Fairies Wear Boots

Black Sabbath
Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California
August 26, 2013

I originally wasn't planning to see this tour due to all of the drama around this Sabbath "reunion" not including Bill Ward on the drum riser.  However, something clicked in my jaded old head when I thought how I'll never see Ronnie James Dio again.  I remembered how his final appearance in San Francisco with Heaven & Hell (aka Dio-era Black Sabbath) wasn't even sold out... which was fucking criminal when you think about it.  Then I reminded myself that Tony Iommi has always been my favorite guitarist.  My Inner Teenage Metalhead then chimed in that I needed to seize the moment and see my old heroes again since I might not have the chance again.  Dio never got his victory lap the way Ozzy is getting with this tour.  According to The Umlaut Archives, I've been in the same venue as Tony Iommi 12 times dating back to 1980.  The Hand of Iommi has guided me for so long, man.... so long.  I owed it to him to be at this concert.

At approximately 8:30pm Pacific Standard Time the piercing scream of an air raid siren blasted out of the PA to announce the arrival of Sabbath; the siren was like a call to arms and I got chills down my spine.  Yes, I'm a dork.  It was cool how understated Sabbath's arrival onstage was as they simply walked out to the wail of the siren and then lurched into 'War Pigs' and then kept steamrolling over The Bay Area with 'Into The Void' and then into... 'Under The Sun'!!?  Holy shite!  Even the most jaded hater could not possibly resist geeking out that they pulled that Vol. 4 deep cut out!  THEN then went into 'Snowblind' as Ozzy said "I don't do it anymore, man..".  COCAINE!

It's been very easy to be indifferent about Ozzy here in the 21st Century.  Back in The Day he was the Prince of Darkness but in recent years he's been the Court Jester.  However, maybe redemption is a real thing because Ozzy hasn't been this good in forever!  It was rather stunning to hear Ozzy sing so well.  I kept waiting for him to stumble into talking / mumbling the lyrics as he's done on past tours... but goddam if he didn't keep it together!  It was inspiring to hear Ozzy sing so well as he did his old man shuffle across the stage clapping his hands and flashing the peace sign like his younger self.  Oh Lord, yeah!

 [Photo courtesy of Cable Car]

Needless to say the rest of the band was spectacular and whoever is doing their sound on this tour should be considered a 5th member because the mix was the quintessential balance of pounding volume and clarity; the sound was absolutely perfect.   Geezer was as nimble and godlike on the 4-string bottom end as I've ever seen him... but I don't think I've ever seen Tony as engaged with the crowd as he was tonight.   Besides reaffirming himself as my favorite guitar player he was constantly smiling and playing at the lip of the stage.  Perhaps his brush with cancer has given him a renewed sense of purpose... and dog bless him for that!  Finally, and with no offense meant to Bill Ward, but Tommy Clufetos on drums absolutely killed it.  Although his drum solo (that began as part of an abbreviated version of 'Rat Salad') went on about 5 minutes too long.  Okay, you made your point Mr. Drummer... you are definitely heir to the Ward drum stool... but there's no need to beat Ward's memory to death with your 10+ minute solo spot.  Of course I understand that the solo was to give his aging bandmates a break, but 5 minutes would have gotten the point across.  Just saying.. but kudos to you Mr. Drummer. 

Also, aside from stylishly appropriate videos shown behind them, Sabbath played with minimum production and this no frills approach made the show even more amazing.  Without the standard pyro, inflatable props, or other distractions like confetti cannons the focus was entirely on the songs and the performance.   Other aging bands would wither under such naked scrutiny, but Black Sabbath seized their 2 hours onstage and made us all remember they were the first great Metal band and also how many bands basically copy their sound in one form or another even today.   My Inner Teenage Metalhead got all emo as he was reminded how much Sabbath meant to me as a kid and my adult Metalhead got all emo realizing how much Sabbath still means to me.

