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It's Black Sabbath, Dio, both together! There was no way I could miss it, they deserve a fan's effort, for their legacy and the reputation of those who grew up listening to them.”
By Allan Lima
May 2009. Vacation in the heart of Rio de Janeiro…beach, beer, football, in short…it couldn't be better. Or could it? Nothing against the samba of Rio, it's institutionalized, you can't ignore it. But for those who are passionate about Rock and Heavy Metal and who have always had to travel to major cities to see shows, as is my case, the question prevailed: "won't there be any other acts?"
Heaven and Hell was on tour, but by the end of April they hadn't confirmed their show in Rio…the frustration was truly gnawing at my metal blood from the inside, because I kept imagining: “it's them, the guys, the father of riffs and the greatest vocalist of all time…and they're already old, what if…”. At that moment I foresaw what a few months later would become Ronnie James Dio's greatest battle against the worst of all dragons: cancer. And the rest we already know, the loss and the pain were enormous, which we still suffer from today.
Perhaps that's why, unconsciously, I decided: "You know what, vacation's over! I'm going to São Paulo, I'm going to see Heaven and Hell." It's Black Sabbath, Dio, both together! There was no way I could miss it, they deserve a fan's effort, for their legacy and the reputation of those who grew up listening to them. And I did it. I only regret not leaving earlier and seeing the show on Friday.
So, leaving the mild climate and saying goodbye (or adio, if you prefer) to the beaches of Rio, I took the shuttle flight to our concrete jungle. I managed to get an advance ticket and hotel reservation through another friend from São Paulo. It was done. The doubt disappeared, and anxiety took its place, which would be satisfied with a memorable show, a short but precise setlist!
Therefore, the love for heavy metal spoke louder. It was a rainy night on May 16, 2009. A very dark Saturday night. Perhaps enchanted by the presence of the noble gentlemen, creators of the early days of extreme music, or by the mere coincidence of who they represented (Black = dark, Sabbath = religious Sabbath in Hebrew – these metaphors are inevitable). A gigantic queue formed around the Credicard Hall, and inside, those present could witness a great performance, where the initial sound malfunction went, at least to me, unnoticed. You are transported to another world, where only those who are unconditional fans of Heavy Metal and Black Sabbath can feel, and the connection to their world is the music they sing. Around 10:30 PM, everyone was settled in, some even squeezing together, when the intro began with "E5150," followed by "Mob Rules"... Dio, smiling, thanking the audience, waving, and with the Brazilian flag draped around his frail body, disproportionate to his charisma and voice, along with another god, the guitar god, Ms. Iommi, and the no less acclaimed Vinny Appice and Geezer Butler, delivered other great gems, in addition to some from the first (and only) album of this lineup: "Children of the Sea," "I," and "Bible Black." Breathless, the quartet followed with "Time Machine" and a precise, excellent, and exciting drum solo by Appice! They continued with "Fear," Dio's beautiful intonations in "Falling Off the End of the World," and, past the halfway point of the show, with "Follow the Tears." A sequence of mesmerizing Iommi solos serves as an introduction to "Die Young" and the song that made all the effort worthwhile, bringing many beyond this to tears for over 14 minutes: "Heaven and Hell". Returning for the encore, they play "Country Girl" and bid farewell with "Neon Nights". Unforgettable.
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