RockOn Martirano festival honors Ronnie James Dio

The nineteenth edition of the RockOn Martirano Lombardo festival concluded with a musical tribute to the legacy of Ronnie James Dio, a foundational figure in hard rock and heavy metal. The event featured international guest musicians Carl Sentance and Rowan Robertson, both of whom had direct professional ties to Dio.

Rowan Robertson, who joined Dio’s band at age 17, performed a set centered on the 1990 album ‘Lock Up The Wolves’. He was accompanied by a band including Francesco Caporaletti, Alessio Palizzi, and Emiliano Tessitore. Carl Sentance, known for his decade-long tenure as the vocalist for Nazareth, provided vocals for the performance.

The repertoire spanned various stages of Dio’s career, including works from his time with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his solo band. Featured songs included ‘Holy Diver’, ‘Rainbow In The Dark’, ‘Stand Up And Shout’, ‘Don’t Talk To Strangers’, ‘Neon Knights’, and ‘Heaven and Hell’, as well as Rainbow classics such as ‘Stargazer’ and ‘Man on the Silver Mountain’.