 1987 performance by Dio stands firmly in one-of-a-kind territory.

Cut as a working reference lacquer for mastering evaluation, not mass-production is a rare slice of history. Pressings of this nature are rarely encountered, and almost never surface outside of archival or studio circles.

The track differ from the later 2022 "Donington ’87" commercial release, offering a configuration that includes “Stand Up & Shout” and “Straight Through The Heart”—both absent from the commercial edition. Across its 10 tracks, the set moves with the full force of Dio’s stage command, from the opening surge through “Holy Diver” to the closing anthem “Long Live Rock ’N Roll.”

Notably, the title bears a misprint—an authentic hallmark of internal-use pieces—further reinforcing its provenance as a true reference item rather than a finalized release.

This is not simply a rare pressing—it is a production relic, a singular document of a historic performance in its pre-release form. For the advanced collector, particularly within the Dio canon, opportunities at this level are vanishingly rare.