Thu
17
Mar

BLACK SABBATH Wraps Up Leg One of 'The End' Tour

Artist: 
Release Year: 
2015
Categories: 
Tour News
BLACK SABBATH
WRAP LEG ONE OF
"THE END" WORLD TOUR
 
SECOND RUN OF NORTH AMERICAN DATES
TO GET UNDERWAY AUGUST 17 AT
NIKON AT JONES BEACH THEATER
IN WANTAGH, NY
 
 
Ozzy Osbourne (Vocals), Tony Iommi (Guitar) and Geezer Butler (Bass) wrapped the first dates of BLACK SABBATH's massive 2016 THE END world tour last week (3/7) in Vancouver, BC to an overwhelming response, from fans and critics alike.  The first leg of sold-out North American shows will be followed by a run of summer performances including return visits to Los Angeles (at the iconic Hollywood Bowl), New York, Chicago and 14 additional cities.  Tickets for the summer shows are available at www.Livenation.com.  See BLACK SABBATH's world wide itinerary below. 
 
Here's some critical feedback from 2016's THE END tour:
 
"From the pulverizing opening tritone of 'Black Sabbath'...the show was more a celebration of the pioneering heavy-metal band's legacy than an epitaph...each of the musicians was in stellar form in Chicago...now may be the beginning of the end for Black Sabbath, but, as they proved in Chicago and over the years, their music will echo through the ages."
--Kory Grow, ROLLINGSTONE.COM, 1-23-16
 
"The beginning of The End happened Friday in Chicago at the United Center, where the band played a two-hour set of snarling hard rock songs, played according to the rules of strict minimalism but always with brawny execution...Black Sabbath remains a genre of its own, combining space jazz and prog-rock, gothic imagery and riff-heavy thunder."
--Mark Guarino, THEGUARDIAN.COM, 1-23-16
 
"The iconic rockers were able to bid farewell in style...If this was truly the band's last show in Washington, the quartet had left its fans with a night they'll never forget."
--Ernest Jasmin,TACOMA WEEKLY, 2-8-16
 
"Sabbath sounded so strong that, at times, it seemed like an absolutely ludicrous idea for these guys to even be thinking about hanging it up. Yet, if the goal is to go out on top--in peak fighting form--then Sabbath is right on track."
--Jim Harrington, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2-10-16
 
"Osbourne was confidently strutting the length of the stage, imploring the audience to clap along...Osbourne led the band through classics like 'War Pigs' and 'Children of the Grave,' exuding bravado and, often, joy.  The night didn't belong to Ozzy, though. While bassist Geezer Butler remains rock-solid...Iommi's effortless leads and power-chord riffs laid the groundwork for generations of hard-rocking axe-slingers, yet his attack still sounds fresh and resonant, and his vibrato-laden shreds are as precise as they were four decades ago..."
--Jeff Miller, BILLBOARD.com, 2-13-16
 
"Black Sabbath put on as perfect of a farewell show at the Pepsi Center [in Denver] as you could have hoped for. They played, sounded and yes, sung as well as they did in their prime...Instead of leaning on theatrics, they let tight riffs take the audience away...Their astonishing performance Monday night proved the band to be going out with remarkable live chops."
--Mike Long, DENVER POST, 2-16-16
 
"One of the strongest live rock shows in recent memory...Sabbath performed the music with such power and conviction that songs many of us have heard ad nauseam seemed fresh and new...The fluid rhythms, the interlocking, crushing dynamics between the rhythm section, and Iommi and Osbourne's uncanny ability to switch in and out of the role of avatar of doom and avuncular hype man, rousing the crowd, made for a show that was much more than merely a great performance. It felt inclusive."
--Tom Murphy, WESTWORD(Denver, CO), 2-16-16
 
"Black Sabbath turned its The End farewell tour into a celebration--albeit one steeped in a little bit of Satanic mechanics...the 100-minute, 14-song show was standard issue Sabbath--Spartan and leaden hard rock played with tight precision."
--Gary Graff, THE OAKLAND PRESS (Detroit, MI), 2-20-16
 
