BLACK SABBATH – Tokyo Heaven [Japan Broadcast 1980] (2023)

BLACK SABBATH‘s first album with Ronnie James Dio, ‘Heaven and Hell’, was released on 25 April 1980, to critical acclaim. The LP eventually sold a million copies in the U.S., and Sabbath embarked on an extensive world tour, making their first live appearance with Dio in Germany on 17 April 1980.
Black Sabbath toured the U.S. throughout 1980 with Blue Öyster Cult on the Black and Blue tour. On 18 August 1980, after a show in Minneapolis, drummer Bill Ward quit the band. Geezer Butler stated that after Ward’s final show, the drummer came in drunk, stating that “he might as well be a Martian”. Following his sudden departure, the group hired drummer Vinny Appice.
The band completed the Heaven And Hell world tour in February 1981 and returned to the studio to begin work on their next album, but among the very finest shows on the Black and Blue tour was Sabbath’s performance at the Nakano Sunplaza, in Tokyo, on 18th November ‘80. A truly stunning event which was also recorded for live FM broadcast across Japan, the entire show is now finally released as “Tokyo Heaven” on CD for the very first time.

This is heavy rocking show and while sound quality isn’t the best, this is the complete concert as previously there were some bootlegs but incomplete.
As a curiosity, Black Sabbath’s prepared setlist was longer for that night, however the show had to be interrupted due to Tony Iommi’s sudden illness. Just hear ”Exit Announcement” Geezer Butler’s explaining the situation.

01 – Supertzar
02 – War Pigs
03 – Neon Knights
04 – N.I.B.
05 – Children Of The Sea
06 – Sweet Leaf
07 – Drum Solo
08 – Sweet Leaf (Reprise)
09 – Lady Evil
10 – Black Sabbath
11 – Heaven And Hell
12 – Iron Man
13 – Exit Announcement

Tony
Ronnie
Geezer
Vinny

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