From: jimh@pacdata.com (Jim Harkins)
Subject: Sabbath reunion
Organization: Pacific Data Products
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 04:39:49 GMT

Well, it's 6:30 Monday night and I just got back from L.A.  In case you
haven't heard yet, last night the original Sabbath got back together.  I
gotta admit, my friend and I were pretty surprised.  We expected Geezer,
Tony, and Oz to play at the end but we never expected to see Bill Ward.
And we'd already heard that the reunion didn't take place Saturday night.
What did they play?  Black Sabbath, Fairies Wear Boots, Paranoid, and Iron
Man.  Ken and I used to see Sabbath all the time back in the '70s, it was
a real blast to see them again.  Neither of us had seen either Ozzy nor
Sabbath since Oz left the band.

I'm not a good reviewer, and doubt I'll post a review, but I will answer
questions.  Quick notes follow.

(Note:  my editor says this is 150 lines before formatting.  I stuck a
quick summary at the end.  Great Show!).

The Good

Sabbath.  The current Sabbath played mostly old stuff, plus about 3 songs
off Mob Rules and Heaven and Hell.  Rob Halford is the best vocalist
they've had since Ozzy left.  I like Ronnie James Dio, but not with
Sabbath.  None of their other vocalists has spun my propellor, it just
doesn't work.  Too bad Rob and the band won't be doing an album.  Having
them play old stuff was the bees knees for us, we both think they've
essentially stunk since Oz left.  I liked Never Say Die, Ken didn't.  We
both agree every album after that sucks.

The Ozzy show was good, and pretty touching.  One of the most touching
moments was when he brought what I assume are his kids onstage.  I'd
noticed them backstage through my binoculers and was wondering who they
were, but bringing them onstage like that they had to be his kids.  He
never did introduce them.  It was interesting to watch them backstage
though, it seems the two younger ones didn't know what the hell was going
on and the oldest seemed to be thinking "Hurry up dad, I wanna go home
now".

Assorted weirdnesses were everywhere.  There was some guy whom we couldn't
figure out if he was supposed to be an Elvis impersonator, a Freddie
Mercury impersonator, or what.  He was onstage a couple of times but Oz
never said who he was.  Looked like a geek to me.  There was the guy who
rode a bicycle across the stage.  A guy in a commando outfit came down on
a rope from the ceiling during War Pigs and sprayed everyone with a
watergun.  And Oz.  Having never seen him solo before I couldn't be sure,
but he really seemed touched at the turnout and fan response.  I don't
care what he says, he loves it on stage.  He'll never retire.

Titties.  Asses.  Incredible bodies in revealing outfits.  The redhead
sitting just in front of us with nothing but a black lace top and a
leather jacket.  The leather jacket was open and the top was see
through.   Every time she turned either sideways or towards us her nipples
were erect.   God I need a girlfriend!

The Bad.

The crowd.  Some of these people are real dicks.   There were people
looking for open seats, then squeezing 2 people into each one.  This made
things sort of, uh, cramped.  Then there was the asshole throwing
fireworks onstage.  Now I like fireworks, but if I'm onstage I sure as
hell wouldn't want lit fireworks spinning around.  And of course there
were those 2 jerks with the Very Large Binoculars staring unabashedly at
women.  Hell, when one found a particuarly tasty morsel he made sure his
buddy focused his spyglasses on her.  Sexist pigs.  (Too bad they don't
focus at 6 feet, that redhead had a great pair of nipples :-)

The show was badly oversold.  The Pacific Amphitheater has a grassy area
above the seats, this was packed with people.  Unfortunately, unless you
were in the first row or two you couldn't see squat.  Oh well, not my
problem.  We had seats.

The fireworks.  In my spare time I do fireworks shows so maybe this makes
me too critical, but when I do fireworks I try to ensure they at least go
over the wall.  I got the impression people outside in the parking lot got
a better view than those of us inside did.

