The World Rock Day celebration in São Paulo will mark the return of Riot—or Riot V, to be precise—to Brazil less than a year after their last visit. However, the band is not the same lineup that toured here in September 2025. Vocalist Todd Michael Hall, prevented by his wife from touring, left his bandmates in the lurch, forcing them to turn to Italian musician Valentino Francavilla, who underwent a trial by fire on European stages. Yet, the person discussing the upcoming show with me—sharing several setlist spoilers along the way—is veteran bassist Don Van Stavern. He is responsible for preserving the legacy of the late guitarist and founder Mark Reale and keeping the group among the top classic metal acts still active today. Enjoy the read!

Marcelo Vieira

Riot V is returning to Brazil less than two years after its last appearance in São Paulo. What stayed with you from that experience that made you want to come back so quickly?

The women! (laughs) No, I'm kidding. It's the people. Everyone always asks if touring is about the money, but for me it's about meeting people, experiencing different cultures, trying the local food, and seeing the country. Brazil is always amazing. The fans are among the best in the world—they sing every song, know every lyric, and have supported Riot for decades. When our Brazilian promoter, Silvio, told us people wanted us back so soon, I immediately said, "Let's go!" We can't wait to return. We'll be playing all the classics, but we've also added a few songs we haven't performed in a while, so it's going to be a special show.

The setlists often focus on Riot's classic years, but many fans believe the later albums deserve the same status. Which post-1988 Riot songs do you consider genuine classics today?

Putting together a Riot setlist is always difficult because we have 18 studio albums. If we played just one or two songs from each record, we'd be onstage for three hours! I'm sure the fans would enjoy that, but we're not getting any younger. (laughs)

Naturally, we have to include songs from the albums that defined the band's legacy, especially Fire Down Under and Thundersteel, which remain our biggest records. We also go back to the early albums with songs like "Warrior" and "Road Racin'." From Fire Down Under, tracks like "Swords and Tequila" and "Outlaw" are essential.

One song we're bringing back is "Altar of the King," which fans have been requesting for a long time. The Rhett Forrester era was also important. His voice had a much more rock 'n' roll approach, so that material has a different feel. Over the years we've alternated between songs like "Hard Lovin' Man," "Heavy Metal Machine," and "Restless Breed." Right now we're leaning toward bringing back "Heavy Metal Machine."

Of course, Thundersteel is always heavily represented with songs like "Thundersteel," "Johnny's Back," "Flight of the Warrior," and "Bloodstreets." From The Privilege of Power, we've been playing "On Your Knees" and "Storming the Gates of Hell."

Then there's the Mike DiMeo era. Those albums had a different style, with Mike bringing more of a David Coverdale-type vocal approach. We've been discussing bringing back "Angel Eyes," and this tour we'll also be playing "Nightbreaker" and "Destiny." I won't reveal the entire setlist, but we're definitely revisiting that period.

As for the Riot V albums, fans have asked us to bring back "Metal Warrior," so that's returning to the set. We'll also play songs like "Victory," "Thundersteel," "Devil's Reign," and we're bringing back "Wings Are for Angels" from Immortal Soul, the last album Mark Reale completed before he passed away. We'll include a couple of songs from the newest records as well.

In total, it'll be a set of around 20 to 22 songs, running about an hour and a half. Building the setlist is never easy, but we've added four songs that we haven't played live in quite some time, and I think the fans will really enjoy them.

More than three decades later, Thundersteel continues to appear on lists of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. What do you think that record got so right?

It really is one of those albums. Riot has such a long history. The original lineup emerged in the late '70s and released a couple of excellent records, then Fire Down Under became the band's breakthrough in 1981. But, as you said, Thundersteel ultimately became Riot's most iconic album. Whenever we tour Europe, people certainly appreciate Fire Down Under, but what they really want to hear is Thundersteel. That's why our setlists always lean heavily on that record. We always play songs like "Thundersteel", and we've traditionally included "Swords and Tequila" to represent Fire Down Under. This time, we've added another track from that era as well. In my opinion, Thundersteel is definitely Riot's defining album.

Do you agree with fans who consider it the definitive Riot album, or is there another record that better represents the band's essence?

That's a difficult question because Riot has gone through so many lineup changes over the years. Almost every album featured a different combination of musicians. The band evolved from a hard rock sound into power metal when Thundersteel came along.

