Zakk Wylde was one song into his headlining set with Black Label Society at the Warfield in San Francisco when a fan standing behind me decided to yell out his own review of the show:
“Play more Sabbath!”
And that, dear reader, is what happens when you pick the best Black Sabbath tribute band in the world to warm up the crowd for you in concert.
Of course, Wylde had no one to blame but himself — since the otherworldly guitarist (and more than merely sufficient vocalist) fronts not only Black Label Society but the cleverly named Zakk Sabbath as well.
The packed house of metal fans absolutely ate up the all-too-short set of Sabbath material — consisting of six songs (one of which is really an intro/set-up for another) that ran some 50 minutes.
These fans expended great amounts of energy pumping their fists in the air, bouncing around and chanting along to “Children of the Grave” and other selections that would make the Top 50 list of the greatest metal songs of all time. And they didn’t seem to have much left in the tank by the time Wylde returned with Black Label Society for the nightcap.
That’s not to say that the latter wasn’t enjoyable but — come on — “The Blessed Hellride” is no “War Pigs.” Yet, to be fair, very few songs in the history of rock ‘n’ roll can match that Sabbath masterpiece.
John DeServio (left) plays the bass with Zakk Wylde and Zakk Sabbath at the Warfield in San Francisco on March 14, 2026. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)
Following a brief opening set from Las Vegas rock act Dark Chapel — featuring Black Label Society’s Dario Lorina on guitars and vocals — the crowd could really start the countdown to Zakk Sabbath. Finally, the lights dimmed and a taped version of the dramatic “Supertzar” served as the intro — a la the way Black Sabbath itself took the stage during its 1975-76 Sabotage Tour — and the party was underway.
Wasting no time in getting to the good stuff, Zakk Sabbath opened with a punishing take on “Children of the Grave” — the Side 1 closer on Sabbath’s third album, 1971’s “Master of Reality,” which may well rank as the finest metal song ever recorded.
From there, the trio — consisting of vocalist-guitarist Wylde as well as fellow Black Label Society musicians John “JD” DeServio, on bass and Jeff Fabb on drums — rolled right into another A-plus offering with “Snowblind” from 1972’s epic “Vol. 4.”
JD and Fabb were titans of metal on this night, combining to power through those amazingly intricate yet powerful rhythms originally laid to wax by Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, respectively.
Yet, Wylde — an absolute monster on guitar — always draws the most attention, as he spends seemingly 90 percent of his time on stage soloing away in a fashion that can leave one breathless.
He’s got much experience with the Sabbath catalog, having spent years as Ozzy Osbourne’s No. 1 axe-slinger, and does his best work in the world of riffs pioneered by Sabbath’s visionary guitarist Tony Iommi.
Yet, Wylde — who also plays guitar for groove-metal legends Pantera — doesn’t focus on mimicking Iommi as much as he uses those original riffs as a launching pad to do his own thing in Zakk Sabbath. He’s much more of a shredder, bringing a ’80s/’90s “need for speed” style to the mix, while Iommi was intent on conjuring up a distinct mood and feel in the music.
John DeServio plays the bass with Zakk Sabbath at the Warfield in San Francisco on March 14, 2026. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)
Following a lengthy workout on “War Pigs” — just one of three all-time classic metal songs to be found on Side 1 of 1970’s “Paranoid” — Zakk Sabbath left the stage way too soon (especially compared to the two-hour headlining show delivered at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco back in late 2024).
Then Lorina — who’s another ace guitarist — returned to the stage join the Zakk Sabbath trio and Black Label Society was ready for action.
The quartet rang in its own headlining set with “Funeral Bell” — one of three songs from 2003’s “The Blessed Hellride” to make the setlist — and then continued to roll through such fan favorites as “Name in Blood,” “Destroy & Conquer,” “A Love Unreal” and “Heart of Darkness” during its hour-plus, 12-song set.
The L.A. outfit, which Wylde launched in the late ’90s after making a name for himself in Ozzy Osbourne’s band, sounded strong throughout the night. The distinct highlight was the incendiary dueling guitar work between Wylde and Lorina (who can definitely hold his own with the group’s frontman) during “Fire It Up” from 2005’s “Mafia.”
Yet, not surprisingly, it was Wylde’s cover of Osbourne’s “No More Tears” that drew the biggest response from the crowd during the Black Label Society set.
Yeah, these metal fans love their Sabbath and Ozzy.
Rockers who missed this show — or simply want another Zakk Wylde-fronted doubleheader — can make plans to attend the 2026 Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, Oct. 1-4. Both Zakk Sabbath and Black Label Society will be playing that festival, although on different days. For more information, visit aftershockfestival.com.
Zakk Sabbath setlist
1. “Children of the Grave”
2. “Snowblind”
3. “Fairies Wear Boots”
4. “Bassically”
5. “N.I.B.”
6. “War Pigs”
Black Label Society setlist:
1. “Funeral Bell”
2. “Name in Blood”
3. “Destroy & Conquer”
4. “A Love Unreal”
5. “Heart of Darkness”
6. “No More Tears”
7. “In This River”
8. “The Blessed Hellride”
9. “Set You Free”
10. “Fire It Up”
11. “Suicide Messiah”
12. “Stillborn”