Ozzfest Yahoo News Review
Concert review: Ozzfest 2005, by Mick StingleyTue Jul 19, 8:36 AM ET
MANSFIELD, Mass. (Hollywood Reporter) - The heavy metal traveling circus named for celebrity rocker Ozzy Osbourne kicked off its 10th anniversary Friday at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Mass. It was an all-day event on two stages: 20 bands from all genres of metal played to a sold-out crowd of nearly 15,000.
Founded as a reaction to mainstream disinterest in metal, Ozzfest has since become a high-profile showcase for new bands. The downside is the overwhelming number of vendors. In addition to inflated prices for T-shirts and refreshments ($5 for a hot dog, $7.50 for a beer), there was the curious presence of the U.S. Marine Corps, which was actively recruiting throughout the day.
It is shocking to consider this incongruity when the namesake of the festival performed the anthem "War Pigs" three songs into his headlining set. With his hugely influential and beloved band Black Sabbath, Ozzy played the anti-war parable written during Vietnam. The audience nearly overpowered him as it sang the strong words about war, which resonate so effectively today: "In the fields the bodies burning as the war machine keeps turning." Fans seemed blissfully unconcerned as they got their rock on to cheer a legend.
Whether mooning the crowd or bleating horribly off-key, Ozzy was as hapless and charming onstage as he is on television. But he seems like he is just going through the motions. It is time to bow out gracefully or take it to Vegas.
He should pass the torch to Iron Maiden. Maiden held the second slot to Sabbath and in 70 minutes walked away with the entire show. The six-piece band benefits mostly from Bruce Dickinson, one of the few performers on Ozzfest who actually sings. The band favored songs from its first four releases and treated the crowd to such classics as "The Number of the Beast," "The Trooper" and "Phantom of the Opera."
All of Maiden's songs feature the doubling and tripling of melodic guitars over galloping bass lines and Dickinson's near-operatic vocals. The stage show is very theatrical, featuring a number of backdrops from album covers, puppetry and band mascot Eddie, a monstrous costumed man on stilts who lumbers around while guitarists race frantically about the stage. Iron Maiden is the standout on this tour and -- to paraphrase Dickinson -- the band rocks "like a bastard!"
Another standout on the main stage was Black Label Society, the project of Zakk Wylde, who also is Ozzy's guitarist when the singer performs solo. BLS plays heavy Southern blues-boogie, and Wylde alone brought the spirit of unpredictability and danger to a decidedly innocuous event. His devil-may-care attitude and slight inebriation had him walking right off the stage to jam in the thick pit of fans; at one point he handed off his guitar to a fan, leaving everyone cheering.
The Hot Topic-sponsored second stage was headlined by Rob Zombie, who played his first show in three years. He sounded fine, if a bit rusty, and played his hits, though he could not resist plugging his new movie, "The Devil's Rejects," which opens July 22. His presence seemed little more than a promotional event for his film.
Few bands stood out as so many new acts rely on sheer vocal intensity akin to growling. Highlights from the second stage included Arch Enemy and Mastodon, who played brief sets but seemed to own the crowds. Arch Enemy is a female-fronted thrash metal band whose comely blonde singer, Angela Gossow, can snarl with the best of them. Mastodon is just plain heavy, with thick guitar riffs and a fat bass sound that recalls early Sabbath.
Source: Yahoo! News
Many thanks to Azrael63 of the Maiden BB
5 Comments
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In addition to inflated prices for T-shirts and refreshments ($5 for a hot dog, $7.50 for a beer), there was the curious presence of the U.S. Marine Corps, which was actively recruiting throughout the day.
There are no words for the anger I feel when I read this.
mastadon is not plain heavy!they are just yelling!not good music in my opinion...
I've heard those bands that play on the second stage There just grunting and untuned Instruments, kinda weak. And ozzy's voice isnt what it used to be. I'm going for the sole purpose to see Iron Maiden Who will steal the Show.
Mastodon was generic, loud and unpleasant. This type of noise is very common and I guess could be called metal and has all the appeal of listening to a floor sander. What ever happened to adding a little meody to music?
Military recruting at Ozzfest? That is low.
I happen to like Mastodon quite a lot. Other than a lack of guitar solos, they rock hard and I'm looking forward to seeing them with Maiden in Toronto in about a weeks time.