Heaven and Hell (aka Black Sabbath) 07/11/07 - Sheffield Arena

featuring Tony Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice.

Although guitarist Tony Iommi owns the rights to the name Black Sabbath, the band chose to go on the road using the title of their first album featuring Ronnie James Dio on vocals - Heaven and Hell. Perhaps from a marketing point of view Tony and co. may have missed out as the venue was less than full but Tony stated in a recent interview that it would be unfair to use the name Black Sabbath as many of the fans would turn up expecting to hear songs such as Paranoid, War Pigs etc.

The set was mainly made up of songs from the Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules albums which were recorded between 1979 – 82 when Ronnie James Dio took over the vocals from Ozzy Osbourne. The title tracks from each album were performed along with other highlights including Die Young, Neon Knights and Sign of the Southern Cross. The band have recently gone back into the studio to record some new material and the set also included some of these songs including Shadow of the Wind.

It has to be said that during the seventies I wasn’t and great fan of Sabbath only tuning into the band when Ronnie took over the vocals at the end of that decade. (Sacrilege, I hear from die hard Sabbath fans). I have followed Ronnie’s career with interest going back to the days when I saw him with Elf supporting Deep Purple circa 1974. Dio has always been in great demand as a front man and collaborated with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow then joined Sabbath for three years before fronting his own band simply called Dio with Vinny Appice on drums through the 1980’s. Ronnie not only brings a great clarity of vocals but also has much sought after writer ability.

I have seen Black Sabbath a couple of times before in the late eighties / early nineties when Tony Iommi went on the road with the Sabbath project with a bunch of relative unknowns in the band. Former Purple bassist and vocalist Glen Hughes did an album with Sabbath during this period but Hughes didn’t make it for the tour due to "ill health" at that time.

This incarnation, call it Heaven and Hell or Black Sabbath were a must see. Tony looking slightly sinister dressed all in black with dark tinted spectacles would occasionally break out into a smile in acknowledgement of the fans down the front. Tony performed some great guitar riffs and provided a lot of “we’re not worthy” moments for an audience of varying ages.