Question:
"Rumors of its demise are greatly exaggerated, however, as the Metal underground boils and seethes worldwide", Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind, LORDS OF CHAOS, Feral House Press, 2532 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291. I went to both of the LA shows and on both nights the band was intense and powerful. I’ve been a Black Sabbath fan since my early teens (I remember "Ironman" as a new release) and I think their music is as fresh and relevent today as ever. When I think of all the metal bands that were around in the early ’70’s, like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep, most now sound very out-dated. Sabbath, on the other hand, is the band from which so much of today’s heavy music sprang. By the early-80’s Metal had taken the dead-end commercial kiddie-pop route of the Bon Jovis, Quiet Riot, et all and I grew completely disillusioned with it. Then I chanced across some of the early thrash such as Possessed and rediscovered that vibrant quality that Black Sabbath pioneered. Listening to Sabbath open the concerts with "War Pigs" and including songs such as "Children of the Grave", it’s so easy to see the source of thrash, death, and all the other variants of modern metal. The influence of Black Sabbath permeates the music scene, and is even felt in the mainstream today, where one will catch bits of a grinding slashing riff on the radio stations. (Which is yet another reason that the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" has no credibility if they don’t include Black Sabbath- but who wants meaningful music to be anything but subversive to the ordinary world of the mainstream critics?) The concerts got off to a roaring start with "War Pigs", complete with a fog-shrouded entrance by the band and a great pyrotechnic close, followed by "NIB". From the outset it was clear that the band was focused and unified, very tight musically with the dark drama. I’ve never seen Black Sabbath as sharp as they were those two nights. Problems? The sound mix on "Snowblind" was bad both nights. Too little guitar in the mix. "Dirty Women" seemed out-of-place in this set to me, and the band didn’t seem inspired as they played it. While Ozzy’s voice was good both nights, the band tried to play "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" on the first night and he just couldn’t hit the notes, which are very tough. He then tried it in a lower key but it just wasn’t working. The second night they pulled the song out of the set. The only other complaints are just personal preferences, and I’m in the minority here- I’d rather hear all of Tony’s guitar playing than Ozzy shouting for the crowd to go crazy. But then I’ve always felt that Iommi’s image, cool and dark, is what metal is about for me. The Forum is a pretty controlled arena, so no riots like the one we saw in San Diego (SDSU) at an Ozzy concert a few years ago, but the noise level was deafening from start to finish. A band’s reputation and previous accomplishments will get them the opening roar, but to sustain it, they’ve got to be great that night. And Sabbath was great both shows. There were a lot of hoarse voices in LA afterward. Hnikar AOR/AFA/Raven Kindred (Asatru Alliance) Hnikar’s Folkish Asatru Page: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/5056/ (including Odin’s Nation News)
Response:
MT Rezz ponders…. >did ozzy do any of his solo stuff..
No, just vintage Sabbath. >an how was pantera did they do any new shit..
I thought they put on a good show! But, although I think they are energetic party music with good memories, other than that, I am not like a hard-core pantera fan. I like Cowboys from Hell, Broken & Cemetary Gates, for example, but don’t have all their albums. They did say they have a new album coming out soon, but I’m not sure if the few tunes I was not that familiar with were new or not. >any new sabbath material..
No, not yet…. Suzanne
Response:
did ozzy do any of his solo stuff..an how was pantera did they do any new shit..any new sabbath material..
Response:
Great reviews here (too many to quote)! It is interesting to view other people’s perspectives. It is extremely difficult for me to analyse on the more left-brained side of balance, however. Also, there seems to be a strong male element to these sort of rational observations which observe various details in playing, as Eric noticed similar things. For me it is like this vibe thing that sweeps me up in it, whether straight or stoned. I experience this undercurrent or astral theme, energies and images coalesce. It has empathic undertones, yet seems to delve into a completely fluid level of perception where we ultimately create our own emotional and intuitive realities. Sometimes it does seem like Ozzy is orchestrating the whole subliminal trip but then again we are once more into that kaleidoscopic realm of shifting images where truths are illusions and illusions are truth. Mystical tangents happen! 
I feel like that if you over-analyse a musical performance, it must be taken apart. If a rose were taken apart it would lose its beauty. Sometimes charismatic people seem more beautiful for they know how to best weave together discordant elements and project them outwards in a charming manner. Details are probably noticed more by me with regard to what other women are wearing. It’s a chick thing! 
Oh, btw, I have never seen more limosines in an arena parking lot in my entire life! Plus there were LOTS of *extremely* Beautiful People there, dressed in Sabbath style but with an extreme aura of glamour about them! Man, half of Hollywood must have been there! Did anyone else notice this?? Suzanne http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Pit/1139