Before joining Riot, I played in Mark Reale's solo band while still performing with San Antonio Slayer, alongside Dave McClain, who later joined Machine Head. Mark would rehearse and write with us, and around that time bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest were defining the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. We realized Riot needed to raise the bar and embrace a heavier, more powerful direction. That's how the Thundersteel sound was born.

If I had to name the two albums that best represent Riot, I'd say Thundersteel and Fire Down Under. Some fans also have a special affection for records like Nightbreaker, but those two remain the cornerstones of the catalog.

Personally, I was already a Riot fan before I joined the band. I owned Rock City, Narita and Fire Down Under. In fact, Mark Reale and I were friends long before I became a member. I even helped him go through demo tapes when he was looking for a replacement for Rhett Forrester. Later, when Kip Leming left, Mark called me and I joined the band.

Out of the early albums, Narita has always been my favorite. Songs like "Road Racin'", "49er" and "Kick Down the Walls" were among the tracks that first made me fall in love with Riot.

That said, most fans today gravitate toward the power metal era. The Mike DiMeo period produced some excellent albums, but when Mark reunited the Thundersteel lineup for Immortal Soul, people immediately felt that classic spirit had returned. They kept telling us, "This sounds like Thundersteel again."

That reaction played a big role in my decision to continue the band after Mark's passing. I wanted Riot V to carry on the musical direction that began when I joined: the Thundersteel era. That's why albums like Unleash the Fire, Armor of Light and Mean Streets are written with that same philosophy in mind. I write the way I wrote during Thundersteel, and fans have really embraced those records.

In the end, I'd say the two essential Riot albums are still Thundersteel and Fire Down Under. Interestingly, American audiences tend to prefer Fire Down Under because of its more hard rock-oriented style, while European and South American fans generally gravitate toward the power metal sound established on Thundersteel.

Do you feel the band's more recent albums are receiving the recognition they deserve, or is there still a natural tendency for fans to focus primarily on the past?

Riot has such a long history that people will always have a deep connection with the classic albums. The band was a cornerstone of the heavy metal scene back in the day, so that's only natural. But ever since Mark Reale passed away, I've tried to keep us focused on the Thundersteel spirit. While he was living with me during his final days, I told him I wanted to continue the band, and he encouraged me to carry on in the style we had developed together.

That's why, even on our latest albums, I still write with that Thundersteel approach in mind. On Mean Streets, for example, I wanted to bring together different eras of Riot. Songs like "Hell to the Warriors" are pure power metal, while "Feel the Fire" is more straightforward heavy rock—people have even compared it to "Grinder" by Judas Priest. We also included songs with that classic Narita vibe, while Mike Flynt contributed material that reflects the Tony Moore and Mike DiMeo eras. The title track, "Mean Streets", is my tribute to Riot's roots on the streets of New York City.

Honestly, we've received more recognition than we expected. When Mark passed away, we were unsure whether fans would accept Riot V. We even took a couple of years off before deciding to continue, but Mark's father gave us his blessing. He told us, "Keep my son's memory alive. Don't let his music die with him." That meant everything to us.

Once I started writing for Unleash the Fire, Mike really liked the direction, and we found Todd Michael Hall, whose voice reminded us of Tony Moore's. We also brought in Frankie Gilchrist, and when we released that first album and played our comeback shows, the reaction was incredible. Fans embraced the new lineup immediately. Armor of Light received the same enthusiasm, we played major festivals, and then recorded Mean Streets with exactly the same lineup—something Riot had never done before. Throughout the band's history, the lineup changed constantly, so making three consecutive studio albums with the same musicians was actually unprecedented.

We've also been fortunate to have strong support from our record labels, first Nuclear Blast and later Atomic Fire and Reigning Phoenix Music. They backed us with professional videos directed by Tom Flynn, who has worked with bands like Buckcherry and Lamb of God, so we really felt we were moving in the right direction.

Of course, we recently had an unexpected setback when Todd decided to leave the band. It was a real shock. He had already committed to all of our 2026 touring plans—Latin America, Greece, Paris, the UK, everything. Then one day he called and told us he couldn't continue because of personal family issues. We respected his decision, but it put us in a very difficult position because contracts had already been signed and fans had bought tickets.

Canceling was never something we wanted to do. Riot has always believed that the music comes first, regardless of lineup changes. Mark always had that philosophy: if someone no longer wanted to continue, you wished them well and found someone who was committed to moving forward.

