Heaven & Hell Rehearsal Showcase

p4warrior · 04-26-2009, 11:38 PM

Just got home from Heaven & Hell playing a "rehearsal showcase" in Van Nuys. It was kind of secretive beforehand, so no one could say anything, but it was flippin awesome. I stood front and center, about 8 feet from Dio, at eye level (well I'm about a foot taller than him, but still...) Setlist was as follows:

Bible Black
Fear
Follow the Tears
Time Machine

The power was raw, everyone was on game and energetic, and Dio was singing like the Rainbow days. I was blown away. Pics forthcoming.

EDIT: PICS!!!

No more than about 50 people there; it was raw and LOUD. This tour is gonna be awesome.

Also got to shake hands with the whole band, got sigs on a sweet metallic The Devil You Know poster they handed out.

David86 · 04-27-2009, 12:03 AM

Isn't that amazing! Nice you had the chance to be there man. Can't wait for the tour!

Sir Kenneth · 04-27-2009, 12:12 AM

Thanks for sharing

I wonder if it's safe to assume that those 3 songs are going to be in the setlist for the tour.

p4warrior · 04-27-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Kenneth

Thanks for sharing

I wonder if it's safe to assume that those 3 songs are going to be in the setlist for the tour.

That's what it sounded like from Dio's introduction. They worked really well live, he stated that they would do 3-4 songs from the new record in addition to classic material on the tour.

p4warrior · 04-27-2009, 12:30 AM

Just realized I left Iommi out...

tide12 · 04-27-2009, 02:29 AM

Man, that hall is so smoke-filled it reminds me of the halcyon days of The Mob Rules tour. People used to openly smoke pot at rock concerts back in those days. I remember Ronnie taking a hit onstage and passing the joint to someone in the front row during the Mob Rules show at the Omni in Atlanta. He said over the PA, "Here-pass this around." Those were much different and freer times.

Riffs · 04-27-2009, 03:29 AM

Amazing! I was listening (still am) to Follow the Tears when I decided to check the forum and click on this thread, only to find that they will play this track live. It is indeed one of the strongest on the record, IMO. Hopefully it will be great live!

Bible Black was a given. I'm psyched the band chose Follow the Tears. I'm hoping they play Neverwhere and Rock n' Roll Angel as well but hey, can't ask for too much :0

Just me · 04-27-2009, 03:50 AM

I'd have given up select body parts to have been there

blackblood · 04-27-2009, 05:42 AM

Now, that's AWESOME! Congratulations for being there and for the scoop.

How was Ronnie's voice?

How was Tony? I read he had a recent problem working out

And Geezer and Vinnie?

Thanks for posting this.

The Mad Duke · 04-27-2009, 09:30 AM

Thanks for the info and pics. I knew Follow the Tears would be one. I'm still betting on it being the opener.

H&H · 04-27-2009, 10:13 AM

Congrats and what an awesome opportunity. Cool photos.

Joe Siegler · 04-27-2009, 10:16 AM

I got some pro photos from this sent to me last night.

http://www.black-sabbath.com/gallery...s/2009/042709/

Joe Siegler · 04-27-2009, 10:28 AM

http://www.black-sabbath.com/news/20..._underway.html

Buio · 04-27-2009, 10:42 AM

Awesome, thanks for the pics.

Can't wait until they get to Sweden again.

wishing well · 04-27-2009, 12:38 PM

vinnys drum set looks awesome, somewhat bigger than last tour

Charger · 04-27-2009, 01:01 PM

Thanks for the pics!

Joe Siegler · 04-27-2009, 01:30 PM

http://www.black-sabbath.com/news/20..._underway.html

Updated with an additional pic of Tony that was left off the first posting. Also has a "review" of the concert/rehearsal.

Serpentine · 04-27-2009, 02:47 PM

Thanks to those who posted reviews. It gives me goosebumbs just reading them! I've never seen them live so I hope they'll come close enough to Southern US so I can see them. I've offically started my tour fund!

Iommip · 04-27-2009, 04:03 PM

CooooL! thanks for sharing!

p4warrior · 04-27-2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackblood

Now, that's AWESOME! Congratulations for being there and for the scoop.

How was Ronnie's voice?

How was Tony? I read he had a recent problem working out

And Geezer and Vinnie?