"Black Sabbath, from Birmingham, England, was foundational for metal, but the music it played on Thursday--all of it recorded between 1969 and 1976--is full of scales related to the blues, which has its own long tradition of despair masking joy. That joy on Thursday was in sound and feeling. You could hear the band in giant, clear, present detail, unusual for the Garden..."
Ben Ratliff, NEW YORK TIMES, 2-26-16
 
"...he [Osbourne] was on fire last night, hitting all the notes exactly the way you remember them. All the stretched out vowels, all the 'ohh yeahh!'s, everything. In even finer form was Tony Iommi, whose riffs were as crisp today as they are on the early records, and whose solos still screamed. No disrespect to Geezer Butler of course, who shined all night and especially on his bass solo in 'N.I.B.'...There really wasn't a moment where you weren't hearing some of the best heavy metal ever written...The show was also a serious reminder of how even with legions of excellent doom bands popping up for decades, still nobody can do it like Sabbath."
--Andrew Sacher, BROOKLYN VEGAN, 2-27-16
 
"If this in fact was the end for Black Sabbath, then it was one hell of a farewell."
--Dean Pilling, CALGARY SUN, 3-5-16
 
"Black Sabbath were magnificent...what sets Black Sabbath's music apart is how fresh it still sounds...a night free of stage effects or gimmicks, packed with a selection of brilliantly performed songs from the best heavy metal band there ever was and ever will be."
Robert Collins, CTV NEWS VANCOUVER, 3-8-16
 
These dates mark the end of the epic journey that BLACK SABBATH began nearly five decades ago.  The massive 2016 THE END world tour by the greatest Metal Band of all time will take the band to Australia and New Zealand in April, then Europe fora mix of summer headlining and festival performances, before returning to North America in August.
 
As previously announced, a special fans-only CD featuring original artwork by Shepard Fairey/Obey Giant is being sold at shows along the tour route.  The CD is comprised of eight previously unreleased tracks: four songs are outtakes from BLACK SABBATH's worldwide #1, Grammy Award-winning album 13 and four live songs from the band's critically acclaimed 13 World Tour.
 
When this tour concludes, it will truly be THE END, THE END of one of most legendary bands in Rock 'n Roll history...BLACK SABBATH.
 
BLACK SABBATH's remaining 2016 tour dates are as follows:
       
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
Fri 4/15 Perth, AU Perth Arena
Sun 4/17 Adelaide, AU Entertainment Centre
Tue 4/19 Melbourne, AU Rod Laver Arena
Sat 4/23 Sydney, AU Allphones Arena
Mon 4/25 Brisbane, AU Entertainment Centre
Thu 4/28 Auckland, NZ Vector Arena
Sat 4/30 Dunedin, NZ Forsyth Barr Stadium
       
EUROPE
Wed 6/1 Budapest,Hungary Groupama Arena
Wed 6/8 Berlin, Germany Waldebuhne
**Sat 6/11 Donington, UK Download
Mon 6/13 Verona, IT Arena Di Verona
Wed 6/15 Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadon
**Fri 6/17 Dessel,Belgium Grasspop
**Thu 6/23 Halden, Norway Tons of Rock
**Sat 6/25 Copenhagen, DE Copenhell
Tue 6/28 Vienna, Austria Stadthalle
Thu 6/30 Prague, Czech Rep. 02 Arena
Sat 7/2 Krakow, Poland Tauron Arena
Tue 7/5 Riga, Latvia Riga Arena
**Thu 7/7 Helsinki, Finland Monsters of Rock
**Sat 7/9 Stockholm, Sweden Monsters of Rock
Tue 7/12 Moscow, Russia Olympisky Arena
       
**Denotes festival appearance
       
NORTH AMERICA
Wed 8/17 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
Fri 8/19 Philadelphia, PA Susquehanna Bank Center
Sun 8/21 Washington DC Jiffy Lube Live
Tue 8/23 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Thu 8/25 Boston, MA Xfinity Center
Sat 8/27 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
Mon 8/29 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
Wed 8/31 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theater
Fri 9/2 Indianapolis, IN Klipsch Music Center
Sun 9/4 Chicago, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Wed 9/7 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
Fri 9/9 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater
Sun 9/11 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheater
Tue 9/13 Portland, OR Sunlight Supply Arena
Thu 9/15 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
Sat 9/17 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
Mon 9/19 Hollywood, CA Hollywood Bowl
Wed 9/21 Phoenix, AZ AK-Chin Pavilion
         

Details on Tickets, VIP packages and more for the North American shows can be found at:  www.Livenation.com
 

 

 
Wed
16
Mar

Still To Come in 2016

 
BROTHER FIRETRIBE – The new single ‘The Taste of the Champion’ will be the first single from a new album due March 2017. There is no news on LEVERAGE.
 
