Ohhh Lord Yeah!

By Frank Colucci on August 17, 2013

Ford Amp, 1 800 Ask-Gary, Mid Florida, what ever you want to call it, Sabbath ROCKED IT! (photo Travis Failey / Rocket Sports & Entertainment Network)

Black Sabbath

Tampa, FL. July 29^th 2013. The anticipation leading up to this tour for me was like being a kid and going to Disney World for the first time; and since I grew up in the Sunshine State, I can relate. The sun, however, was not shinning on the Mid Florida Credit Union Amphitheater Monday night. The stage was set with a haunted house themed backdrop displaying video clips of old horror movies splattered in blood and amazing close up shots of this quintessential band. Sirens blaring and the curtain drops. War Pigs! Finally the anticipation is over. After years of feuding, law suits, Bill Ward, the original drummer, not on board and a guitar player battling lymphoma, Black Sabbath is here.

(photo Travis Failey / Rocket Sports & Entertainment Network)

It’s the third show of Black Sabbath’s North American tour and at age 64, Ozzy still rocks! Sure, there were moments where the “Oz Man Cometh” was struggling vocally, but you know what? Who cares…? This is Black F’n Sabbath, the most iconic heavy metal band of all time. This little group from Birmingham England just put out their first album together since 1978; and it’s AWESOME! In their album, simply titled “13”, Ozzy along with Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler, and new touring drummer, Tommy Clufetos, deliver a two-hour, 18 song set of classic metal doom.(See full set list below) Iommi’s dark and dingy riffs sound better than ever and Butler’s fast fingers on the bass can be matched by no one. It’s amazing to hear Geezer’s bass riffs today, that he created so many years ago and compare them against the names that you always hear as the “best bass players ever” in Billy Sheehan and Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris. Geezer Butler, as the originator and innovator of the heavy metal bass riff, has got to be placed among-st bassists at the top of their craft. Tommy Clufetos may be new to Black Sabbath, but he has been playing in Ozzy’s solo band for a few years now and quickly proved that he is the right guy to bang on the skins. Tommy Clufetos blends in perfectly with the rest of the band, not only on Black Sabbath’s new songs, but also the classics, like “Black Sabbath,” “Children of the Grave,” and “N.I.B.”

Tony Lommi (photo Frank Colucci)

“It’s (bleepin) hot down here, man!” yelled Ozzy. Followed by, “And you know what? I (bleepin) love it!” Well, we love you too Ozzy! Thanks for putting the band back together and releasing a great album. Until next time, “Thank you good night, we love you all!”

Black Sabbath’s setlist: “War Pigs,” “Into the Void,” “Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes,” “Snowblind,” “Age of Reason,” “Black Sabbath,” “Behind the Wall of Sleep,” “N.I.B. ,” “End of the Beginning,” “Fairies Wear Boots,” “Methademic,” “Rat Salad,” (Drum Solo) , “God Is Dead?,” “Dirty Women,” “Children of the Grave,” “Paranoid.”