Last Saturday Birmingham welcomed home metal legends, Black Sabbath. The band played a special warm-up gig at the O2 Academy ahead of their planned performances headlining some of this year’s biggest festivals, starting with Download this June. After a 13 year wait, Black Sabbath and their home crowd were at last once again reunited and it was a beautiful thing indeed. Needless to say tickets sold out instantaneously and yes the touts did what they do best, but for those 3000 lucky fans that did manage to get hold of a ticket it was a night to not be forgotten. The show was especially poignant given it was ‘Iron Man’ Tony Iommi’s first performance since being diagnosed with lyphoma last year and with the crowd chanting his name, it was left in no doubt who was man of the night.
We’ve highlighted a few of the reviews from the night which you can read below, but WE ALSO WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! We’d love to hear your own STORIES of this legendary night and we encourage you to upload any PHOTOS or VIDEOS you may have on to the Home of Metal archive!
From the band’s official mouthpiece blacksabbath.com:
“Thank you, thank you, thank you Birmingham. Best fans ever- you brought out the best in us. It was a privilege playing for you tonight. Tony was a hero- you were the best medicine he has had. Proud to be a Brummie.
Ozzy was at his demonic best, commanding both audience and band , like only he can, and Tommy did a fantastic job.
Cheers,
Geezer”
“I was extremely nervous beforehand about playing a long set, not knowing whether I’d be able to last. It turned out to be no problem whatsoever because Ozzy, Geezer and Tommy were nailing everything, no chance to feel tired!
I’m really pleased with how it turned out, fantastic crowd and I want to say thank you to all of them for giving me such an amazing reception.
On our way again at last!
Finally, a special thanks to Tommy, we invited him to play and he was brilliant.
Best wishes,
Tony.”
Gig Reviews:
Kerrang: “Internal politics don’t matter. What matters is that tonight, Sabbath are here, Tony Iommi is onstage. And for two hours, the most important heavy metal band of all time prove that, 42 years after the world heard that infamous tritone for the first time, they are also the best.” (Read in full here)
Classic Rock: “A black-clad Iommi looked moved as the crowd chanted his name following set opener Into The Void, and again throughout the set.” (Read in full here)
The Midlands Rocks: “A few miles from where it all began in the shadow of Villa Park, four decades of celebration and myth came alive at the O2 Academy. Should this prove to have been their final farewell to the Home of Metal, it simply couldn’t have been any better.” (Read in full here)
Rolling Stone: “…last night, Black Sabbath was a band with all the answers.” (Read in full here)
Metal Hammer: “…the sense of celebration, jubilation and rock ‘n’ fucking roll in the air was tangible.” (Read in full here)
Oh and whilst we are at it the setlist looked a little something like this. Pretty nice eh?
Into The Void
Under The Sun
Snowblind
War Pigs
Wheels Of Confusion
Electric Funeral
Black Sabbath
The Wizard
Behind The Wall Of Sleep
N.I.B.
Fairies Wear Boots
Tomorrow’s Dream
Sweet Leaf
Symptom Of The Universe
Iron Man
Dirty Women
Children Of The Grave
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Paranoid
Images by Ross Halfin courtesy of Counteract Magazine
