Black Sabbath 13 Tour

Everyone has that dream list of bands they'd love to see. Mine is as follows: AC/DC Black Sabbath Iron Maiden Megadeth Slayer These are the bands I want to see, there are many others, but these are all the legends. To see them would be completing life achievements. Back in 2012 at Download two of the bands from the above list were performing at the Festival, I missed Megadeth because I was backstage and so excited to be there drinking beer and meeting artists I just listened to Dave from behind the stage. The other band was the mighty Black Sabbath. I left back stage, bottle of whisky in hand to see a band I never even thought I would get the chance to see, especially not the lineup of: Ozzy, Geezer and Tony. I had the best time, sharing out nips, meeting people in the crowd, dancing to Fairies Wear Boots with a bald headed chap who was out of his mind. I even got ridiculously close to the stage only to move back to dance again. It was amazing, but it was so heavily alcohol fueled that I was having to make conscious efforts to remember certain songs; or the way Ozzy swung his arms around like a willow in the wind; even Tony's solos played be the hands that have invented the sound we know and love today are all super flakey in my memory.

Thinking back, yes, I did see Sabbath in 2012, and it was a most enjoyable experience, the perfect festival experience. However it was much like when my friend saw Status Quo and I asked him how it was, he replied:

"After those beers and triple vodkas aforehand I canna really mind Status Quo to be honest."

Fast forward to November 28th 2013 and Hayden and I are on our way to the Ziggodome, tickets in bag (the tickets that cost me the last of my British pounds, but this is not a waste, this is an investment); to see Black Sabbath. Nay, to remember Sabbath, and then I can tell people I've see them (twice) and that's awesome.

The gig was in the Ziggodome (deja vu) where I had previously seen Avenged Sevenfold and Volbeat, who both boasted huge set props and numerous flames to heat your very soul. For Sabbath I was expecting them to keep it simple, perhaps of a huge 13 banner, or even just a Sabbath banner and keep away from the pyrotechnics and explosions.

Avenged Sevenfold

Volbeat

Sabbath's stage set was reminiscent to the 13 album artwork. Gnarly branches of trees, almost looking like twisted rocks, they reached out and combined to set up the frame for three screens. When they were projecting the musicians into the screen it gave an almost eery forest effect, like when he's wandering around a wood in Fairies Wear Boots or any wandering session in any Iron Maiden song. Also it's the first time I've seen the use of screens projecting what's going on on the stage in the Ziggodome, and it was good, really good. Especially for those further back, luckily we were really close to the front so we had the best of both worlds. They also included visual imagery to several of the songs in the set list, the most memorable being the big busty women and strip tease performers such as Betty Page along to Dirty Women.

Skip back a couple tracks to the support for Sabbath. This was Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, who were the perfect compliment to the Sabbath sound. Playing mainly songs from their latest album Mind Control that just came out this year. They drew the crowd in easily and proved why they are the band to support Sabbath. The photos here may be blurry, but I think that just adds to the trippy nature of their music and I find it hard to take photos that aren't blurry at gigs. As written before in http://marjoleinrobertson.blogspot.nl/2013/10/metallica.html please send me a Canon EOS 50d.

Uncle Acid himself.

Then Sabbath were on. The crowd lost their shit. It was great. Ozzy can't always keep key any more but he was still hitting some of the notes, usually more so when singing tracks from 13; probably as the songs from 13 are written to fit his current vocal range. Ozzy was so full of energy throughout you really could forgive him for losing some of that vocal range. Then Geezer and Tony just played perfectly, they really did, amazing solos, an amazing funky bass solo from Geezer as a lead in to N.I.B. Tomy Clufetos who is drumming for them now is mind blowing, he played a 10-15 minute drum solo, giving the first generation a rest, and it was amazing, taking us from Rat Salad straight into Iron Man.

Overall the gig was amazing, I am so glad I went to see Sabbath again, this time with just the one pint (mainly because I didn't want to need the toilet half way through the gig and also because it was very expensive). It was fantastic and I was not let down, which can always be a worry when it comes to a band you hold with such high regard. I would say the only downside for me was that the gig wasn't sold out. That's not because SABBATH, so many metal gigs in Amsterdam, so many gigs in general, do not sell out. I feel there is a lack of love for rock and metal music here and with your help and the continued support of metal fans to engage new members into our community we can make a change. We can make gigs sell out. Peace and Metal.

Hayden Hook has not given a quote.