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THE BAND
- Ozzy Osbourne - Vocals
- Tony Iommi - Guitar
- Geezer Butler - Bass
- Bill Ward - Drums
- Geoff Nicholls - Keyboards
CONCERT PHOTOS
None available - if you have any, let me know.
TOUR REVIEWS & REMARKS
From: "Fred L." <fredmt@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Last Show
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 01:43:47 EDT
Howdy-
Just saw Sabbath at Jones Beach (NY) tonight. ROCK!!! Way cool. Did you
ever have an experience where you didn't know where to focus your
attention? "Look, there's Bill Ward!!" "It's Geezer!!" "Holy crap!! It's
Tony Iommi!!!" "OOOOZZZZYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!" I had 6th row seats and
managed to make my way right to the front just in time to get doused by Ozz
and his watergun. Yeah baby.
I gotta say that shows that have general admission tickets are better. I
hate it when there's no pit in front of the stage. I was going nuts while
lots of the people in the seats behind me were just standing there (at
least that's what it seemed like to me). There were people way up high in
the back who were much bigger Sab fans than alot of the people up front.
At least with a general admission show the real fans have a shot at getting
up close.
After seeing this show tonight I really think this might be it for Sabbath.
They were having a great time and they rocked, but Ozz was really
struggling with those high notes (at first I thought he was fooling
around!). He had all this stuff onstage; drinks, soup bowls filled with
who knows what, and a vaporizer that he was sucking on pretty often (not
that Ozzy could ever suck!).
Bottom line- It was a great !@#$%^&*ing show and Sabbath rules. Always
have, always will. No one crunches harder or with more feeling. By the
way, if anybody knows about a band doing Sabbath covers in the NYC area,
let me know. I'd love to hear them. 'Scuse me while I crank some Sabbath
on my ax.
Fred
From: "pete rasulo" <rasulope@hotmail.com>
Subject: Big Fat Ozzy
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 09:58:55 PDT
Let me first say I am glad I took Joe's advice and went to see Sabbath at
Jones Beach last night. I couldn't decide if it was worth seeing again
because the first time was so amazing. But I scored some good orchestra
seats through Ticketmaster and that clinched it. The show was great. Not
quite as good as when I saw them at Nassau Coliseum in Feb. But great none
the less. Ozzy's voice was at best adequate. He just can't seem to hit
the higher notes anymore. Now I have noticed alot of posts from you guys
who have seem them on the Ozzfest tour. And I have heard lots of things
about Ozzy's not finishing shows, sounding like crap, throat nodules etc.
Well, when I saw Sabbath back in Feb. I had awesome 2nd row seats, and I
got a good eyefull of Ozzy, who seemed to be in prety fair shape
considering all he has put himself through. What I saw last night amazed
me. Am I the only one that noticed this? The video screens at Jones Beach
afford you a nice closeup view off all the band members. Ozzy looked like
he barely fit on the screen. He was big and fat and bloated. I would say
he gained 20-30 lbs since Feb. What the hell has he been doing to himself?
Even the people sitting around me were noting how terrible he looked. IMO,
it is all of this extra weight that has been causing Ozzy to have voice and
stamina problems. The man needs to go on a serious diet. He looks like he
is going to have a heart attack at any given moment. I am not trying to
start any wars here but I think if RJD were watching this - he would get a
good hearty laugh out of the whole scene.
From: "Kevin Borowsky" <greywolf@silly.com>
Subject: Sabbath at Jones Beach
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 23:08:11 -0400
This is the third time this year I have seen Sabbath and by far this has
been the worst show. Figures since these were my best seats.
A few things - the venue was awesome. I like Jones Beach. Under a full moon
you can't beat it. The crowd was awesome. Best crowd so far. Bill, Tony and
Geezer were awesome. Ozzy on the other hand, while I give him some credit
for being up there - looked like he was near death.
His voice went out right after War Pigs. It came back for Black Sabbath,
but all the other songs his voice would go out very badly. He had an entire
pharmacy behind him. And he looked bad - like he was in pain. Sometimes it
looked like he was being disemboweled. He mumbled words, took old man steps
when running around the stage, could barely keep time and keep his hands
clapping. I just couldn't bear watching...it was that bad. His hideous ass
didn't help either....
