Black Sabbath fans around the world are currently reeling at the news that founding member; Bill Ward has dropped out of the band’s forthcoming reunion. In a public letter posted on his Facebook page, Bill announced that he could not, in good faith, continue with the current recording/touring plans until he was presented with a ‘signable contract’ that showed him some level of respect for his contribution to the band.

Since making the announcement, rumours have been rife  that ‘certain wife’s’ are behind Bill not getting his well-earned 25% cut but this morning, candidate No.1 Sharon Osbourne came out publicly and denied she had any involvement. To make things worse, the remaining members of Black Sabbath have publicly announced they will continue with their plans with or without Ward and are currently recording in England.

Last year the original line-up of Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler announced they were reforming to record a new album and play live again. Even news that Tony Iommi was seriously ill didn’t seem to throw their plans into doubt but the fracturing caused by this latest split may be enough to undermine the entire comeback.  

To show their disapproval, some fans have set up a Facebook page called ‘1,000,000 Black Sabbath Fans Say Yes to Bill Ward’ that currently has over 28,000 members and is growing by an estimated rate of five new members per second. The aim of the page is to stand united against Geezer, Ozzy and Tony until they come to their senses and treat Bill with the respect he has earned and give him back his rightful place as one quarter of the band we all love so much. A Black Sabbath reunion wouldn’t be a reunion without Tony, Geezer or Ozzy and it certainly isn’t a reunion without Bill and that is what people have signed up for. Bring Back Bill – Join the campaign now.

Dublin Metal Events have been busy as hell this year with 13 shows book between now and April, and they ain’t finish yet. The savagely cruel head honcho ‘H’ has promised a pretty tasty announcement for tomorrow after an earlier promise led to the announcement that W.A.S.P. will be returning to Dublin as part of their 30^th anniversary tour.

Before that, there’s several other acts that will please all the hairy  leather ‘n’ denim brigade out there.  Few notes added to the ones Tickets There recommends if you’re looking to try something new. All dates available on the D.M.E. Events Page on Facebook.

Alestorm – 12/02/12 – The Pint
Krisiun + Malevolent Creation + Vital Remains – 14/02/12 – The Pint
The Devil’s Blood – 18/02/12 – The Pint
Alcest – 19/02/11 – The Pint

Fleshgod Apocalypse – 09/03/12 – The Pint
Stand Up And Shout – A Ronnie James Dio Tribute – 10/03/12 – Button Factory

• Tribute night to the late great Ronnie James \,,/DIO\,,/. Seattle’s premier DIO tribute band will come and do their best at reminding you why we all miss the little fella so much. The disappointment from Heaven & Hell’s Iron Maiden support still runs deep; maybe this will go a little towards reconciliation. RIPDIO

Amon Amarth – 15/03/12 – Vicar St

• Perhaps the only time it is ok for Vikings to return to Ireland. Amon Amarth will be bringing their Swedish rage to Vicar Street with DME promising us their full stage show is coming along for the rise. Heyyy hoooo – Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding!

Suffocation – 16/03/12 – The Pint

 Exhumed - 21/03/12 – The Pint

• You take a little Death metal, a sprinkling of hardcore, some more death metal and the beatings of a thousand soldiers and you’ve got Exhumed. Now, despite some fans objections to the band becoming a lot more radio friendly and being play listed on a lot of morning and drive time shows, Tickets There thinks these guys do still credit their roots. Just because Ray Darcy likes them doesn’t mean you don’t have to!…..Tickets There will not be attending this show in case Matt Harvey tears TT’s head off.

April – Dec 2012

Obscura – 02/04/11 – The Pint
Absu + Impiety – 11/04/12 – The Pint
Orange Goblin – 20/04/12 – The Pint

• You’ve got to ask yourself, ‘what else would ya be doing?’ Organge Goblin in town and you’re sitting at home with a tin, jacking off to Cristina Scabbia? Dude, get out of the house more and rock out to Rage of Angels, Blue Snow and  The Ballad of Solomon Eagle!!

