Review by Val Tapia
Promoter: Live Nation (https://www.livenation.com/ )
Venue: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre (https://www.facebook.com/TalkingStickResortAmphitheatre/ )
Date: Tuesday July 22nd, 2025
Tour: Greatest Of All Tours Worldwide
I remember a year ago when a couple of concerts at the Pavilion (currently called Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre) were postponed due to record-breaking heat. There was certainly a chance of that happening once again, this time with Denmark-based band Volbeat.
Fortunately (for July anyway), it didn’t get quite as hot as some might have thought. I just kept the water handy throughout the night on Saturday. Everything worked out fine.
Volbeat is currently on tour supporting its ninth studio album, God Of Angels Trust, which was released last month. However, it’s important to note that many in the audience (of roughly 9000 or so) were still mourning the death of the one-and-only Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away on Tues. July 22.
Needless to say, there were plenty of fans sporting Ozzy t-shirts everywhere I looked. It was also cool to hear both Ozzy and Black Sabbath songs during intermission throughout the night.
Mind you, his passing came only 17 days after a triumphant final concert for Osbourne and Black Sabbath in their hometown of Birmingham, England at Villa Park.
It was reported that 40,000 people attended that monumental show. As a result, it was only natural that the Volbeat show would have some melancholy surrounding it when the news of Osbourne’s death went public late Tuesday morning AZ. time.
As they took the stage at 9:20 p.m. sharp, Volbeat tore into The Devil’s Bleeding Crown from 2016’s Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie to roaring applause. I have to admit I don’t hear much “boogie” in the music of Volbeat– at all. But I digress.
Lola Montez followed before playing the first of five new songs from God Of Angels Trust, a song called Enlighten The Disorder (By A Monster’s Hand Part 2).
In case you were wondering, yes, the first part– By A Monster’s Hand— was performed later in the set.
Anyway, there were certainly a fair share of “classics” as well like Sad Man’s Tongue and A Warrior’s Call for longtime fans. To my ears though, the band’s music overall is rather derivative.
In my opinion, Volbeat’s music reminds me of the band Baroness, especially the vocals of lead singer Michael Poulsen. In fact, his vocals sound virtually identical to John Baizley.
To be clear, that’s not intended as a put down. I simply don’t hear much difference between the two singers— and both bands in general.
Having said that, the musicianship of Volbeat is still solid overall. Their touring guitarist in particular, Flemming C. Lund, did an exceptional job with the songs. Perhaps he’ll become a permanent member of the band in the not-too-distant future.
Interestingly, there was no encore from Volbeat. They just plowed through its paltry 90-minute 18-song main set. However, people seemed to be fine with that, for whatever it’s worth.
I should mention that Volbeat also paid tribute to the “Prince of Darkness” with an edited take on Black Sabbath’s Children Of The Grave. They should’ve played the whole song. But again, I digress.
Halestorm was, in this writer’s opinion, the star act of the triple bill Saturday night, which also included The Ghost Inside playing a quick 7-song, 30-minute set.
Anyway, Halestorm opened their 1-hour, 12-song set with newbie Rain Your Blood On Me (preceded by a snippet of Familiar Taste Of Poison) from their upcoming album Everest. It’s scheduled to be released on August 8.
They quickly segued into I Miss The Misery followed by Love Bites (So Do I) from their second album, 2012’s The Strange Case Of…
Another earlier song, I Like It Heavy, wowed the mostly thirty-something audience with lead vocalist Lzzy Hale’s inimitable vocal talent front and center.
It sort of reminded me of a younger Melissa Etheridge. Look up a song called Your Little Secret on YouTube, for those unfamiliar with Etheridge’s work. The similarities are striking, at least to my ears they are.
Darkness Always Wins and WATCH OUT! went down well, especially given that Everest isn’t even out yet. Freak Like Me and I Get Off were the other “older” songs played.
Unfortunately, Mz. Hyde didn’t make the set. It’s arguably their best song to date. I’m sure it would’ve gone down a storm. Perhaps it’ll return to the set if they headline next year.
Before the final song in the set, Hale said she had been “mourning all week long at the loss of The Man, The Myth, The Legend… Mr. Ozzy Osbourne.”
With that, they performed a cover of Perry Mason, from Osbourne’s 1995 album Ozzmosis. It was a great way to end Halestorm’s terrific set.
The final verdict? Three out of five stars for Volbeat. Still, kudos to them for taking Halestorm out as an opener— they’re not an easy act to follow. I’m sure the members of Volbeat would agree.
