Black Sabbath Reunion Tour Finally Gathers Steam

Despite several earlier denials of a reunion from Ozzy Osbourne and a legal dispute between their iconic frontman and guitarist Tony Iommi over the band’s name, the pioneers of the early 70's heavy metal scene have gradually begun to release Black Sabbath tickets for their first series of shows in seven years.

Of course, the Birmingham outfit has already experienced their fair share of troubles since reforming in 2011. Originally scheduled last year, their entire European tour had to be cancelled when Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma. While after claiming that he wasn’t offered a ‘signable contract,’ Bill Ward was replaced by former Rob Zombie drummer Tommy Clufetos for the three dates they did manage to fulfil.

But with a brand new album about to hit the shelves on June 11th and a new sticksman in the shape of Rage Against The Machine’s Brad Wilk, Osbourne, Iommi and original bassist Geezer Butler will be hoping to put all the drama behind them when they kick off their world tour with two dates at New Zealand’s Vector Arena on April 20th and 22nd.

Supported by Wellington alt-rock quartet Shihad, the group will then travel to Australia for the first time since 1974 where they will perform at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on April 25th, Sydney’s Allphones Arena on April 27th, Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on April 29th and May 1st, the Perth Arena on May 4th and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on May 7, before headlining Japan’s first ever Ozzfest in Tokyo on May 12th.

So far, only one North American date has been confirmed, Toronto’s Air Canada Centre on August 14th. But the sale of further Black Sabbath tickets are expected to be announced later this year with the band tipped to tour the US and Canada from July to September, South America in October and Europe in November and December.

Anyone lucky enough to get their hands on Black Sabbath tickets for their shows at Birmingham’s o2 Academy, Download and Lollapalooza last year will already know that the first few years of their career are likely to dominate the set-list.

Indeed, Osbourne and co. certainly aren’t afraid to wallow in nostalgia, with every number performed taken from either 1970s’s self-titled debut, the same-year follow-up Paranoid, 1971’s Master of Reality or 1972’s Black Sabbath, Vol. 4. But with the impending release of their Rick Rubin-produced 19^th studio effort, confusingly titled 13, expect to hear plenty of the band’s first new material since 1995’s Forbidden too.

Be sure to keep checking back on TicketIQ.com for tour dates and ticket information for what is arguably the most hotly-anticipated rock reunion of 2013.

UPDATE (4/17): Four US dates have now been announced: Black Sabbath 2013 North American Tour Dates 8/4 in Holmdel, NJ, 8/14 in Toronto, ON, 8/24 in Seattle, WA, and 9/3 in Los Angeles, CA. Check back for updated tour dates as more are added.

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