What's up Joe,

from "Castler, Jim" <JCastler@tribune.com>
to Joe Siegler <siegler@black-sabbath.com>
date Jun 16, 2007 1:44 PM
subject 'Heaven & Hell' Concert Review - 5/14/07 - Times Union Center - Albany, NY

Hi Joe:

In keeping with the format of some other reviews - here it goes - a review the May 14th show at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York:

Notes:

- After attending the Toronto show in March I was really looking forward to seeing the Albany show, particularly because I would be joined by my brother and both of my sons. My boys, Josh and Jake, appreciate many forms of music, however they are - at heart - metalheads. As such, they also both recognize that most of the bands they now listen to can all look back to Tony Iommi (& Co.) as the true godfathers of the genre. I have taken my boys to see Black Sabbath during two of the most recent Ozzfest tours, however I have also impressed upon them the strength of Sabbath's Dio years. (no pun intended) It is interesting to note how my youngest son, as well as how many of his friends, are now learning about Dio through films such as 'Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny' or 'Metal: A Headbanger's Journey' or through bands like Killswitch Engage as they cover Dio's solo work.

- While others may disagree, I thought the openers, Machine Head and Megadeth, both put on great performances. Machine Head played a loud and very metallic sounding, albeit brief, set. I got a kick out of the local music critic's description the next day of the 'Cookie Monster' vocals. Megadeth was again solid, and at times the crowd seemed to be more intense during portions of their set than at any time during the entire evening. It was funny to see the fan with a huge Megadeth tattoo on his leg going spastic during their closer.

- As for the headliners, the start of the performance again stood as one of the absolute highlights for me. As the impressive stage came into view, and the video effects slowly built, the band members emerged, and the overall effect was simply awesome. The set seemed somewhat smaller in Albany from the Toronto show. I am not sure if the arena would not allow for the complete/extended background set, or if the crew had simply stripped-down the background for easier set-up and tear-down each night. Perhaps there were simply fewer black drapes along the edges or sides of the stage.

- As reported in earlier reviews, the crowd was super-loud and rowdy. From our position a few rows directly in front of Dio and Iommi, it was sometimes hard to hold one's position as the crowd continually pushed from side-to-side. There was actually one occasion in which Security stopped all action within the main mosh pit, and it was interesting to see some particularly rowdy fans actually throwing fists at/around Security while being pulled off the floor. At one point we also saw some guy rapidly pulling his girlfriend away from the front of the stage while she was screaming loudly. I am not sure if she became pushed-up against the stage, grabbed or what. Then again, I can't image putting my wife near the front of this stage and right next to a mosh pit either.

- As far as the individual performances, everyone was again at the top of the game. In fact, while I was somewhat fearful that the band might be locked into a play-it-by-numbers-routine by this point in the tour, I actually found the opposite to be true. I thought the band played even more intensely, looser when appropriate and with better interaction on this night than they even did in Toronto. Dio's vocals are just stunning; very, very impressive. Iommi and Butler were again focused, locked-in and tight all night. Appice was again, if unspectacular/showy, solid - exactly in the way you want him to be.

- Early on in the set, Dio made some kind of comment about being from upstate New York and/or about it being good to be back in the upstate New York area - where he has spent so much time previously. (I could not hear his exact words.) This of course elicited a nice response from the crowd. As I passed along to Joe Siegler via email, I have always had a nagginq question about Dio's ties to the area - especially in regard to his wife Wendy. My wife and I currently live about an hour north of Albany and about ten minutes south of the resort communities of Lake George and Bolton Landing. A number of years ago I believe I actually heard that Wendy was originally from Bolton Landing. Could anyone confirm if this is true? It is very funny to think of standing in the front rows seeing Ronnie perform on those early Dio tours, playing at the Glens Falls Civic Center near there, and now thinking that he may have been enjoying some 'home cooking' from a member of Wendy's family just up the road. I know of Ronnie's New Hampshire and western New York years, and I know Ronnie and Wendy's primary home now is in Los Angeles, however perhaps they also had/still have a place in upstate New York?

- As far as some of the enhancements since Toronto, as pointed-out in other reviews it was nice to hear the distortion/echo/treatment on Dio's voice at times, particularly as he introduces "Vinny Appice" in a booming voice before the drum solo. Nice creepy effect. Perhaps I just didn't notice it in Toronto, or perhaps it was not functioning or fully functioning yet, however it was nice to see the long 'neon lights' on the descended rigging during 'Neon Knights' the song. Personally, I have always liked the little white spotlight shining directly down on Dio during the song 'Heaven and Hell' as well as the bright red spotlight shining up under Dio's face as he improvises between the voices from above and below speaking to him. As the red light hit Ronnie's face, I turned to watch my son mouth the word ... 'Cool.'

Personal song highlights: Once again I truly enjoyed hearing the song `I,' which just seems heavier and heavier over the years and has to rank as one of Iommi's all-time heaviest riffs; `Die Young;' and (especially) `Falling Off the Edge of the World' . the latter providing the absolute highlight of the concert for me. When Tony goes from the quiet pause of the song into the main riff, the surge of pleasure your mind feels is just too intense for words. To echo the words of the fan next to me, obviously not expecting to hear this song live ... "Oh my God. On my God. On my God..."

Personal song highlights (Part 2): While 'Voodoo' is a very good song - it has never been one of my absolute favorites. On this night in Albany, Dio went into a form of vocal improvising with Iommi near the end of the song where he was almost scat-singing in a manner that was jaw-dropping. I have never heard him sing that like, and the effect was just incredible. Iommi held his own surprise on this evening. While 'Heaven and Hell' is one of my absolute favorite songs (and in my opinion, one of the most underrated 'great' songs of the rock era), as Tony first started his solo, his playing was very, for lack of a better word, 'noodle-y' and almost Jerry Garcia-like in his approach. We know of his ability to play Jazz-like runs. As another reviewer mentioned, and as on this night as well, the song slowed for some Brian May-style harmonies with echoes. Of course, when the song was allowed to build again - we got heavy.

Personal disappointment: I wish the band had played at least two more songs. Again, no performance of `Lonely Is The Word' (really a personal fav). I guess we will have to wait for the Radio City Music Hall CD/DVD.

Final note: It almost goes without saying that we will all remember and cherish this concert for the rest of our lives. To the band - thank you, thank you for this tour. To Ronnie, Tony, Geezer and Vinny, we want to thank you personally for all getting back together and giving us this wonderful gift - the ability to see the four of you all perform together, live on stage again. For the younger generation, this is a showcase that music does not need to be pre-packaged or trivial. As someone recently stated, the bulk of this particular band's work together really amounts to some great, great songs. They deserve to be played live; they deserve to be heard. Thank you for sharing them with us again. While we also love and hope to hear more from your respective solo/other musical projects, we also hope to hear more from Heaven & Hell in the future.

Jim C.