Audience 8.4-8.6 - This gets a double rating because I found that it seemed to become better as it went, and really had its best moments during songs or parts that were not full on max volume. Now that being said, the mic that taper used (probably a condenser mic built into his deck) could not accurately reproduce the sound it was picking up in the hall to the tape itself – but because there was level adjust (I am guessing auto level), it never distorted. So what you get is a crowded sounding tape during most of the performance when the music is at full tilt (it’s Black Sabbath so yeah, it’s mostly full tilt), but during parts where the music is more sparse (like during Black Sabbath, or the solos, especially the drum solo) you can hear what the recorder was capable of because it is way much better. In fact I praise the drum sounds, super massive and that’s why I loved Black Sabbath on this tape in particular because it’s frighteningly dense and scary sounding here. This show can be appreciated for the inclusion of songs like Gypsy, All Moving Parts, and Rock and Roll Doctor which are audible enough that you can thank this taper. I’d not heard of this tape before so I assume it’s new to circulation, and personally speaking I am glad it exists and I feel it offers something worthwhile. Black Sabbath Madison Square Garden New York City, NY. 1976-12-06 Disc 1 1. -intro 2. -Symptom Of The Universe 3. -Snowblind 4. -All Moving Parts (Stand Still) 5. -War Pigs 6. -Gypsy 7. -Black Sabbath Disc 2 1. -Dirty Women 2. -Drum Solo 3. -Guitar Solo 4. -Rock And Roll Doctor 5. -Guitar Solo (reprise) 6. -Electric Funeral 7. -Iron Man 8. -Children Of The Grave 9. -Supernaut intro - Paranoid  

Black Sabbath Los Angeles 1980 Audience 8.9 - This is a much welcomed recording of perhaps the best post Ozzy era of Black Sabbath. 1980 was an interesting year, Ozzy making classic “solo” albums with his new band and Sabbath beginning a new era with a new singer in Ronnie James Dio and neither the worse for it.  This is a great show, in great quality. Black Sabbath Vienna 1980 Audience 8.3 -Unfortunately this recording suffers from many ailments, mainly in the range and dynamics, but what it does offer is a previously uncirculated (and complete) show from Sabbath in Europe during the very crucial 1980 tour with Dio as new front man. This is what I get from this show- Dio is very committed to bringing the audience in to the spectacle…the performance is killer in every respect. The sound quality is not trash, but I want Dio more clear than this because he is really on his game this night. I think this tape belongs in this set because it doesn’t have to be the centerpiece of the set, it offers the collector a new tape of a complete show from 1980 and that is enough for me. BLACK SABBATH Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA July 26th 1980 THE BAND Tony Iommi Guitar Ronnie James Dio Vocals Geezer Butler Bass Bill Ward Drums Geoff Nicholls Keyboards Disc 1 1 -Intro 2 -War Pigs 3 -Neon Knights 4 -N.I.B. 5 -Black Sabbath 6 -Heaven And Hell 7 -Iron Man 8 -Guitar Solo with Jam - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Jam - Orchid 9 -Die Young 10 -Paranoid Disc 2 Sophiensale Vienna, Austria April 24th 1980 1 -Supertzar 2 -War Pigs 3 -Neon Knights 4 -N.I.B. 5 -Children of the Sea 6 -Sweet Leaf 7 -Bill Ward solo 8 -Sweet Leaf(reprise) 9 -Lonely is the Word Disc 3 10 -Black Sabbath 11 -Heaven and Hell 12 -Iron Man 13 -Tony Iommi solo 14 -Die Young 15 -Paranoid 16 -Children of the Grave