Lowen’s set got off to an odd start as the band walked onto the stage while the venue’s background music was still playing. The crowd cheered in anticipation, but there was a moment of confusion before the singer cut through the noise with a powerful, sustained note. From there, she launched into an a cappella chant, setting the scene for what was to come, a mix of crushing doom metal and Middle Eastern vocal stylings.
When the full band kicked in, the weighty, crawling riffs set the tone, but the vocals were disappointingly low in the mix, making it hard to fully appreciate the interplay between the music and the vocals. Thankfully, by the third song, the mix improved, and the singer’s voice became more prominent, giving the performance more impact.
Visually, the set leaned heavily into theatrics. The singer brandished a baby sized battle axe, a dagger, a horn, and even a book, adding an almost ritualistic feel to the performance. While this added a striking visual element, the complete lack of audience interaction made it feel somewhat detached.
Then, as suddenly as it started, it was over. The band simply walked off stage without a word, leaving the crowd hanging. The only exception was the bassist, who lingered for a moment with his hands in the air, offering thanks before following the rest of the band offstage. It was a strange ending to a set that had moments of promise but ultimately felt hard to connect with.
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After Lowen’s divisive set, the atmosphere was electric, and the crowd was more than ready for the main event. The energy kicked off when Zakk Wylde made a surprise appearance before the show, stepping onto the stage wearing an Ultimate Warrior-style mask and filming the crowd. After the show, I found out he was holding two wrestling figures, one of which was rocking a Black Label Society cut, adding an unexpected but amusing touch to his entrance. He didn’t stay long, but it was enough to hype up the crowd before he disappeared backstage to prepare for the real show.
When Zakk Sabbath finally hit the stage, it was clear this was going to be a memorable night. Wylde’s presence is massive, and his guitar playing?, unreal. Whether shredding through searing solos or pulling off some insane over the head playing, it was clear he was truly in his element, making the most of every note.
One thing that stood out was the reverb on Zakk’s microphone. While it added to that classic Zakk/Ozzy
vocal sound, it did make his dialogue with the crowd a bit hard to catch. That said, when he got into the Ozzy-esque delivery, it was uncanny at points, he really did sound like the Prince of Darkness, which was incredible to hear. It was obvious that Wylde was having the time of his life up there, totally feeding off the crowd’s energy.
The set progressed with the crowd feeding off Wylde’s boundless enthusiasm. Before long, people were crowd surfing, and the pit was alive. Wylde was engaging the audience at every opportunity, encouraging everyone to sing along, and even stepping back to let the crowd take over for a few lines. The fun didn’t stop there, the crew threw large balloons into the crowd, which were passed around like oversized beach balls, adding an unexpected bit of fun to the show.
Wylde has been non-stop lately, bouncing between the Pantera tour and Zakk Sabbath performances, all while gearing up for 15 dates on the Experience Hendrix Tour before heading back on the road with Pantera again. This man truly never stops, and it’s clear from his performance that his passion for playing and entertaining is as strong as ever.
The entire set was an intense, high-energy tribute to Black Sabbath. Zakk Wylde continues to prove he’s a true powerhouse, and tonight’s performance was yet another reminder of why he’s one of the best to ever do it.
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Photos by Skull Lens Photography
