Review: Black Sabbath hard work, but Ozzie Osbourne finds roar within

Lead singer Ozzy Osbourne clearly wasn’t the only one seen to be overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Black Sabbath. Picture: Ross Halfin

Black Sabbath, the band that all but created the metal genre, is making its farewell to the world with a compact 90-minute set that is almost perfect.

The playing at Perth Arena on Friday night was tight and the riffs sounded as fresh and dangerous as they did when first heard decades ago.

Formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist/lyricist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward and frontman Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath established themselves with three game-changing albums.

With Tommy Clufetos substituting for holdout Ward on tour, the band has focused its legacy to just 14 songs — 12 from those first three albums — and suffered only slight loss of momentum with the questionable inclusion of Dirty Women.

Ozzy did not have it so easy. The former reality TV star began with great energy and full voice as he tore through Black Sabbath and Fairies Wear Boots.

By the third song, After Forever, he was hanging off the microphone stand and running on the spot. It was not to last. When tackling Into the Void, his voice began to fade. He apologised, the concern obvious on his face.

From there, the trooper in him took control. For much of the remainder of the set Osbourne stood on his spot, studied the autocue and delivered as best he could.

It was clearly hard work. A few songs later, Osbourne asked: “How’re you doing? How’re we doing?” The roar he received in response suggested the crowd was in full support.

His voice did return somewhat but, even so, these difficulties did nothing to diminish the joy coming from the stage. He stayed and delivered the full set, saving just enough to be able to charge into the encore, their signature Paranoid, with much of the power that he had earlier in the night.

In the packed pit, as the set reached its climax, a person in a wheelchair was seen crowd surfing as they were passed to the crash barrier at the front of the stage. Ozzy clearly wasn’t the only one seen to be overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

BLACK SABBATH

Perth Arena, April 15.

Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, tomorrow; Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Saturday; Brisbane Entertainment Centre, April 25.