So we started looking for a new singer. We considered Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin, who had been associated with Riot years ago, but we felt we needed someone with a vocal style closer to Tony Moore and Todd. We also contacted Mark Boals, but he was busy touring, and Marc Lopes, who ultimately felt the material sat a little too high for his voice.

Then Mike reminded me of Valentino Francavilla, an Italian singer who had been signed to our Japanese label and had even joined us onstage once. I asked him to record himself singing our entire setlist, and after watching the videos we knew he was the right choice. We made a few adjustments, rehearsed together, and took him on the recent European tour.

Naturally, everyone was a little skeptical at first, but the tour was a huge success. Every headline show sold out, we played three festivals, and the response was fantastic. Valentino is a lifelong Riot fan—his favorite album is Thundersteel—so he already knew every song. That passion really came across onstage.

We've been through lineup changes before, and we've always found a way to keep going. That's part of Riot's history. We sincerely wish Todd and his family all the best, but as long as there are fans who want to hear these songs, we'll keep honoring Mark's legacy and moving forward.

When writing new material, do you consciously think about what Mark Reale would have approved of, or do you believe the best way to honor his legacy is simply to move forward without that kind of filter?

Mark still helps me write these songs. His spirit is always with me.

When we wrote together, we'd sit in a room with our guitars, and one of the greatest lessons he ever taught me was how to write a truly memorable song. Before Riot, when I was in Slayer, everything was heavy, but melody wasn't the priority. Mark showed me that every song needs "a melody within a melody." The vocal line has to stand on its own, and the guitar solos should be memorable enough to sing along with. That's why so many of the dual guitar harmonies and solos on Thundersteel have stayed with people for decades.

For example, when I wrote the music for "Flight of the Warrior," Mark loved it, but he immediately said, "We need something people can sing." That was always his philosophy. The riffs could be powerful, but the melodies had to be unforgettable. That's still how I write today.

I think about that every time I compose. Songs like "Victory" follow the same approach: strong riffs combined with vocal hooks that people can remember. Mark's guitar solos were songs within songs—you could hum them just like the vocal melodies.

I honestly feel his spirit guiding me. His grave is only about five minutes from my house, and I still go there from time to time. I'll sit beside him and say, "We've got another Riot album coming out, brother. I wish you were here. Send us some good vibes." I even took one of our albums there and photographed it beside his headstone.

I loved the guy. He's no longer with us physically, but he was one of my heroes, and I still do this for him. People sometimes say we're only continuing Riot for the money, but that's simply not true. We're certainly not getting rich. We do this because we love the music and because we want to preserve the legacy of Riot and Mark Reale.

Is there a song in Riot's catalog that you rarely listen to today because it brings back especially strong memories or emotions?

There are a few.

Thundersteel will always be special because it was my first Riot album. Even before that, though, Mark and I were already writing together in his solo project, Narita. Songs like "Fight or Fall," "Heavy Metal Machine," "Gunfighter," and "Running from the Law" were originally written during that period before they eventually became Riot songs. Those tracks mean a lot to me because they represent the beginning of our songwriting partnership.

"Sign of the Crimson Storm" is another one. We actually wrote it back in 1982, when I first joined the band, which is why there are old demo versions with Rhett Forrester on vocals. Those songs bring back incredible memories because I was helping Mark keep the band alive during a difficult period.

Joining Riot was an enormous honor. I had grown up as a fan, buying Rock City, Narita and Fire Down Under. Suddenly I found myself playing alongside Mark, Rhett Forrester, Rick Ventura and Sandy Slavin—musicians I admired long before I joined the band.

Later, of course, a lot happened. We lost Rhett, the lineup kept changing, and there were difficult moments. But Thundersteel always reminds me of Mark in the best possible way.

The songs that affect me the most emotionally actually come from the earliest Riot records. I still remember walking into a record store after hearing "Warrior" and "Tokyo Rose" on the radio and thinking, "Who is this band?" That was my introduction to Riot—and to Mark. Now that he's gone, hearing "Warrior," or especially "This Is What I Get for Loving You," can really hit me. We never play that one live because it's still hard for me to listen to. Sometimes, if you watch me on stage, you'll notice I have to look away for a moment because I get emotional.

Every night before the show starts, I walk onstage with a shot of tequila. I toast the audience, look up toward the sky, salute Mark, and pour a little onto the stage because, to me, it's still his stage. That's something I'll always do. It means everything to me.