Heaven & Hell Tour 2007, BIC

And they gathered in their masses... in the bar, where I and many of the other metalheads remained while the support bands played. We were there to see Sabbath.

Hellish sounds split the air, darkness falls and lighting crackles across the crowd. Those who appear within the gothic ruins onstage look very much like the Sabs I saw in Poole 10, 20 er... 25 plus years ago. Yupp, Geezer, Tony and Ronnie, backed by the drum assault of Vinnie Appice. Looks like most of Sabbath to me.

If you listen to fools... The Mob Rules.' And this mob can still kick it, and no mistake.

Children of the Sea, then something from Dehumanizer - an album I've never heard (sacrilege) - with a chopping riff, The Sign of the Southern Cross and Voodoo.

I prefer Ozzy as part of Sabbath, but they did some great material with the slight one, and RJD still has that BIG voice.

That wall of sound. Geezer really pounds out a second lead line on bass, and Mr Appice does a Ward-like job of brutalising the kit.

Then there's the cool dude, stage right. No histrionics, no grimacing, just a quiet focus and the raw-edged aggression of those Sabbath riffs, punctuated with the occasional subtle, satisfied smile.