Best Show Ever - For NOW

photo by im_whoa

I'm sure that I'll change my mind in the future as time makes this memory lose its edge, but for now, the best show that I can think of involved a tag-team lineup of two tribute bands. I know that I've mentioned them before, but I opted for another show that was playing opposite these guys last time.

It's not so much that it's a pair of bands; it's more along the lines of two different personalities of the same band, considering the lineup is exactly the same. Pictured in the image above feature those two personalities; David Lee Roth with Van Halen on the one side, and Ozzy Osbourne era Black Sabbath.

Yes, TRIBUTE BANDS, but these aren't just cover bands we're talking about when you see Ham Wailen and Sack Blabbath play; you're seeing serious musicians who are easily as talented as those they're mimicking.

Who but Dentor is able to pull off both David Lee Roth and Ozzy Osbourne? He brought us both a full-on large-stage Roth, running, high-kicking, jumping, dancing, for a good hour, and then followed it with Ozzy's alcohol induced stumbling and muttering and amazing vocals for another hour with a break barely long enought to apply the eye-liner Ozzy requires.

As an added bonus, Screaming Chicken's Melody Mangler was on hand to provide backup to the Ham Wailin set, dancing up a storm as the Hot Teacher and as the gender confused Ice Cream Man, and as one of the sexiest devils ever. I can only name 4 or 5 Van Halen songs at the best of times, despite having grown up around AM radio in central Alberta, and am not a fan of the real band, but this was amazing. I went for the Sabbath tribute and knew all those songs, (my Alberta upbringing wasn't a total waste), but the Van Halen one was much more fun.

There are more photos and a rather lengthy video clip from im_whoa's cell phone

There's apparently a couple Sack Blabbaths out there; one in New Jersey in addition to Vancouver's incarnation.