I'm in lousy shape.  We drove up friday night, arriving about 11:30.  We
went to the town bar (if you ever go to Magic Mountain be aware Catlain
only has 1 bar, and it sucks.  Find another town.)  We went to Magic
Mountain Saturday and hit all the roller coasters several times.  Got back
to the hotel about 9, tried to close down the bar but ended up getting a 6
pack at 7-11 and watching Terminator 2 on TV.  Next day was the concert.
We were shot.  Our legs were tired, our shoulders/elbows were bruised.  We
could not stand up for 3+ hours.  We did anyway.  I'm in pain at this very
moment.  Those of you still in college take note.  You *will* turn into an
old fart.   It makes no difference what you try and do, when you hit
thirty mumble mumble and try to party like you did as an 18 year old, you
will not be a happy camper.  Trust me.  Respect your elders.  You're only
as old as you feel, and I feel like collecting Social Security.

The Ugly

Security.  Traffic control sucked wet farts from dead pigeons.  We got
there about 5:10, assuming we'd be in by the 5:30 start time.  Bad move.
After stop and go traffic for about 10 minutes we get to the gate only to
find they aren't letting people turn right.  So we hang a right at the
first street we get to, and wait in line another 5 minutes or so.  Finally
get close enough to the front to see a sign indicating you had to be a
hoighty toighty to park in there.  So we turn around and get into the Long
Line.   Seems they're only letting people in through 1 lane at 1 gate.
Grrr.  At about 5:45 we get in.  Can't find a place to park.  Nobody
directing traffic.  The entire parking lot is full of people driving
around looking for a place to park.  We finally found an area that few
other people had, about 50 empty spots clustered together.  We parked, and
as we walked to the entrance we directed cars with foxy women to our
find.  Did I ever mention I like women?

So we get to the entrance, 30 minutes after the start of the show.
Sepultura is playing away and what do we find?  The Line From Hell.  I kid
you not, this fucker went halfway around the theatre.   Just as we get to
the end of the line Sepultura finishes their last song.  We pray the
roadies are hung over.  30 minutes later we get inside.  These assholes
have about 3 gates open, and everyone is getting searched.  I'm sorry, but
if you've got a 30 minute line after the damn show starts then you fucked
up somewhere.  Anywhoo, we got to our seats at 6:40.  Black Sabbath came
on about 10 minutes later.  It took us 90 minutes to park our car and get
inside.  Incompetence.

But it gets worse.  When the show ended we went to our car.  Looking
around there was nothing but a huge traffic jam.  We'd parked in a corner,
next to 2 major streets.  Neither street had any traffic.  Ken sat in the
car and got stoned, I walked around and found they only had 1 gate open.
With no traffic control.  So the light would turn green and everybody
would jocky for position, trying to get out.  6 cars get out and the light
turns red.  Nobody wants to run it because there were about 10-15 cops
standing around.  They ain't doing shit, but I'll bet they'd write a
ticket for running a red light.  Assholes.

(Another good.  Walked by a bunch of squids partying and they gave me a
beer.  Love them squids, they know how to party.  Helped me to kill the
hour we waited in the parking lot).

We got out of the parking lot an hour and a half after the show ended.  So
we spent 3 hours dicking around for a 3.5 hour show.

The funny

We had reservations for the Magic Mountain hotel.  We got up there about
11:30 PM and checked in.  Upon opening the door there was only 1 bed.  So
we go back to the front desk.  Now this was a nice old lady, just like
your grandmother.  She rents a room with only 1 bed to 2 men without
batting an eye?  I tell her there's only 1 bed, she looks at the
reservation and says "It says here 2 queens".  Ken got rather pissed, but
I was busting a gut laughing as I said "Thats 2 queen beds, not 2
queens.".

In Summary

Hmm, this got rather long.  There are 2 things I'll remember about his
trip.  The Black Sabbath reunion, and the Security from Hell.  I guess all
I need to say now is "I was there and you weren't.  Neener neener neener."

jim


-- 
So many women, so little charisma.
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Jim Harkins                         [ucsd|uunet]!pacdata!jim
Pacific Data Products               jim@pacdata.com
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