(by Shawn Mack)

Hey Joe,

I just wanted to submit my review of the Chicago Show in 83. My buddy Mike and I had just got off work and went to the nearest ticketron outlet to see if there were any available tickets and we were surprised, with Quiet Riot being as big as they were at the time we didn't think we had a chance. We we had got to the local Sears (our ticket outlet at the time) they said that there were only 50 tickets left so I guess it was meant to be, at least that's what I told Mike :) It was Mike's first concert and what a show. Like I had said we didn't think that we would find tickets so we were unprepared to go. We had five dollars between the two of us for gas and absolutely no toll or parking money, a must for any Chicago concert. But we didn't realize this until we stopped at the fist toll both! They let us put down our plate number and pay later through the mail. Then we get to the show and can't any free parking so what were we to do? We found a shipping dock of a near by business that was closed for the evening and parked there hoping that we would still find the car after the show.

Quiet Riot was alright for what they were, but I was there for Sabbath, Mike was a Quiet Riot fan, but liked Dio Sabbath and as I told him when I had seen the Mob Rules tour the year before get ready for the a kick ass show. We had nose bleed seats but it still kicked major ass, the place was filed with all the usual freaks, some guy was hanging form the upper deck and had be carried out, drunk of course. The lights went out and thats when the whole stage was lit with an upside down v of green and yellow spotlights alternating back and forth to supernaut and a weird purple glow fell over the stongehedge stones as the demon baby came out growling and waling at the audience, the place went nuts! I had looked over at buddy Mike and he was like what the hell is this, then I reminded him that this is Black Sabbath and anything goes he laughed as some Phillipeno person next to him handed him a lit joint, he looked at me and I said just go with it, it's all part of the experience LOL.. and he did.

The band ripped through the exact set list that you had listed, one the most memorable songs of the show was when two robed figures came out from either side of the stage walked out to the end of the than turned and faced each other than walked until they met in the middle of the stage, the whole time the bass drum was thumping out the beginning of Ironman, then they faced the rock that the drum set was on and walked toward it then they pulled apart the rock then exited the stage, under the drum kit appeared a huge lighted cross that pulsated with the drum beat. The whole place was lit up like a Christmas tree! Bright white lights were everywhere. Another memorable moment was when Sabbath ripped into rock and roll doctor, one of my favorites, yeah I think Ian forgot some lyrics but the music was so loud that we didn't even notice it, and remember we were in the cheap seats! Then they did smoke on the water! being a big Purple fan I though that was cool. On our way out of the show I had ran into my cousin that I hadn't seen in years that was great, no to mentioned when we got back to the car it was still there where we had left it unharmed and safe and sound at which point I looked at Mike and said "see I told you it was meant for us to see the show" we laughed for a good ten minutes, I guess we were still a little buzzed from the show.