Mael Mordha & Darkest Era – 27/04/12 – The Pint
W.A.S.P. – 25/09/12 – Vicar St

• Tickets There we stupid enough to wait until 2010 to really get into the W.A.S.P. buzz but their show at The Academy was enough to seal us in as life time fans. The news that they’re coming back deserves a little post all of it’s own…..which it has….right …. HERE

That’s right folks, Dublin Metal Events have confirmed that Blackie and the gang will be back in Ireland this year! W.A.S.P. are going on the road to celebrate 30 years as a band together and Dublin will be right in the action as they prepare to assault Vicar Street with their biggest tour yet. The gig is on September 25^th, Vicar Street with tickets priced €30 (plus Booking Fee) from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and ticketmaster.ie. They go on sale this Friday, February 10^th so get in early!

The band will also play Belfast’s Ulster Hall on September 24th. Ticket info to follow soon…

The official tour update can be seen below,

From http://www.waspnation.com/waspnation.htm: Twenty Nine years ago today, on September 21st 1982, W.A.S.P. played their first show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.

On September 21st 2012 W.A.S.P. will begin the “30 Years of Thunder” anniversary Tour starting in the United Kingdom and continue Worldwide!!

This World Tour will be the biggest spectacle W.A.S.P. have ever created. The two hour show will consist of three parts. A one hour set contain songs from the first four albums. The second set will be a 25 minute shortened version of “The Crimson Idol” complete with the movie accompaniment. A third set will consist of material from the New Studio Album, older material and everything in between. This show will see multiple video screens, pyrotechnics, and elements from the early W.A.S.P. shows (maybe even an exploding cod piece) and Blackie’s moving microphone stand “Elvis”!

Trucker Diablo are starting 2012 with a whole batch of shows lined up over the next few months including a confirmed stop in Dublin, Ireland and another show TBA for Cork; as well as several UK and Northern Irish dates. The tour is dubbed ‘The Devil Rhythm Tour’ and more dates are expected to be announced shortly.

Aside from that, their new single, ‘Drink Beer, Destroy’ is doing monstrously well on Kerrang Radio and TV and it’s just been picked up by Headbangers Ball on MTV Australia. Keep your eys (and especially ears) glues to these guys if you’re any sort of rock fan.

The Devil Rhythm Tour 2012: Dates Announced…so far

02/24 – Trillian’s – Newcastle, UK 02/25 – Twiterfest @ The Snooty Fox – Wakefield, UK
03/09 – Ma Nelson’s – Belfast, N.I. (with Nasa Assassin & Skindred)
03/16 – Hammerfest – Prestatyn, Wales (Along with Anthrax)
03/23 – Voodoo Bar – Belfast, N.I.
04/07 – INF – Warrenpoint, Co. Down , N.I.
04/14 – Diamond Rock Bar – Belfast, N.I. (Supporting Furyon)
04/19 – Fibber MaGee’s – Dublin, Ire.
04/28 – Jaggers Common Rooms – Dungannon, Tyrone, N.I.
05/26 – Ma Nelson’s – Belfast, N.I.
06/29 – Portrush Playhouse – Portrush, Antrim, N.I.
07/22 – Billing Biker Festival (Billing Aquadrome) – Great Billing, UK 

For those who don’t know, Guns N’ Roses tickets for the O2 arena in Dublin on May 17^th went on sale this morning. Tickets are priced €65.50 – €69.50 plus booking fee. Guns N’ Roses last played Ireland in 2010 with two sold out (awesome) shows at Dublin’s O2 Arena and Belfast’s Odyssey Arena.

Axl Rose, Frank Ferrer, Tommy Stinson, Richard Fortus, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Dizzy Reed, Chris Pitman and Dj Ashba have been building a momentum across Asia, North American and Europe over the past three years with hundreds of sold out shows, rave reviews and stellar performances. April 2012 will see the band officially inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame before they hit the road to tour the festival circuit across Europre, as well as playing several of their own shows for the mix.

The tour kicks off in Dublin on May 17^th. This is your chance to catch one of rock’s greatest front man deliver one of the best live shows you’ll ever witness from one of the most legendary bands of all time. GUNS N’ ROSES: Live in Dublin May 17^th. Tickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster.ie

Due to the overwhelming demand on tickets this morning, MCD have announced the Happy Mondays will play an additional date at the Olympia on Monday, May 14^th, the night before the previously announced date. Tickets are on sale now priced €49.65 plus booking fee from ticketmaster.ie

Remember, this is the original line-up you’re buying so if you say them in the Olympia in 2007 (incredible show), prepare to see the 100% authentic, full Ryder experience!

MAD4IT!