DARE – Darren Wharton tells me that the band have just started mixing the new album ‘Sacred Ground’. The Special Edition of Out Of The Silence will follow after that.
 
GORAN EDMAN has recently completed a new project called CRY OF DAWN with DANIEL FLORES for release via Frontiers later this year.
 
HAREM SCAREM will hit the studio after the summer to record a new studio album.
 
DEEN CASTRONOVO will hopefully work on a solo album next.
 
Expect a new BURNING RAIN album later this year.
 
Also coming up:
 
PALACE – Featuring newcomer Michael Palace – straight ahead AOR.
 
FIRST SIGNAL – New Studio Album
 
TOBY HITCHCOCK – New Solo Album
 
 
Wed
16
Mar

EUROPE To Play 'The Final Countdown' Front To Back

Artist: 
Categories: 
News Feed
 
In 1986, Sweden’s biggest hard rock act, Europe, released their milestone album, The Final Countdown. The album went on to worldwide success and continues to be a mainstay in playlists all over the world.
 
2016 sees this iconic album turn 30 years old. To celebrate that special anniversary, the band will be staging a series of very special concerts. For the first time ever, these shows will feature The Final Countdown album played in it’s entirety. The band will also be performing hits spanning their musical career.
 
Joey Tempest explains, “With a catalog of songs as big as ours, it is hard to devote so much of the set list to one album. But this anniversary is special and we want to give the fans what they have asked for. The whole band is proud and excited to play the whole album from start to finish, especially as this, our third album, made it possible for us to fulfil our dream to become an international touring band. To make it extra special we will try and play songs from War Of Kings and other albums we haven't played before and at the same time we want to design a show that will be majestic and memorable for all of us. Hope to see you all at these special dates!”
 
Whilst always venturing forward, Europe have had a great couple of years. Last year they won a prestigious Classic Rock Award at London’s Roundhouse and a people’s choice award in Sweden called Rockbjornen and have been touring in support of their 2015 release, War Of Kings, produced by Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Rival Sons)
 
Just before these special Final Countdown shows, the band will head back into the studio to record a follow up to War Of Kings with an eye to a release date in April 2017. The album, as yet untitled, will have an extensive tour schedule to support the release, endeavouring to take in territories not visited in some time.
 
Joey Tempest: “We will release our 11th studio album in 2017 and are enjoying a successful second part of our career since we started up again in 2004. Five new albums, three live DVD's and countless shows and we're still feeling adventurous and creative. No doubt we have the best job in the world and our fans, old and new, are carrying us through it all.”
 
The Final Countdown 30th Anniversary Shows:
 
November
8 - Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus
10 - Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
11 - Cologne, Germany - E-Werk
12 - London, England - Roundhouse
14 - Utrecht, Holland - Musikzentrum Vredenburg (MCV)
15 - Paris, France - Olympia
16 - Zurich, Switzerland - Volkshaus
17 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Metropole
19 - Rome, Italy - Orion
20 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
 
In addition to the Final Countdown Anniversary tour dates, the UDR label are releasing a very special limited edition 12” 3-track sparkle blue colored vinyl EP featuring a new 2016 recording of “The Final Countdown”. The record is exclusive to the stores that are participating in the annual Record Store Day (April 16th) and only in UK, Europe & Australia.
 
For fans in the US and other territories, there will be a VERY LIMITED number available on a first come first served basis from the UDR webstore from early May. Details to follow soon. A digital download version of “The Final Countdown” 2016 will be available via iTunes on April 29th.
 
 
Tue
15
Mar

R.I.P Keyboardist NIK GREEN

Artist: 
Categories: 
News Feed
 
Keyboard player NIK GREEN, best known for his work with BLUE MURDER has died after a battle with cancer.
 
His pal TONY FRANKLIN (Bass) posted this to Twitter earlier: "Sadly Blue Murder's keyboard player Nik Green left us last night, after a brave battle w/ cancer. A gentle soul & huge talent. RIP my friend..."
 
