Heavy metal fans got an early Christmas present this week when rare concert footage of Black Sabbath was posted online.
The 30-minute clip was filmed at Sabbath’s show at the 10,000-capacity Selland Arena in Fresno, California on 9 November 1976.
This show was part of Sabbath’s Technical Ecstasy tour and features the original and classic line-up of the band: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums).
The six songs featured are Symptom Of The Universe, Snowblind, All Moving Parts (Stand Still), War Pigs, Gypsy and Children Of The Grave.
Technical Ecstasy was Black Sabbath’s seventh studio album. It was after the following album, 1978’s Never Say Die!, that Ozzy Osbourne was fired from the band in a move that shocked rock fans.
But in this footage from the Technical Ecstasy tour the band are a tight unit and Ozzy commands the stage brilliantly - especially during Snowblind, when he yells at the audience: “Everybody clap your hands and boogie!”
It’s classic stuff!