• 04/27 – The Pint, Dublin w/ Mael Mordha – Tickets €12 plus booking fee. 04/28
• The Limelight, Belfast w/ Mael Mordha £7 plus booking fee.

To celebrate the release of the video (and presumably just to tour .….we made up the celebrate thing) the band have announced a Dublin and Belfast dates in April. They’ll be kicking off a full UK tour on Saturday in Plymouth which carries on till the 19^th before returning back to Ireland for a couple of home grown shows. Full list can be found below,

February Tour w/ Alestorm and Claim the Throne 4th – White Rabbit, Plymouth 5th – UK Green Star, Stoke On Trent 6th – Corporation, Sheffield 7th – The Fleece, Bristol 8th – The Cellar, Southampton 9th – Moho Live, Manchester 10th – Garage, Glasgow 13th – The O2 Academy, Leicester 14th – The Haun, Brighton 15th – Central Station, Wrexham 16th – The Well, Leeds 18th – Islington Academy, London 19th – Waterfront, Norwich   April Tour 04/27 – The Pint, Dublin w/ Mael Mordha – Tickets €12 plus booking fee. 04/28 – The Limelight, Belfast w/ Mael Mordha £7 plus booking fee.

Tickets There kept the head down majorly last year, but you didn’t think we’d miss one of the greatest touring line-ups in living history did you? The heroic conquering heroes Def Leppard, the filthiest grime and sleaze you can scrape off the streets of LA (Steel Panther :p) and the tided up and looking great Mötley Crüe all under the same roof! Not something to be missed no matter how far you have to travel.

Anyone that’s ever been to the MEN arena knows two things. First, it’s massive! Entering at the top level and walking down those oh so fun steps in the dark with thousands of people behind you is no fun whatsoever; but if fills you with plenty of adrenaline that can be doused with pints. Second, there’s no smoking….officially. What happens in the toilets, stays in the toilets. Aside from that, it’s easily one of the greatest venues in the U.K. with plenty of bars, merch stands, standing room and incredible sound. Walking in at the obnoxiously early time of 18:30, it’s strange to see the arena so full, but then again Steel Panther are already on stage and nobody wants to miss this.

Opening with ‘Supersonic Sex Machine’ from their new album, Balls Out, Steel Panther are on fire from the word go. While some felt their tongue in cheek take on metal wouldn’t wash with the English crowd (I cannot fathom where that idea came from) it seems Panther know what they’re doing no matter where they play. ‘Tomorrow Night’,’ Asian Hooker’ and ’Just Like Tiger Woods’ gain them a rapturous response from the crowd and an understood, open invite to return to the UK anytime they choose; but the night’s over yet. Their onstage banter, led by guitarist Satchel, and riff heavy tracks are the perfect entertainment to kick off a night of hair metal. The group close with the classic ballad ‘Community Property’, ‘17 Girls In A Row’ and the almighty giant, ‘Death to All but Metal’ and it’s oh so appropriate line, “Where is Def Leppard, Where is Motley Crue?”…well they’re backstage ”fucking groupies” according to singer Michael Starr. With the group earning “literally hundreds of pounds” to play this tour and their promotion over Reckless Love in the spandex genre, no doubt they’ll come back for more in 2012.

With the novelty side of the night over, it’s time for the first of our two headliners to lay the marker, throw the gauntlet and blow our heads off! Mötley Crüe explodes onstage with all the fire, energy and power they’re known for. ‘Wild Side’ (the greatest drinking song in their repertoire), ‘Saints of Los Angeles’ (proof they still know how to write bitchin’ tracks) and ‘Live Wire’ open the show. Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee and the great Mick Mars all shine on stage with Vince and Nikki covering every inch of the stage, Mick holding his own with the fans and on guitar; and of course, Tommy the legend overshadowing all of them from behind his kit. How does he do it? Well you gotta be blonde to find that out. In every possible way, everyone in attendance tonight knows they’re witnessing one of the most iconic bands in rock music at their best.