 [Photo courtesy of Tim Healy]

The setist included 3 songs off Sabbath's new 13 album... and they were alright... not terrible.. but the rest of the set was pretty unrelenting with ancient songs that have been seared into my soul and psyche since I was a teenager.  There was a stunning version of 'Black Sabbath'... Then another mind blowingly great deep cut with 'Behind The Wall Of Sleep'.. Then Geezer laying down his brief solo spot that slid straight into the eternal romance of 'N.I.B.'.. but it was 'Fairies Wear Boots' that crushed me the most tonight.  

I genuinely enjoyed the overplayed 'Iron Man' for the first time in ages and my Inner Teenage Metalhead was ready to fuck shit up to 'Children Of The Grave' all over again.  As on past "reunion" tours, 'Dirty Women' seemed like an odd song choice, but it still worked if only because it features one of Tony's longest guitar solos to end the song.  Sabbath teased with the intro of 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' before saying "Thankyougoodnight" with 'Paranoid'... and my Inner Teenage Metalhead banged his head to his original heroes to the song that I actually learned how to play on guitar once upon a time.

The last time I saw Ozzy with Sabbath (including Bill Ward) was at OzzFest 2005 when Iron Maiden completely blew them off the stage and on that night I left before their encore to beat the traffic because Sabbath were so listless and appeared to be going through the motions.   Fast forward to 8 years later and I wanted to stay until the final note of Sabbath's set rang into the night sky; I didn't care if I got caught in traffic afterwards.  This was also fueled by the realization that this might be the final time I would be seeing Black Sabbath ever again.  

[Photo courtesy of Cable Car]

I did get sad at one point during 'Paranoid' when I remembered that Dio-era Sabbath is now very much in the past.. and for a split second at the end of 'Paranoid' I half expected them to go into the 'Heaven & Hell' outro that they used to do when Dio sang with them.  Ozzy-era Sabbath was the soundtrack to when I first discovered Rock music.  Dio-era Sabbath was the Sabbath I actually grew up with and saw as it happened; it's always meant a little more to me.  Hell, I even saw the Ian Gillan-era Born Again lineup and the dubious Tony Martin-era Cross Purposes version of Sabbath.  I had also seen the first "reunion" tours with Ozzy (and Bill Ward) twice including the first time around in 1999.  However, after tonight's show I finally feel like I've seen Sabbath with Ozzy at their full power and glory together... and for that I'm eternally grateful.

If you bought one of every Sabbath merch item you would have paid around $600.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags.  As we made our way back to the car after the show I started to regret not bailing a little early to beat the traffic... but the Metal Godz work in mysterious ways... and it only took mere minutes to get out of the parking lot and onto Highway 101 back to Casa de Umlaut.  Oh Lord yeah!  Black Sabbath forever, man.  Forever.

"Fairies wear boots.. yeah.. you gotta believe... I saw it..  I saw it.. I won't tell you no lies!"

Then Sabbath posted this statement from Tony that confirmed what I felt watching them at Shoreline:

No Speed Limit

Hmm... Here's an excerpt from a new interview with Mr. James Hetfield from his band's official fan club magazine So What:

I only have a vague memory of this conversation, but it's very cool that James remembered it.  Of course... then his band recorded a ballad.

Fade. To. Black.

Hot Rails To Hell

Well, Umlaut is at that age... actually I have been for awhile.. when the heroes of my youth are moving on to the next plane of existence regularly.  There have been too many to mention, but this year saw an original member of Slayer passing on in May.  This week saw the passing of Allen Lanier, a founding member of Blue Öyster Cult, whose first 8 albums are still sacred to me.   B.Ö.C. also headlined the first concert I ever attended...

[From the Umlaut Archives]

They were also the first band with an umlaut in their name to became part of my record collection.