Thanks for posting this.

Thanks!

Ronnie's voice was GREAT. I can't emphasize that enough. It was very pure, the high parts on Fear and the beginning of Bible Black were shocking. I've never heard him live before, so that was incredible.

Tony was perfect. Again, I've never seen them live (other than DVD), so I can't speak to his previous performances, but he was pretty laid back but powerful. He is just so professional and classy on stage (unlike some of the "nu" metal guys), strolling up near the crowd so they could get a better view during his solos. I was amazed at the sheer power and volume he could get out of that guitar, even playing riffs on just one string.

Geezer was probably my personal highlight. Again, like Iommi, the man just exudes class and sophistication. None of the goofy jumping around, just very precise (but not blackmore-boring) and having a good time. I'm a bassist myself, so although I wanted to watch the other members, probably 50% of the time my eyes were trying to keep up with his fingers. His new riffs are great, and he really carried bible black, especially through the solo. In fact, we could hear them warming that song up while outside, 50 yards away through concrete walls. Geezer was loud.

I have a new appreciation for Vinny's drumming after seeing them live. I know sometimes he gets a bad rap as a "square" drumming caveman, but he was a real powerhouse. He really carried the builds/crescendos in songs like Bible Black and Follow the Tears. A less powerful or more "technique"- driven drummer probably would have lost some of that power.

It's up on Blabbermouth.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/bla...sitemID=118882

blackblood · 04-27-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p4warrior

Thanks!

Ronnie's voice was GREAT. I can't emphasize that enough. It was very pure, the high parts on Fear and the beginning of Bible Black were shocking. I've never heard him live before, so that was incredible.

Tony was perfect. Again, I've never seen them live (other than DVD), so I can't speak to his previous performances, but he was pretty laid back but powerful. He is just so professional and classy on stage (unlike some of the "nu" metal guys), strolling up near the crowd so they could get a better view during his solos. I was amazed at the sheer power and volume he could get out of that guitar, even playing riffs on just one string.

Geezer was probably my personal highlight. Again, like Iommi, the man just exudes class and sophistication. None of the goofy jumping around, just very precise (but not blackmore-boring) and having a good time. I'm a bassist myself, so although I wanted to watch the other members, probably 50% of the time my eyes were trying to keep up with his fingers. His new riffs are great, and he really carried bible black, especially through the solo. In fact, we could hear them warming that song up while outside, 50 yards away through concrete walls. Geezer was loud.

I have a new appreciation for Vinny's drumming after seeing them live. I know sometimes he gets a bad rap as a "square" drumming caveman, but he was a real powerhouse. He really carried the builds/crescendos in songs like Bible Black and Follow the Tears. A less powerful or more "technique"- driven drummer probably would have lost some of that power.

It's up on Blabbermouth.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/bla...sitemID=118882

Thanks, great experience, certainly that's something you'll never forget, especially cause it was so unique and intimate, grats.

Just me · 04-27-2009, 06:27 PM

agreed, drum kit looks like it was built to hurt non-Metal listeners

Always a class act, as someone said no no need for the hop around theatre crap others need to take attention away from zero skill. ""Nu Metal" means go back tothe garage and practice.

Iommi always makes it look easy.

I'm sure once it's "tight" that Time Machine will be great live. Killer riffs.

Let's go H and H, give us the tour dates in the USA so I can stop my world to attend a couple shows.

mesmer · 04-27-2009, 06:33 PM

Glad they're playing my favorite song off TDYK, Fear! I'm surprised there is any doubt this is a great song!

p4warrior · 04-27-2009, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just me

agreed, drum kit looks like it was built to hurt non-Metal listeners

Always a class act, as someone said no no need for the hop around theatre crap others need to take attention away from zero skill. ""Nu Metal" means go back tothe garage and practice.

Iommi always makes it look easy.

I'm sure once it's "tight" that Time Machine will be great live. Killer riffs.

Let's go H and H, give us the tour dates in the USA so I can stop my world to attend a couple shows.

My buddy who was attending with me heard Iommi and Butler talking about how the sound was off on Time Machine, something to do with the sound system. Hopefully that was the case.

blackblood · 04-27-2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p4warrior

That's what it sounded like from Dio's introduction. They worked really well live, he stated that they would do 3-4 songs from the new record in addition to classic material on the tour.