I kind of get sick of the same antics - "I can't hear you" etc. But those
and the water spraying could not make up for the fact that Ozzy looks like
he died and was brought back to life artificially to do these shows. And I
did notice as already mentioned that he looks very bloated.
Not only that, I think Godsmack (God they sucked so bad) had a longer set.
No Sweat leaf, no dirty women. They obviously cut a lot of the set, and
lengthened Tony's solo so Ozzy could get by. Ozzy just has had it...and
they should not have toured this long. He can do a couple of months, but
beyond that the strain of singing and all the drugs (prozac) that he is on
takes a toll.
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 19:53:18 -0500
From: Jeff Downing <madmonk@fastlane.net>
Subject: Enough!
>And from what I've read, on Sabbath's Aug. 20th show, Ozzy was in bad
>shape, and on Sabbath's Aug. 24th show he wasn't that great, but it's odd
>how on the 22nd he was perfect. I think it all comes down to what you're
>doing at the show. If you're just standing there, with the intention to
>criticize everything, then it's your own fault you didn't enjoy it.
This shit is getting old. I am a huge Sabbath fan (particularly with Ozzy),
and I was at the show on the 24th. Don't tell me it was ME that was
incapacitated. Ozzy was aweful that night. I thought he was awesome in
January. Just because you had the good fortune to see him perform well
every time does not give you the right to tell other's what they did or did
not see. Overall, the concensus of opinions of which shows were strong and
which ones weren't is pretty consistent, so it is not a case of all "us
meanies trying to beat up on Ozzy". Ozzy is an amazing man, but it is a
very bad thing ,IMHO, to do so many shows in such a horrid state. One night
is great, the other is terrible. When he is on, he is truly inspiring, but
when he is bad, it makes you feel like you are the punch line in a very bad
joke. I wish him the best, but it is obvious that he should not tour
extensively anymore, period. Overall, I think the Reunion tour(s) were a
great success, but it's getting so inconsistent that they risk compromising
their name if they continue. If you saw what so many of us saw, you would
most likely feel exactly the same way. If not, then I guess he could just
lay on his back and mumble for the entire set, and it would be ok with you.
That isn't the way most of us would like to remember Ozzy. Amen.
Jeff Downing
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 02:09:00 -0400
From: THOMAS P MORGAN <FREEBIRD19@compuserve.com>
Subject: 8/24 jones beach concert review
I attended the 8/24 show at jones beach on LI, NY and here are some
thoughts-
I'm 38 and never had the chance to see the original Sabbath before this
show and I welcomed the opportunity and felt priveledged to see one of my
favorite bands perform together as I didn't think I'd ever get this chance.
I see about 45 concerts a year of many different types of bands and I can
tell you this was one of the best, if not THE BEST show I've seen in a long
time (Ozzy's voice notwithstanding). The crowd was great and ready. The
video intro was incredible and gave me goose bumps. When the band hit the
stage and kicked into War Pigs it was an awesome feeling. The sound was
incredible and loud and all were in fine form. The colors and lighting on
the stage were perfect. NIB and Faries Wear Boots rocked and sounded great
although on NIB it became apparent that Ozzy wasn't in the type of voice
that he or the crowd wanted to hear. The next few songs Ozzy got a little
weaker but the sound from the other three and the atmosphere was great!! My
favorite Sabbath song is Snowblind and on this song Ozzy really butchered
it and missed the high notes he used to hit! At this point, I felt a
little sad as Ozzy was trying his hardest but the years and the physical
demands and what he's been through showed that they took it's toll. Still,
it was Sabbath and it was Ozzy and even on an average to poor night they're
better than most bands as a whole! Black Sabbath (the song) was next and
excellent as Ozzy slowed it down even more than usual and drew out each of
the words. Great special effects with flames and dry ice etc. Iron Man was
good but again Ozzy's voice was a little weak. But with all his theatrics
and yelling to the crowd it was almost a trade off of the weakened voice.
Children of The Grave sounded great instrumentally but again the vocals
weren't what most were used to or expected. Paranoid as the encore was
great but like the concert itself was too short. Confetti filled the
ampitheater and the explosions and lasers were awesome. All in all, I was
happy and enjoyed the show and was glad I finally got to see the original
Sabbath live. In the end, that was enough to offset any lack of vocal
brilliance that Ozzy couldn't provide. The man tried and gave it his all
and that's what it's all about. Long live Sabbath. I grew up in the 70's
listening to their music and they're still the best and will be for
generations to come!