Yet another loss to the rock community.
 
R.I.P Nik.
 

 

 
Tue
15
Mar

VINNY APPICE talks to Totally Driven Radio about LAST IN LINE

Artist: 
Monday, January 19, 2015
Categories: 
Podcasts & Radio

Totally Driven Radio, the weekly radio podcast heard live every Thursday night from 8 11 pm Est time on the Totally Driven Entertainment Radio Network, hosted by Bay Ragni and Nick Wilkinson covers the world of sports and entertainment each week, as well as bringing you celebrity guests interviews,

Returning to Totally Driven Radio is Legendary Drummer Vinny Appice, formerly of Dio and Heaven n Hell,  now with The Last in Line

We talked to Vinny about…

**The great response The Last in Line has gotten for their debut album “Heavy Crown”
**How the Last in Line got together

**What it was like playing again with Vivian Campbell
**The sudden passing of Jimmy Bain
**The days leading up to his passing
**The sendoff they did to Jimmy on the ship
**Did Jimmy know or not about the cancer
**Having Eric Brittingham of Cinderella fill in for Jimmy on the cruise
**The explosion of the Rock Cruises, and if he enjoys them
**If they figured out whom the new bass player will be
**If Andrew felt any pressure to fill the shoes of Ronnie James Dio
**If Wendy Dio supportive of The Last in Line
**Playing “Rainbow in the Dark” recently at a benefit with Slash
**If he asked Slash if the need a drummer for GnR
**Any more Drum Wars with his brother Carmine
**He touched on Resurrection Kings with Craig Goldy
**He talked about the people from the cruise texted people back at shore, about Jimmy’s passing before his family was notified

You can listen here to his full interview here: https://youtu.be/4dYmwpdPjqA

Look for Last in Line on all Social Media sites Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
Go to their website for links to everything: http://www.lastinlineofficial.com/

Remember to listen to Totally Driven Radio every Thursday, and Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
 
Tue
15
Mar

One On One With Mitch Lafon - MICHAEL SWEET

Artist: 
Monday, February 23, 2015
Categories: 
Podcasts & Radio

STRYPER's MICHAEL SWEET joins Mitch on episode 203 of One On One With Mitch Lafon.

Link to episode: http://www.spreaker.com/user/talkingmetal/1on1-mitch-lafon-203-micheal-sweet-stryp

In the episode's only interview, Stryper's Michael Sweet discusses the band's plans for a To Hell With The Devil 30th anniversary album tour this fall, his upcoming solo album One Sided War, the upcoming acoustic Stryper album, the second Sweet & Lynch album, his desire to make an album with Whitesnake's Joel Hoekstra, physical ailments that affect his band mates and him, the guilt he feels towards the other members of Stryper, Tom Werman & the Against The Law album, and a lot more.

Quotes from the MICHAEL SWEET interview:

"I'm never going to say, 'I quit'. I can't quit music. I might quit Stryper someday. That day may come sooner than we all think, but I'm never going to quit music."

"Thirty years To Hell With The Devil came out. That was the groundbreaking album for Stryper. That was the one that all others are compared too."

To Hell With The Devil: "That album was the classic Stryper sound. The classic Stryper look and everything that we were, should be, are and want to be was in that album. It was real. It came from the heart. There was nothing forced."

To Hell With The Devil: "That album is a real timeless album. If you put it on this this day, it still sounds good."

"When I put on Yellow And Black Attack it doesn't sound good to me. It just annoys me to listen to it."

Solo album One Sided War: "This is a heavy album and it's going to surprise everybody. This is as heavy as Stryper."

"I got (Whitesnake's) Joel Hoekstra on a few songs. I started doing all the solos and after a few days it all started sounding like Stryper, so I reached out to Joel."

Sweet & Lynch: "George and I have discussed another album. I would personally like to be in and recording it by the end of this year."

For more about STRYPER visit:
Online: http://www.stryper.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Stryper
TWITTER: @Stryper @michaelhsweet
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6lE1ly8K8H7u8k2ej2plvv

Follow Mitch Lafon on Twitter: @mitchlafon
One on One With Mitch Lafon's Official Twitter is: @1On1WithMitch
And Official Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/OneOnOneMitchLafon
 

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