Heaven and Hell
Date: March 28, 2007 I Know Where You Ought To Be Any Black Sabbath concert is assured to be amazing; and when the Heaven and Hell tour offered my first experience with the Ronnie James Dio version of the band, that promise was again fulfilled. With an undercard of Megadeth and Down, each easily capable of headlining their own tours, the result was more than four hours of excellent metal. For me, nothing can touch the original Sabbath line-up; but the Dio version was still a treat to witness. With the strong opening acts, a sizable majority of the fans arrived in time to see Down; and there was a definite buzz in the crowd for the all-star band. While singer Phil Anselmo made it sound as if the infrequently convening group will be together for the near future, the set focused on the past, concentrating on the 1995 release NOLA. All of the players made an impression, pounding out sludgy songs such as "Stone the Crow," but it was Anselmo who was the most notable. The former Pantera frontman introduced "Hail the Leaf" as being possibly over the top but entirely sincere, a description that he could have aptly applied to his own antics. At times, he looked more like a coach than a singer, egging on the crowd and gesturing with exaggerated thumbs up motions; and his rambling commentary between songs got a few unintentional laughs ("from all over North America to Canada"). Admittedly, he may have gotten carried away when his crowd banter before the set-closing "Bury Me in Smoke" lasted as long as the song itself. Nonetheless, people were certainly also laughing with him; and his infectious grin helped set the mood almost as well as his impassioned screaming and the band's great playing. Next up was Megadeth, who had been the last of the Big Four classic thrash bands that I had not seen live. While the backdrop on stage was a giant rendering of the album art for the upcoming United Abominations album, the song selection largely covered material recorded long before frontman Dave Mustaine assembled the current band line-up. Mustaine's vocals seemed a shade low on the opening song but everything sounded great by the time that the band moved to "Wake Up Dead." (In fact, throughout the night, the sound was very good for an arena show.) The audience was active from the beginning of the set but "Hangar 18" really ignited the mosh, which remained busy throughout the band's performance. Other highlights of a 50-minute set included "Symphony of Destruction," "Peace Sells," and the encore, "Holy Wars . . . The Punishment Due." Megadeth kept a brisk pace, with Mustaine being long on furious guitar solos and short on banter, as illustrated by his closing acknowledgement, "You've been great. We've been Megadeth. Goodnight." When the curtains were finally opened after the final changeover, they revealed an impressive stage set-up, comprising a massive cathedral, with arched walls and video screen windows. As the introductory strains of "E5150" were fading, Tony Iommi took the stage to lead "After All (The Dead)," promptly joined by his fellow Sabbath founder, Geezer Butler. After Vinny Appice took his place behind the kit, Ronnie James Dio came out and quickly proved that his voice remains in great form. From there, the night went by almost at a blur, with the music coming across without a flaw. The fact that the band was touring under the Heaven and Hell moniker may have had legal implications, as they noticeably avoided any direct mention of the phrase "Black Sabbath" all night. At any rate, the name also advertized the setlist, which was drawn exclusively from the three albums recorded with Dio on board and newer songs that were written for an upcoming compilation album covering the Dio era. As a comparison to the previous Black Sabbath reunion is unavoidable, I have to say that, for me, nothing can ever compare to the earliest Sabbath albums, which have received such repeated play that they been absorbed into my DNA. As a result, this concert was not as emotional an experience as the 1999 reunion tour. Nonetheless, it was still an amazing show; but how could it not be, with Iommi laying down a barrage of monster riffs in his casual style, Butler tearing it up on bass, Appice sounding consistently crisp, and Dio living up to his legendary status? Dio seemed to be having a lot of fun, covering the full width of the stage, constantly flashing the devil horns, and generally adding flourish to his strong vocal delivery. He was met with an adoring crowd that ate up early offerings, such as "The Mob Rules," "Children of the Sea," and "Lady Evil." A near-fight in the crowd next to me proved to be a distraction and lessened the fun mood, but it was easy enough to get drawn back in to the performance with songs like "I" and "The Sign of the Southern Cross." The veteran band maintained an admirable pace, with the other players perhaps catching a breather late in the set during Appice's drum solo. The best moments came at the end of the night, with Tony Iommi introducing "Die Young" with a beautiful guitar solo before the band wrapped up the set on an extended take of "Heaven and Hell." This song was one of those perfect concert moments where everything falls away but the experience of the music. Every note was spine-tingling; the crowd was awesome, singing and chanting in unison; Dio's delivery was at its best; the musicianship was stellar; and the stage effects were spectacular, punctuating the song's tale of encounters with the "little white shape" and "big black shape" calling the narrator to heaven and hell. That epic left everyone blown away before the band returned for a one-song encore of "Neon Knights," which earned some movement in the crowd for those looking to leave physically spent, as well as mentally awed. After seeing the reunion of the original Black Sabbath foursome several years ago, it was great to witness a previously unseen incarnation of the band, as led by Dio. With the towering support skills of Megadeth and Down, this concert was entirely satisfying from start to finish. <--Prev (Slayer) | Next (Buck 65)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |