Born Again Tour 1983
| World tour by Black Sabbath | |
 |
|
| Associated album | Born Again |
|---|---|
| Start date | 7 August 1983 |
| End date | 4 March 1984 |
| Legs | 4 |
| No. of shows | 81 |
| Black Sabbath concert chronology | |
The Born Again Tour 1983 was a global concert tour by in support of Black Sabbath's Born Again album. Both the album and the tour were the only ones of Black Sabbath's to feature former Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan on lead vocals. Ex-Electric Light Orchestra drummer Bev Bevan was hired to replace Bill Ward, who had returned to the band for the recording of the album after a two-year hiatus, for the tour. This was the final tour to feature original Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler until 1992's Dehumanizer tour.
Between 7 and 14 August 1983, the band used the National Exhibition Centre, in Birmingham, England, as rehearsal venue. The first leg of the tour consisted of seven European shows in August, followed by a second European leg in September and October consisting of 15 shows. There were also two North American legs consisting of 31 shows from October through November, then 26 shows from January through March 1984.
The set list featured two Dio-era tracks, "Heaven and Hell" and "Neon Knights", as well as a good helping from the new album, and a few fan favorites reappeared in the set, such as "Supernaut" and "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor". Each show on the tour ended with a two-song encore, with the first song being a cover of the Deep Purple classic "Smoke on the Water", as Ian Gillan was formerly of Deep Purple. This is one of the few cover songs Black Sabbath have ever done at live shows. They played the song on Iommi's suggestion. He felt it was a 'bum deal' that Gillan had to perform so many old Sabbath songs and none of his own.
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