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Artist News Gigs & Festivals
Sabbath still set for Download appearance
By CMU Editorial | Published on Wednesday 18 January 2012
Organisers of the Download Festival have said Black Sabbath still plan to perform at the festival this year, despite guitarist Tony Iommi recently confirming he had been diagnosed with cancer.
Speculation about the metal outfit’s Download slot followed news that Iommi’s illness meant the band wouldn’t be able to play at Californian fest Coachella as originally planned. But Download boss Andy Copping told the NME: “As far as I’m aware everything is fine. I’ve been told that Black Sabbath are going to be playing Download. I don’t want people to worry unduly about that, we should all just send our thoughts and best wishes to Tony Iommi”.
That Iommi will be able to keep a British festival date, despite being in the midst of his cancer treatment, doesn’t seem totally unlikely, given the band plan to continue working on their new album, but in the UK rather than elsewhere so Iommi can balance his work commitments with treatment dates. Presumably UK gigs will fit into that plan better than live commitments which involve a trek across the world.
The Download Festival takes place in Donington Park between 8-10 Jun.