Lanier and Patti Smith were a couple in the 70's as she was becoming the Punk Laurette of New York;  Patti even co-wrote some songs with B.Ö.C. including 'Career Of Evil.  Most people don't seem to know (or care) about B.Ö.C.'s connection with the 70's NYC Punk Scene.. but my mind is still blown away by that connection. Everyone is going to quote or play 'Don't Fear The Reaper' in honor of Lanier... but I'm going to play this song:


A decade (!) ago I started working at an audio production company in Marin County.  On my first day I was being introduced to the staff when we came to the office of the guy in charge of the Tech Department.  He was several years older than me and as we chatted I noticed that the wall behind his desk was covered with Blue Öyster Cult memorabilia and photos.  Needless to say, I became very distracted... Of course, we became friends and it turned out that he was originally from Long Island, New York and had known B.Ö.C. since their earliest days and was still friends with them.  Mind blowing.  I wish I was still in touch with that guy.

Anyway, Allen Lanier and his band will forever be associated with the Salad Days of my Music Geek existence.  B.Ö.C. are a band that changed my life with their dark and intelligent brand of Rock; Metallica even recorded a great cover version of their epic song 'Astronomy'.  I was fortunate to have seen B.Ö.C. around a half dozen times in the days before Iron Maiden and Motörhead sent me down another path in 1981... and their early music still completely resonates for me here in the 21st Century.

Rest in Peace Mr. Lanier... and also rest in peace the art of album cover design:

On Your Feet Or On Your Knees

Maybe someday the version of 'Hot Rails To Hell' recorded by Wino with the Saviours will see the light of day... I hope.

The Year Of The Snake

Whitesnake
The Warfield, San Francisco
August 9, 2013

There was a time before Hair Metal when I liked Whitesnake.  In the late-70's and the beginning of the 80's they were still David Coverdale's post-Deep Purple blues Rock band with a lineup that included other former Purple members Jon Lord and Ian Paice.  That early lineup was supposed to support Molly Hatchet in Oakland in 1980... and I was there.. but Whitesnake cancelled and didn't play.  Then Hair Metal happened and Whitesnake changed lineups, teased up their hair, and Tawny Kitaen did back flips on the hood of a Jaguar for them on MTV... and I hated them.  Fast forward to the 21st Century and Whitesnake have become a guilty pleasure for Umlaut.  Four years ago I saw them at one of the most fun shows ever when they supported Judas Priest at a fairground in the middle of California.

Before tonight's show I met up with Joey Acid King and our bros Bob Revolve and Eric The Woodman for some hardcore pre-show conversation about KISS over beers at an appropriately divey Tenderloin 'hood bar whose name I can't remember but that is only a block away from The Warfield.  Then we few, we happy few, made our way over to The Warfield for the big Rock Show.  Will Call was painless as my name was on the guest list as promised; I wish every show was this easy.  Thanks Bob!

In a nice marketing coincidence, this year happens to be the Year of the Snake but I'm not sure if it generated any spike in Whitesnake fandom, but it didn't matter.   For the next 80 minutes or so, Whitesnake managed to make me forget about the outside world and performed what was easily the most fun show of the year. Ironically, the former Beatle who is not George Harrison or John Lennon was headlining on the other side of town in Golden Gate Park in front of 50,000+ people at the exact same time, which Coverdale acknowledged mid-set.   He was a true English gentleman about it.  I will take 'Slide It In' over 'Hey Jude' any day.

David Coverdale still has *it* when it comes to being a frontman. He might not be able to hit all the notes like he used to but he makes up for it with that kind of vintage Rock Star charisma and swagger that bands today simply do not have. Thirteen songs... All the Whitesnake hits you'd want to hear were included: 'Love Ain't No Stranger', 'Gambler',  'Slide It In'... During 'Here I Go' I felt like doing the splits on the hood of a Jaguar... and then the show closed with the obviously appropriate 'Still Of The Night'.  The MILF energy in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife... and every cock-like stage move that Coverdale did with his mic stand made me laugh out loud.. but I was laughing with him and not at him.

