May 17, 2007 Heaven and Hell Rock The Forum / All Access Magazine
By Maya Dawn Henderson
Photos by Willy Videla
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Every once in a while, you see a live show that comes at you out of nowhere and blows you away with mind-numbing intensity.Heaven and Hell at the Los Angeles Forum on April 25, 2007 was one of those rare occasions. Rolling up into the stadium parking lot, our car wheels crunched over broken glass, as vintage Black Sabbath blasted on car stereos.
Just like a true rock ‘n roll concert tailgate scene straight out of 1983, the Jack Daniels and beer flowed and fans howled with delight and flung their devil horns in the air. Of course we were right there with them. I had been looking forward to this show since it was announced months before. This was a major event for any metal fan, with the second most popular incarnation of Black Sabbath proper; Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass, and Vinnie Appice on drums. The mere idea of this show only conjured up visions of thunderous power and crushing riffs from these heavy pounders of yore.
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Once inside, we saw lots of merchandise stands haphazardly set up throughout the stadium halls. Just like a classic concert arena rock show from the past, kids of all ages devoured the early-styled rock T’s and socialized in beer lines. Not knowing what we were in for with these mystery tickets I’d acquired (the second they went on sale), I was pleasantly surprised when they turned out to be open seating, with wrist bands, sort of like the old school “general admission”. (B.C. “The Us Festival”). If you bought tickets early on, pretty much, you could run amuck in the entire floor of the venue. If you were willing - all the way up front, where a large mosh pit had already formed for the thunderous openers Machine Head and Megadeth.
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After a lengthy pre-entry delay and intense, dark, foreboding build up, Heaven and Hell took the stage to enthusiastic applause. Their grandeous stage set was like something I could only describe as looking like “Purgatory” or … the Gates of Hell , with the Keeper of the Gates front and center on vocals. Dio sang out while he stalked the stage, back and forth, flowy-haired with devil prongs out, saluting the outstretched hands of revelers. Iommi and Butler anchored their own sides of the huge stage with Appice and an amazing drum kit high up on a riser just behind them.
The band opened with the dark dirge "After All (The Dead)," from "Dehumanizer" (1992). Then onto title track from “Mob Rules”. This to me, was the highlight of the night. The band had the crowd hanging over every note, every fist and every devil horn thrust into the air. They then dove into songs off of the album, "Heaven and Hell" (1980), including "Children of the Sea," a power ballad done with Ronnie’s classic melodramatic vibrato, shuddered with menace. Now in his early sixties, the legendary vocalist sounded utterly invincible as he easily belted his way through "Lady Evil." I swear, he must have sold his sold his soul to the devil to look and sound like he does today. As always, he expressed his appreciation for the countless thousands who keep the band’s music alive throughout the years. They played "The Sign of the Southern Cross," "Voodoo" and "Die Young." Tony Iommi tuned down his guitar two full steps, and hit upon an unearthly deep, richly crunching guitar tone, the audience mesmerized by his power-chording wizardry.
Other mind-numbing renditions included, “The Devil Cries” and “Heaven and Hell”, the title track on the same post-Ozzy line-up that gave us the album Heaven and Hell, which went up against AC/DC’s Back In Black in 1980. The light show was equally exciting and very metal with floating crosses and those infamous smoking angels from the Heaven and Hell album cover. The band seemed to play as if they’ve spent a lifetime together. I suppose in a way they have. . .
Vinny’s bombastic drum solo was another highlight of the night. It went on for a good few minutes and the audience was floored. I only wished the sound was a bit better in this stadium venue. They premiered their new songs, Ear In The Wall, Shadows Of The Wind and I. They ended beautifully with an extended version of Neon Knights.
Heaven and Hell delivered a musical fantasy of a performance that gave the capacity crowd all of the screaming, pounding, riffs they could ever want in an interactive show. I would call it more of a metal “experience” that left most of the audience horse from screaming along. If this show is any indication, I don’t think this will be the only year Heaven & Hell tours. www.heavenandhelllive.com
~Maya Dawn Henderson~