From: ChadR0ck82@aol.com
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 15:11:47 EDT
Subject: Reunion Tour Report
I saw Black Sabbath last tuesday at Joens Beach Long Island, It was a great
show, Ozzie fucking pulled his pants down and mooned the crowd, the thing
that i don't understand was he started making comments about smoking pot, i
thought they were going to play sweet leaf, instead Ozzie just walked off
stage, I wondered if you knew what happened, becasue i don't know what the
fuck happened. This is my second time seeing black sabbath i saw him in
febuary at the Nassau Collusiom, Ive, been to alot of concerts and there is
nother like Ozzie Osbourne- with BLACK SABBATH. They Give It 120 % Every
Show,
Please write back thanks,
Chad,
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 22:31:37 -0400
From: THOMAS P MORGAN <FREEBIRD19@compuserve.com>
Subject: Black Sabbath, #929
>I saw Black Sabbath last tuesday at Joens Beach Long Island, It was a
>great show, Ozzie fucking pulled his pants down and mooned the crowd, the
>thing that i don't understand was he started making comments about smoking
>pot, i thought they were going to play sweet leaf, instead Ozzie just
>walked off stage, I wondered if you knew what happened, becasue i don't
>know what the fuck happened.
Chad,
The only comments Ozzy made about smoking pot came at the end of the show
after Paranoid at Jones Beach when he said- "If anyone has been drinking
or smoking dope then get someone to drive you home because we want to see
you here next time when we come to KICK YOUR ASS"!! Sabbath was arm in arm
at this point and then walked off and the show was over! No drinking,
smoking and driving was the point dude.
From: "Robert Lestingi" <Robalou@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Jones Beach
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 09:06:43 -0400
the show was 90minutes long. ozzy's voice was gone the music was great
though. they didn't play Sweetleaf or Sabbath Bloody Sabbath i was
disappointed. the nassau Coliseum show was great compared to Jones Beach,
ozzy's voice was excellent and he was 30 pounds lighter. it seems ozzy will
be drying out after the tour if he wants to record new music. i hope ozzy
will be back
From: DrBradJJ@aol.com
Date: Sun, 5 Sep 1999 22:31:34 EDT
Subject: Sabbaths last American Show!
"REQUIEM FOR SABBATH IN AMERICA"
Earlier that day, August 24th 1999 I brought my Tony Iommi Custom Addition
SG #13 to the Righa Royal Hotel in New York where they were staying. A
friend of mine was friends with Geoff Nicholls who arranged Tony to sign it
for me. As the gentleman he his he signed it for me. "Brad- the rock and
roll doctor- Tony Iommi. This was definitely the highlight of the 30 years
that I have been a fan of Sabbath. The concert that night at the Jones
beach theater was to be more than poetic of what Sabbath stands for and
what they have meant to me. I had seen them earlier in the tour, both at
the Meadowlands in NJ and at the Nassau Coliseum. Both concerts were the
most awesome Sabbath concerts I had ever seen. Ozzy was the best I had ever
heard his voice, He was lively, doing his trademark frogjumps and he was
fit. The band was tight, Geezer and Bill were great and Tony reigned as the
Lord of Metal. After the long, long tour. Ozzy fighting throat problems and
playing additional American dates they didn't expect to play the band
showed what happens to them when you give a 110% nearly every night. The
Jones beach theater is a great place for a concert. Probably the best sound
possible due to it small but open space. As before the band opened with
WarPigs after the tribute video. Ozzy though felt and looked like shit. But
he wasn't going to disappoint his fans even if it killed him. He was not
quite as spry, no frogjumps. Instead of his bottle of throat spray he had a
high powered vaporizer. The band had to cut several songs that they had
been playing on tour, including Dirty Women, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
The crowed felt for Ozzy who gave his all and then some. For most of us in
the theater we had seen them earlier in the tour and new of the greatness
that the band had resurrected. The power and the feeling that had allured
all of us for so long was back. A band that most people criticized but so
many of us had connected with. We weren't a bunch of derelicts but all
sorts who had found something in common. I personally have a band made up
of other physicians who play Sab songs with me. We all were reminded that
it was the end by the shot on the large video screens of the songlist next
to Bill, "END OF SABBATH". A period of our lives was over. Fortunately the
music lives on.
Brad Jacobs, MD
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