The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — who late last year confirmed the recording of their first new album in more than 33 years and a worldwide headlining tour — had to put some plans on hold due to guitarist Tony Iommi’s battle with lymphoma. At this time, BLACK SABBATH will perform only one show of this summer’s previously scheduled European tour. It will take place Sunday, June 10 at the U.K.’s Download festival.
So as not to let the promoters and fans down, SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne is now performing the majority of the previously scheduled BLACK SABBATH European dates (both festival performances and the headlining shows) billed as OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS. These “first-ever” OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS shows are featuring appearances by “special guest” musicians, including Geezer Butler (who is joining Ozzy for a special BLACK SABBATH set as a show of respect and support to their friend, Tony Iommi) and longtime former Ozzy bandmember Zakk Wylde. In addition, Ozzy is being accompanied by longtime collaborator and friend Slash at select shows, with other “special guests” set to join the tour at various stops along the way (full list of dates, appearances below).
The first OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS concert took place last night (Wednesday, May 23) at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
According to Soundi.fi, the setlist for the show was as follows:
Ozzy Osbourne (vocals)
Gus G. (guitar)
Rob “Blasko” Nicholson (bass)
Tommy Clufetos (drums)
01. Bark At The Moon
02. Mr. Crowley
03. Suicide Solution
04. The Ultimate Sin
05. I Don’t Know
06. Killer Of Giants
07. Shot In The Dark
08. Rat Salad
Blasko goes off stage, Geezer Butler comes on
09. Iron Man (BLACK SABBATH)
10. War Pigs (BLACK SABBATH)
11. N.I.B. (BLACK SABBATH)
Gus G. goes off stage, Zakk Wylde comes on
12. Fairies Wear Boots (BLACK SABBATH)
13. Into The Void (BLACK SABBATH)
Geezer Butler goes off stage, Blasko comes back on
14. Road To Nowhere
15. I Don’t Wanna Change The World
16. Fire In The Sky
17. Crazy Train
18. Mama I’m Coming Home
Geezer Butler and Gus G. come back on stage
19. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH)
Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.
In a recent interview with The Nervous Breakdown, Zakk Wylde stated about the setlist for the upcoming OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS shows, “[Current Ozzy bandmembers] Gus G., Blasko and Tommy [Clufetos] are coming out and doing a bunch of tunes, then I come out with Blasko and Tommy and we end up doing a bunch of stuff from the era when I was with The Boss, from ‘No Rest For The Wicked’ all the way through everything I’ve ever done with him. Then Geezer [Butler, BLACK SABBATH bassist] comes out and we do a bunch of SABBATH stuff and at the end, Slash and everybody — Geezer, Slash, Gus — and we all play ‘Paranoid’.”
Source: www.blabbermouth.net