Heaven and Hell [Black Sabbath] – Tsongas Arena – Lowell, MA – May 17, 2007
Posted by Jesse Coy on 05.30.2007
I’ve come to the conclusion that Ronnie James Dio is not a human being, but rather a disembodied voice of alien origins and flawless execution.
The venue labeled doors open at 7pm. It just slipped my mind that Black Sabbath [“grrrr… Heaven and Hell,” growls Sharon] had opening bands Machinehead and Megadeth. Hell, I’m on a two-day crunch on the premiere of my Film Flange. You think those details are going to register? So the formula is… because when the openers registered with me again… get there at 8:20. Machinehead, long ago I’d had a CD of theirs. It did die in the purge to scumbag, pigshit, phony literary agent, Mr. Fleming. Anyway, not being familiar with their songs, I wanted to get there when Megadeth started. So what’s my thinking? Machinehead starts at 7:10. They’d play until 8. Set up time between bands? Twenty-five minutes, right?
So get in there at 8:30, and you’ll catch Megadeth right as they start. Haverhill to Lowell? Twenty-five minute drive. Bring booze along to drink when you park (not before, as you’re driving, note to any drunk drivers or jackasses). All that calculation? Wrong, wrong, WRONG! As I approached the arena on foot, slamming my vodka and cola mix, I was hearing the guitar sound, and though I left off with Megadeth after their Risk album, that guitar sounded like Dave’s style. So I slammed down what was left of my drink, and hurried in, claiming my press ticket. I was going up the steps to the interior of the arena just as “Peace Sells” rang out. I figured, okay… best of situation, Megadeth has whipped out this one as their second song here. So I asked an older, lumpy metalhead (not much hair, going bald, age taking its toll)… “what track is this?” “They’ve been on for forty minutes or so now.”
Damn!
As I went in search of my seat, Megadeth finished that one, and did come out for an encore of “Symphony of Destruction,” which I’d never heard live before. That rang out as I claimed my seat, and for an arena, it was a… DAMN, EXCELLENT one (god bless the press). It might’ve been one of the best press seats I’ve ever gotten, and at this very moment, as I sit here, Black Sabbath’s road crew is warming up (don’t sue them for me not labeling them Heaven and Hell, Sharon… it’s me). So I claimed my seat from the Asian metalhead dude who was squatting there, and my first impression was, two metalhead chicks next to me, probably my age, in their thirties, headbanging? Damn cool! After “Symphony for Destruction,” Megadeth did “Holy Wars/Punishment Due,” with a nice surprise of “Mechanix” mixed into that sandwich between the two halves proper. And that, unfortunately, was all I got of Megadeth.
A couple of things on Megadeth. First, I didn’t have a pressing desire to see them because first, I’d seen them once (opening for Judas Priest, circa Painkiller), and second, I have a feeling that Dave will be around performing for a bit. I would lie if I said I wasn’t disappointed by missing most of their show. But then again, I was there to see Black Sabbath, and I guess it was cool to catch five Megadeth songs, although I will say that Dave is singing on a higher end these days that I’m not too fond of. I miss the old Dave growl. Also, there’s the born-again Christian thing… I lump Dave Mustaine together with Shawn Michaels. I won’t deny it creeps me out. I can even envision Dave insisting on a group prayer before the show (and I shudder).
On the flip side, Dave and his band all have long hair. Nice headbangers' testimonial. But for some reason, Dave without bassist Dave? I know I’m behind the times there, but it just ain’t the same. I’m also sure one day I’ll catch the band (or Dave) headlining, doing their own thing. Time and place. Okay… it’s later and I’ve seen the show. Why has this line of cars not moved? Lucky thing I have music in here. Anyway, on to the main course…
Let me start off by saying that I’ve come to the conclusion that Ronnie James Dio is not a human being, but rather a disembodied alien voice of perfection. I can’t vouch for what was on the Black Sabbath: the Dio Years, but one reviewer stated that Dio’s voice has shown the wear and tear of years.
Huh? Please!
At least for this show, I think not. Dio sounded flawless, and again, I’m convinced that his voice is alien, inhabiting a human host, positioning it as perfectly as possible for the best acoustics imaginable. This is coming from someone who prefers/preferred Ozzy material generated by Black Sabbath a bit more. But with regards to this show, it’s certainly knocked me in a different direction, or rather, given me a further appreciation of Black Sabbath/Dio material (not that I’m unaware of Dio’s excellent work, having seven or eight of his solo albums).
Seeing Black Sabbath as 1999’s Ozzfest headliner, original lineup intact, was cool. But Ozzy’s voice? Uh… at times, it was rough. Ronnie? Again, and we’re talking 2007… real perfection.
That’s not to disregard Tony or Geezer, both of whom I’d say are as close as it some to pure guitar and bass as possible, and far less than human. Some people have said that it’s too bad that Bill wasn’t on drums, but I think Vinnie was far more appropriate. And there was an interesting comment I read that Tony recently made, that when Ronnie entered the Black Sabbath fold, it opened a whole new range for the band, because aside from “Paranoid,” Ozzy was much more the mid-tempo man, whereas Ronnie as a vocalist could handle the faster tempos along with the slower ones, allowing Tony to speed it up at times.
I still stand by my assessment of Ronnie’s best with Black Sabbath being Dehumanizer, because it perfectly balanced Black Sabbath up tempo with traditional heavy and loud Black Sabbath. But I’m looking forward to listening to Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules again after that show.
As for what they played, the band started with “EB140”… uh, that instrumental. They went right into “After All” when Ronnie took the stage. The backdrop was cool… brick and gothic windows high up top, occasionally projecting various cool images. Going into classic Ronnie and Black Sabbath mode, the band did “Mob Rules,” “Children of the Sea,” and “Lady Evil.” Riding high on my pre-concert buzz, I was feeling as though I was in old headbanger mode… my hair growing back in, because I’m letting it do that (yeehaw).
They did “I” off their third release, and then “Sign of the Southern Cross” and “Voodoo.” Next, the newest… off their best of release, and though I’m not a fan of best of releases with new tracks, it’s 100% less of a slimy tactic than the tactic of record companies reissuing old albums with a new track or two on each album. So at least they went the Greatest Hits route there. Having not purchased Black Sabbath: the Dio Years, I can’t comment on “The Devil Cried” or “The Shadow of Wind,” having only heard them both once. Give me a year or two, when that greatest hits release pops up used for only $5, at which point I’d gladly pay EP price for a release that’s in essence an EP for Black Sabbath fans and collectors.
There was a Vinnie drum solo, testimony to the fact that he was as energized as the rest of the band seemed to be, performing songs they haven’t done in years. “Computer Gods”… great! That’s one of my favorites off Dehumanizer, and an all around intense song. Rounding things off with the first two releases, they did “Falling off the Edge,” “Die Young,” “Heaven and Hell,” and as an encore, “Neon Knights.”
It was a phenomenal show, with the musicians in peak form. My only sadness? I do love “TV Crimes,” and that was absent (I’d read it was a dig against Ozzy) (for more Ozzy and Black Sabbath digs, see “Devil and Daughter" by Black Sabbath, and Ozzy’s “Devil’s Daughter” rebuttal… “you don’t want a holy war!”). Also, I would’ve liked to hear “Turn Up the Night,” even though it’s similar to “Neon Knights.”
The 411: See it if you can! These legends are sharp and on the mark. Phenomenal show...
