By The Riff Report – where all roads lead back to loud amps and daft chaos. Tidy!
What’s occurring, metalheads? Gather round, because this one’s a proper job of an origin tale — part myth, part mischief, part “only at a festival, mun.” This is the true story of how Bat Sabbath — the most gloriously unhinged Black Sabbath tribute set you’ll ever witness — was born out of festival madness, fog machine warfare, and a cheeky bit of Sonisphere confusion. 🤘🔥
🌑 2011: SONISPHERE, CHAOS, AND A LITTLE IDEA THAT GOT VERY LOUD
Back in 2011, the lads were already booked to tear up Sonisphere UK. Everything was normal… until their agent pipes up with:
“Fancy doing a cover set in the party tent after the headliners?”
Now, these boys don’t need to be asked twice to jump into a late-night musical scrap. They love a party. They live for a party. They are the party.
So the conversation starts…
A few beers later…
A few riffs later…
And BOOM. 💥
“Let’s do a full Black Sabbath set.”
No half-measures, no casual jamming.
A FULL, doom-drenched, Tony-Iommi-blessed, Ozzy-approved (probably? maybe?) set of the heaviest god-tier riffs ever written.
Bat Sabbath was born.
Somewhere between the band, their agent Liam, and the festival organisers, the name just… materialised. Like some demonic bat flying out of a Brummie cavern.
They didn’t announce it.
They didn’t tease it.
They just dropped the name “Bat Sabbath” on the Sonisphere schedule and let the rumour mill do what it does best:
Make absolute mayhem.
🤘“IS THAT… THE FOO FIGHTERS?!” — THE RUMOURS BEGIN
This is where it gets lush.
Because the name was mysterious, and the festival crowd was very pinted-up, rumours started swirling…
“Mate, I heard it’s the Foo Fighters doing a secret set!”
“Bro, it says ‘Bat Sabbath’ — that’s clearly Dave Grohl.”
“Shut up, you daft sod, Grohl loves Sabbath — it HAS to be them.”
The rumours got so intense that Mikey slapped a big FF on his kick drum, just to keep the chaos going. 😅
Imagine the crowd’s faces when the smoke clears (eventually), and instead of Grohl, they’re greeted by the heaviest Sabbath tribute carnage ever conceived inside a tent.
Only in Britain, mun. 🤣
🔥 THE SMOKE MACHINE MASSACRE: ENTER SISTERS OF MERCY
Here’s where it becomes full sitcom energy.
Before Bat Sabbath took the stage, Sisters of Mercy performed — a band known for using enough smoke to make a Welsh valley jealous.
They left TONNES of smoke machines on stage.
So what do our heroes do?
Turn them off and be sensible?
C’mon butt. Of course not.
They fired them ALL up.
Every single one.
Maxed out.
Obliterated visibility.
Created a biblical fog that would make Gandalf proud.
The band could barely find their instruments.
The crowd could barely see the band.
The tent looked like the inside of a vape god’s lungs.
Absolute scenes. 😂
And yet… the place was PACKED. Jammed. Overflowing.
Metalheads chanting, moshing, losing their minds.
The first ever Bat Sabbath show was a triumph of noise, smoke, and pure joy.
🌍 THE LEGEND SPREADS — AND CANADA CALLS
The set was so wild that videos exploded across the internet all the way back to Canada.
Promoters saw the carnage.
They heard the riffs.
They felt the smoke damage through their screens.
And suddenly they’re asking:
“Can we get Bat Sabbath over here?”
You bet your ass they could. 😈
🖤 14 YEARS LATER — THE LOVE FOR SABBATH STILL ROARS
Fast forward 14 years, and the beast known as Bat Sabbath is STILL thundering across stages, still honouring the lords of heavy metal, still riffing with absolute devotion, and still loving every bloody minute of it.
No gimmicks.
No irony.
Just pure, undying, full-volume love for Black Sabbath — the band that started it all.
The smoke machines?
The chaos?
The Foo Fighters rumours?
Still legendary.
And Bat Sabbath?
Still fucking loving it.
Still bringing the doom.
Still making the walls shake.
🤘 FINAL WORD FOR THE FANS
Raise a pint.
Throw the horns.
And remember:
From a secret late-night festival slot…
To internet folklore…
To a full-blown international riff crusade…
Bat Sabbath were born out of the most rock ’n’ roll decision ever:
“Yeah alright, let’s play Sabbath. ALL of Sabbath.”
Lush. Absolutely lush. 🎸🔥🦇
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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