fiddlequeen07
Master of the Moon
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Lubbock, Texas, USA
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 Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 5:12 pm Post subject: Remembering the Tour |
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I thought it would be nice to share special memories from this most recent H&H tour. Anyone have any good stories?
I wrote this note on my Facebook account the day after I saw the H&H show in Albuquerque on August 14...What better place to share it than the Dio fan forum? Forgive the wordiness; it is quite sincere and heartfelt! I entitled it, "It goes on and on...it's HEAVEN AND HELL." It is posted as follows:
Those of you who know me well know that I am, by nature, a quiet and reserved person. I value logic and reason, and I rarely display any strong emotions. I am not a good conversationalist, I don't appreciate small talk, and by most accounts, I am a boring person. I'm not what anyone would call the "life of the party". In fact, if anything, people would accuse me of sucking the life and soul out of any party. But, I know myself better than that. I know who I really am--what I really am. And those of you who know me best know what's coming next (and no doubt you're rolling your eyes).
So who am I, really? What am I, really? I'm a loyal, die-hard fan of a man I have not yet had the pleasure to meet. His name is Ronnie James Dio. For those of you who don't know, he is the greatest vocalist that the metal genre of music has ever seen. His self-named band, Dio, is my favorite band of all time, and their 10 glorious albums have brought me great enjoyment since I became a fan not all that long ago. However, Ronnie hasn't done much with his own band in recent years. He has been working more and more with a group he joined before he had his own band. They were once known as Black Sabbath, but now they perform as Heaven & Hell, a name taken from their first album together. This lineup consists of Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), and Vinny Appice (drums).
I just had the great honor to see Heaven & Hell live on stage for a second time, this time in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This show was even better than last year's. I was no more than ten yards from stage, and I could see Ronnie James Dio and Tony Iommi in all their wonderful, beautiful, awe-inspiring glory. This concert has made me realize why I love Ronnie James Dio and all his music, and why Heaven & Hell deserve all the accolades they have received over their long career.
I acted like a nut, no doubt. I was screaming, yelling, clapping, and throwing Ronnie's signature devil-horns hand sign like a true fanatic. And you know what? I was happy. I was happy, and nothing else in the world mattered for the duration of the show. For a brief time, I didn't care what anyone thought of me, and I didn't feel like the whole world was staring at me and judging me. I was free.
This is why I love the music of Ronnie James Dio. I have listened to his lyrics, from the many years of his wonderful career, and I have learned from him that it's alright to dream. And so many of his songs have been so applicable to my life--songs about feeling left out and different and alone, and songs about missing out on life because of worrying what other people think of me, and songs about learning how to embrace who I am, even if I am different from all those others near me.
I don't think anyone understands why I am such a fan of this man whom I've never met. Here's what I say: I haven't met him yet, but I know him. I know him from his lyrics, from his voice, from his interviews, from his music videos, from his concerts on DVD, and from his live performances I've had the pleasure to have seen. Music is not just sound--it is a message, with feeling, emotion, passion, and life. It has its own energy, and a true musician must pour out a bit of himself with every song he writes, sings, or plays. This is how I know Ronnie James Dio. He is a true musician, and an excellent showman, and an expert performer. He gives up a bit of himself for his fans, and, in return, we give him some of ourselves. We see him in concert and we cheer him. The performer-fan relationship is truly a beautiful thing. We don't have to meet to know each other. His songs appeal to me because they apply to me. I find meaning in them. For whom did he write these songs, if not for those who would find meaning in them?
But Ronnie James Dio, as wonderful as he is, could not do this alone. One must not dismiss the other band members; and, indeed, who in his right mind could ever dismiss Tony Iommi, who is credited with inventing metal? These men are all extremely talented, and years and years of practice and frustration have accumulated to make them the musicians and performers they are today. I am sure they do not always get along; artistic differences and some personal disagreements are just the nature of the beast. But, nonetheless, they work closely together, building on each other's talents to create the music that acts as both narrative and illustration of their message.
Heaven & Hell are truly amazing on stage. They enjoy themselves up there, and the fans can feel that energy. We love them, even though most of us have never met them. This is why the crowd is so excited; it's why we can't wait to sing the chorus to "Heaven & Hell"; it's why we scream and cheer afterward so that we can hear "Neon Knights". They never disappoint. And for some of us fans, their shows are the only times we feel truly free to be ourselves.
So, in conclusion, thanks to Heaven & Hell. Thank you Ronnie James Dio; thank you Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice. Thank you for giving all of yourselves out there--for putting on a show that is classic and beautiful, yet never loses that wonderful, awe-inspiring metal power that defines your genre. You are truly amazing, and your band name could not be better fitting. I look forward to more shows in the future--and I look forward to meeting you all one day. I know it will happen.
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"You'll never make me be like you. I'm Master of the Moon!" |
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