Did Ronnie clearly say those are all the new songs (or not played before in the long 2007 tour) set for the upcoming tour? That "4" could mean they could add another one...

Thanks for the comments.

p4warrior · 04-27-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackblood

Did Ronnie clearly say those are all the new songs (or not played before in the long 2007 tour) set for the upcoming tour? That "4" could mean they could add another one...

Thanks for the comments.

It sounded like the "3 or 4" was just Devil You Know songs. It definitely left the door open for old material that hasn't been played in a long time.

p4warrior · 04-27-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesmer

Glad they're playing my favorite song off TDYK, Fear! I'm surprised there is any doubt this is a great song!

Fear was truly the highlight.

Also, Scott Warren was on keys and really made Follow the Tears something special.

Psycho Man · 04-27-2009, 07:05 PM

lucky bastard

blackblood · 04-28-2009, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p4warrior

Fear was truly the highlight.

Also, Scott Warren was on keys and really made Follow the Tears something special.

Did Tony play all songs with the same electric guitar or there was space for the acoustic that should be at the beginning of Bible Black (if I remember correctly the reviews)? I must be the only one that has yet to hear the single...

Why was Fear the best live song of the four tracks played live? I had read it has a great Tony riff and a nice solo but the chorus and vocals are not the most impressive among the new songs.

Damian · 04-28-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p4warrior

Fear was truly the highlight.

Also, Scott Warren was on keys and really made Follow the Tears something special.

I guess this answers the touring keyboardist question without much room for doubt. I may be in the minority, but I like Fear a lot, and the chorus vocal effect is actually pretty decent, imo.

p4warrior · 04-28-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackblood

Did Tony play all songs with the same electric guitar or there was space for the acoustic that should be at the beginning of Bible Black (if I remember correctly the reviews)? I must be the only one that has yet to hear the single...

Why was Fear the best live song of the four tracks played live? I had read it has a great Tony riff and a nice solo but the chorus and vocals are not the most impressive among the new songs.

He played the same guitar through Bible Black. I believe he swapped out his electric (probably for tuning purposes) before Follow the Tears.

Fear has a powerhouse riff and Dio's finishing chorus line FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAR sent shivers down my spine. It doesn't quite have a proper chorus even, but just a two line stanza that is repeated a few times in the song, ending with said FEAR line. Vinny's drumming is very cool too, intertwines perfectly with the guitar/bass segments. I don't know why, but the whole time they played this song I just had a big grin on my face.

The vocals probably aren't as edgy or dynamic as something like Bible Black or Follow the Tears, but they worked really well. I like the one on the record, so I guess that may also be why i liked it live.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damian

I guess this answers the touring keyboardist question without much room for doubt. I may be in the minority, but I like Fear a lot, and the chorus vocal effect is actually pretty decent, imo.

Agreed on Fear. Yeah, Scott was even standing with the band doing autographs (I collected his as well), so that was the feel of it.

H&H · 04-28-2009, 05:26 PM

Thanks guys for sharing the pics!

bret6262 · 04-28-2009, 05:59 PM

oops double post- see below

bret6262 · 04-28-2009, 06:06 PM

p4warrior · 04-28-2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bret6262

Awesome. Looks like you were over by the cabinets in front of Iommi. What was your favorite song? Great pics by the way, better than my weenie 2 MP iPhone camera!
(How funny, I took a picture of the same DIO crate on the way out!)

bret6262 · 04-29-2009, 12:10 PM

p4warrior · 04-29-2009, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bret6262

How funny, you caught me in some of these pictures. Great shots!

bret6262 · 04-30-2009, 07:53 PM

here are better images of the Tony and Geezer picks-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...rsal/001-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...rsal/002-1.jpg

Megalomania · 05-01-2009, 01:19 PM

I'm very glad with these songs. Follow the tears is one of my favourites tunes on TDYK. Although, I would change Fear for any other, but anyway...no problem, it's great too.

And Time machine is another great surprise, I hope they keep it in the setlist (and Computer God too)

AngryHeart · 05-01-2009, 04:27 PM

p4warrior and bret6262, you guys are so lucky. I'm glad you enjoyed the experience; I know I would.

And thanks for sharing pictures.