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Ozzfest
2008 |
Gates
opened at 10am and even that early the line was wrapping around
the building and snaking out into the parking lot. Once inside
many headed straight to the main stage (located on Pizza Hut Park’s
soccer field) Second and third stage got the day started with bands such as Soilent Green and Kingdom of Sorrow – both of which pulled in huge crowds and got the moshing started. Drowning Pool and The Sword wrapped things up on the third stage while Devil Driver and Sevendust rounded out the second stage and then the crowds piled into the stadium for the main event. |
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| Apocalyptica, coming all the way from Finland, might have surprised some by showing up with cellos but they proved quickly they could rock just as hard as any other group there. Busting out some Metallica covers they had the crowd roaring their approval and even impressed security down in the pit. Shadows Fall and Cavalera Conspiracy followed, pumping the crowd up more but it was Hell Yeah’s set that really got things going.
The crowd didn’t have long to catch their breath before Metallica hit the stage, pyro and all, and kicked things off with “Creeping Death”. Classics like “For Whom The Bell Tolls” and “Enter Sandman” followed and they even graced the crowd with “Cyanide”, a song off their new album, “Death Magnetic”, due out in September. “Merciful Fate”, with the amazing King Diamond, and “Seek and Destroy” finished out was had proven to be an amazing day that no one is likely to forget. Click here for the entire Ozzfest 2008 Photo Gallery!!!
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to claim their spot in the pit while others wandered in the area
of the second and third stages and the numerous vendor booths.
With everyone from kids no older than 7 or 8 to fans in their
60s and above it was a diverse crowd and everyone was ready to
rock. And of course you had your memorable fans – one man
had a hat he’d made using the action figures of members
of Metallica. And then of course there was the woman on her boyfriend’s
shoulders, waving a Confederate flag – and topless. It’s
not a Metal show without a topless woman.
Impressive
all on their own, Hell Yeah announced that everyone was in for
a surprise and half way through their set we saw what it was.
An amazing tribute to the late, great “Dimebag” Darrell
Abbot – Pantera guitarist and Texas native – brought
out some of the best musicians to hit the stage. Featuring Dimebag’s
brother, Vinnie Paul, Kerry King (Slayer), Jerry Cantrell and
Mike Inez (Alice in Chains), King Diamond, Scott Ian (Anthrax),
Kirk Hammet (Metallica), Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed/Kingdom of Sorrow)
and others it was a moving tribute – with songs like “Mouth
For War”, “New Level” and “Wish You Were
Here” - to a man who those in the hard rock community still
miss to this day. Even the fans had their own tribute, with one
woman holding up a framed picture of the fallen musician and Abbot’s
long time partner, Rita Haney on stage filming it all.
Serj
Tankian followed, winning cheers from the crowd, but it was clear
everyone was ready for the two headliners that followed. The sun
was still shining, though it was headed toward the horizon, when
the two huge screens to either side of the stage began to show
a hilarious video of scenes from various movies/TV shows with
Ozzy edited into the mix. As chants of “Ozzy! Ozzy!”
began to fill the stadium the man himself came out, all smiles,
and the crowd erupted into a deafening roar. The set kicked off
with “I Don’t Wanna Stop” and from there moved
on to classics like “Mr. Crowley”, “Crazy Train”
– with an amazing guitar solo by Zakk Wylde, and “Mama,
I’m Coming Home”. Of course it wouldn’t be Ozzy
if he only sang and it turned out he had a unique way of dealing
with the heat – buckets of water and a fire hose. But Ozzy
is a kind soul and so he didn’t leave the sweltering crowd
wanting. After dunking his head in the buckets he threw the water
out onto the crowd, and if that wasn’t enough they got the
hose. Paying no attention to the time, Ozzy played a good thirty
minutes longer than scheduled, but hey – who’s going
to tell Ozzy he has to get off stage? It’s his show! Finishing
the set was Zakk Wylde with Henrick’s ‘Star Spangled
Banner’ and a fireworks show that was seen and heard for
miles.