It was a solid, no frills show.  It was the type of performance I appreciate more these days since it relies on the strength of good songs and good showmanship.  I will say that the guitarist wearing black leather pants who used to be in Dio did a better solo spot than the other guitarist wearing black jeans who used to be in Winger.  Also, I've seen Tommy Aldridge with the Pat Travers Band, Ozzy, Ted Nugent, and Whitesnake over the years and he did the same drum solo again... where he finishes by playing with his hands... but it's just about the only drum solo that does not bore me.  Aldridge is still a Drum God... and after the show this happened to Joey Acid King and I:

Two Drummers and an Asian

Yes, the evening ended with us drinking Whitesnake's beer backstage; not bad for a Friday night.  If you bought one of every Whitesnake merch item I think you would have paid around $180.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  My Inner 20-year old Metalhead and the ghost of Paul Baloff are appalled that I like Whitesnake here in the 21st Century... but the next day I hung out with my friend Adam Dubin and we talked about how the kidz these don't know as Nine Inch Nails played in a park in San Francisco.

"I hope no bad people show up.."

Adam still looks the same except without glasses and with long hair now:

Age Of Winters

The Sword / Castle / American Sharks
Slim's, San Francisco
August 2, 2013

The Sword are one of those bands who I've followed from almost Day One but over the years I've taken for granted.  I still buy their music but have tended to skip shows every once in awhile.  Long time Music Geeks know what I mean:  Sometimes you just forget how much you like a band.  Out of sight and out of mind.

The opening bands were solid for the night.  I'd seen American Sharks somewhere before (although I couldn't remember where..) and their front man's chatty nature combined with their competent Rock groove was an entertaining start.  The only reason that Castle was on my radar is because Death Angel's drummer Will is touring with them... but I then learned that Umlaut's old friend Billy Anderson also produced their latest album.  Interesting.  Not bad, but I got the sense that most of the crowd were focused on Elizabeth the bass player and not the songs at first... but by the last note the songs seemed to have won over the crowd.  I hope they had a long line at their merch table after the show.

According to the Umlaut Archives this was the 8th time I've seen The Sword dating back to their first tour in 2006.  The fact they were holding court at Slim's for 2 nights was impressive and what they pulled off tonight made me a Sword fan all over again.  Prior to their set Jason Black Cobra introduced me to the Texans and they mentioned how they were going to "wing it" and play their debut album Age Of Winters front to back tonight.  DOH!  Because they were playing 2 nights in San Francisco they didn't want to play the same set twice.

 The Sword's glamorous backstage spread

As the band started into 'Celestial Crown' the crowd warmed up... Then came 'Barael's Blade' with it's semi-iconic chorus that got the crowd lit up more.. THEN came 'Freya' and the crowd realized exactly what was happening and the energy level went through the roof.  Pretty damn cool.  I liked how The Sword didn't say a word to the audience the entire time and didn't pander to the fact they were playing a special set.  They simply let the music do the talking and understood their fans would *get it*.  Kinda epic.

It was only after all 9 songs from Age Of Winters were unleashed on San Francisco that John finally spoke to the crowd with a "Thank you"..  Then The Sword returned for a 5 song encore that included 2 songs that I'm pretty sure are only on singles... followed by 3 selections from their most recent albums.  Special setlist, man.

I couldn't help but flash back to the first time I saw The Sword on their first tour in 2006.  They looked and acted inexperienced onstage (which they were..)... but fast forward 7 years and they're now all growed up and a well-oiled Rock Machine.  The fact they effortlessly and flawlessly pulled out their debut album tonight is a testament to how far they've come.  Pretty cool.. However, they're still those nerdy D&D guys at heart as witnessed by their intro tape being from the Dune movie soundtrack.  The Geeks shall inherit The Earth.

If you bought one of every Sword merch item you would have paid around $180.  Oddly, while The Sword hot sauce was for sale, they only had the picture disc of their latest album for sale and not the CD or regular vinyl.  Oh well... On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  Anyway, it's now a Saturday afternoon and I have a total craving for an egg salad sandwich for some reason.. How do you boil eggs again?