 ‘Shout At The Devil’ boosts a mass sing along from the crows with arms raised, explosions from the stage and pounding on the bass. ‘S.O.S.’ and the awesome ‘Primal Scream’ keep the adrenaline going before the band convene around a grand piano for a stripped back rendition of ‘Home Sweet Home’ before re-launching the action with ‘Looks That Kill’. Taking a break, the band retires back stage to let Tommy begin his drum solo and did we mention….. his drum was set up on a rollercoaster track? Oh Yeah! Tommy kicks off his solo as standard before the whole kit starts to roll to the left and right of the track before going into full 360° action without a single beat being missed. Slowing down, Tommy asks for volunteers from the audience to come up, eventually catching one bewildered looking lady who gets strapped in and flown off as Tommy drums the beat from the Chilli Pepper’s ‘Love Roller-coaster’. And we thought Steel panther were meant to have the theatrics! With that, the band return for Mick Mars apocalyptic-solo  before the bands returns for ‘Dr. Feelgood’.

As Crüe’s set comes to an end (still have another band! TT – you’re writing too much nonsense – Ed), Leppard singer, Joe Elliott, walks on stage to present Nikki with a birthday cake and rouse the crowd to sing to him. The set’s closed with ‘Mutherfucker of the Year’,’ Girls, Girls, Girls’ and ‘Smokin’ In The Boys Room’. With one encore of ‘Kickstart My Heart’, the boys are done and the stage is dismantled. While Vince’s voice has never been known for its dominating power in the arena, the sheer force of the band’s sound and incredible wealth of tunes makes them one of the must see bands on the road today. Anytime ye fancy an auld visit to Ireland lads, Tickets There will be waiting.

Now, time for the true Gods of the live arena. The band that sell sex, love and rockin’ out with every note! The one, the only (we’re fans – get over it); Def Leppard! While Panther have the comedy, Crüe have the edge; Leppard will always be the force that pulls it all together and adds so much more. They overcome every single obstacle in the book of ‘Shit things that happen to bands’ and still come out on top every time. They’ve lost members, limbs, fans, popularity and sales and yet here they are, 30+ years after their inception still headlining arenas around the world and breaking new ground with every step. No matter what you say about Def Leppard, they are a true model of how a band stays together, stays successful and comes out ‘winning’ every time.

Leppard kick of their set on a stage that suddenly looks twice as large with ‘Undefeated’ from their new live album, Mirrorball. The band looks every bit in shape and together as they ever have and they waste no time displaying those traits that help them outshine all others in their class. ‘Rocket’, ‘Action’, ‘Make Love Like A Man’ and ‘When Love and Hate Collide’ all lead the traditional route into the heart of their set with Joe Elliott’s voice literally decimating the sound system with its power. Despite the Crüe fans bickering about the true headliners tonight, no-one in the arena can deny that Elliott is knocking Vince Neil out of the park with every note. And it’s not like the rest of the band are taking a break either. ‘Gods of War’, a rare inclusion, sets the night on fire with its powerful riffs, courtesy of Phil and Viv. It’s pounding, yet starkly placed drums (aka – Mr. Rick ‘Thunder God’ Allen) and its incredible wall of backing vocals and heaving bas lines. Step up Mr. Sav. If this isn’t everything you want from a Leppard concert, I don’t know what is!

‘Two Steps Behind’, ‘Bringin’ on the Heartbreak’ and the mega ‘Switch 625’ really lay it home how good the band are sounding these days. It’s obvious the lads are delighted to be playing their first proper UK shows in four years (not including their 2009 and 2011 headlining shows at Download – ahem – Ed) and they’re basking in every minute of it. ‘Hysteria’ and ‘Animal’ follow before the pile drive the set home with the classics ‘Armageddon It’, ‘Photograph’ and ‘Pour Some Sugar On me’. The band scarified ‘Rock of Ages’ for Gods of War, but who’s complaining? Leppard return to the stage to round of an incredibly long but mind-blowing night with ‘Love Bites’ and the always classic, ‘Let’s Get Rocked’. Band happy, Lepp fans happy and Mötley Crüe begrudgingly tipping their hats – it’s a wrap.  After eight shows in five years, TT doesn’t know when we’ll get to see the mighty Lepp again, but one’s things for sure; there will be a next time. ..

….MAD4IT!

Now the exciting bit (yes, even more exciting). Since Dublin will be the kick off show, Irish fans may get to experience a show similar to that seen in Taipei and Seoul back in 2009 where Guns played up to 3.5/4 hours a night, playing over 25 songs. There could be new material, live tests – the works!

Either way, you’re still in for a three hour show, packed full of their excellent new material and the classics. Once again, bring it ON!