NASHVILLE |DT: AUGUST 15, 2008
FR: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN/SHAZILA MOHAMMED/
DIANA MENDOZA
It was a great day in Dallas.
The temperature: hot. The music: on fire. The crowd response: absolutely thunderous.
OZZFEST 2008 knocked it out of the park when two of the most colossal names in rock n' roll–Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne–came together for a one-day stadium spectacular that was the defining metal event of the year. The AEG Live-promoted show on Saturday, August 9 grossed nearly $3.5 million and almost 30,000 fans got to experience a 13-hour show filled with legends, cutting-edge acts and OZZFEST alumni who ignited three stages at Pizza Hut Park in the hard music-loving state of Texas, including one devoted to the state’s bands.
Fans and critics agreed that both Ozzy (in his only U.S. concert appearance through the end of 2008) and Metallica (in their OZZFEST debut) delivered powerful and memorable sets. “Ozzy's turn was his best in the area in years,” said Mike Daniel in his review of the show in the DALLAS MORNING NEWS (8/10/08), adding ”…it was dramatic and brooding yet fun as a whole, especially during fantastic turns through ‘Bark at the Moon’ and ‘Suicide Solution.’” Writing in the FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM about Metallica’s set, Teresa Gubbins noted that “…Metallica’s performance was so sharp and intense, it could’ve cut glass. (8/11/08)”
Before the sun went down, the day had an emotional moment when Hellyeah’s set transitioned into a special one-time only all-star tribute to fallen Pantera guitarist and Texas native “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott. The four-song tribute featured three Pantera classics (“Mouth for War,” “A New Level” and “Fucking Hostile”) and a moving version of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.” As musicians celebrated the achievements of Dimebag–whose December 2004 murder while performing onstage at a Columbus, Ohio club still has the hard rock/metal community reeling– video images of his life were shown on stage.
The musicians participating in the all-star tribute to Dimebag Darrell Abbott were:
Kerry King (Slayer) Scott Ian (Anthrax)
King Diamond Vinnie Paul (Pantera/Hellyeah)
Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) Mike Inez (Alice in Chains/Ozzy)
Lars Ulrich (Metallica) Nick Bowcott (Grim Reaper)
Chad Gray (Mudvayne/Hell Yeah) Bob Zilla (Damageplan/Hellyeah)
Max Cavalera (Sepultura/Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy)
Igor Cavalera (Sepultura/Cavalera Conspiracy)
“This year’s Ozzfest was a huge success,” said Sharon, “and we couldn’t be happier. There were so many great moments. We’re looking forward to coming back to Dallas next summer and hopefully expanding it to a two-day event.”
“Dallas was definitely the rock n’ roll capital of the world last Saturday,” said Randy Phillips, President and CEO of AEG Live. “Pairing Ozzy with Metallica, along with so many other great acts, was a match made in heaven for the 30,000 hardcore fans who were banging their heads at Ozzfest 2008. We can’t wait to see what Ozzy has up his sleeve for 2009, as Ozzfest just keeps getting more exciting every year.”
Why is OZZFEST such a unique event? It’s because of the family spirit that surrounds the festival, and this year's dynamic line-up encompassed artists who've played OZZFest before in different incarnations such as Serj Tankian (System of a Down); Robert Trujillo (Ozzy and now with Metallica), Jonathan Davis (Korn); Hellyeah's Vinnie Paul (Pantera) and Chad Gray (Mudvayne); Kingdom of Sorrow's Jamie Jasta (Hatebreed) and Kirk Windstein (Down); and Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Sepultura) of Cavalara Conspiracy. Other OZZFest graduates include Shadows Fall, Sevendust, Devildriver, Drowning Pool and In This Moment. The full line-up for OZZFEST 2008 was:
MAIN STAGE
Metallica
Ozzy Osbourne
Serj Tankian
Hell Yeah
Johnathan Davis
Cavalera Conspiracy
Shadows Fall
Apocalyptica
In This Moment
2ND STAGE
Sevendust
Devildriver
Kingdom Of Sorrow
Soilent Green
Witchcraft
Goatwhore
3RD STAGE
The Sword
Drowning Pool
Rigor Mortis
Within Chaos
Destro
Battle of The Bands Winners:
Debris (1st Place)
Black Tooth (2nd Place)
More than 13 years after Ozzy Osbourne started OZZFest, it remains the defining blueprint for hard rock tours and festivals that have come along since, and it has opened the door for so many of today's hard rock and metal bands. This year's OZZFest sponsors included Jägermeister, Monster Energy Drink, ESP Guitars and title sponsor Affliction Clothing.
About OZZFest:
Since 1996, OZZFest has been a virtual breeding ground for rising bands. The festival has been instrumental in igniting the careers of platinum-selling artists like System of a Down, Disturbed, Linkin Park, Incubus, Slipknot, Queens of the Stone Age, Godsmack, Avenged Sevenfold, Mudvayne, Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage and Lacuna Coil, among others. It was cited as "one of rock's biggest juggernauts" in the cover feature of Sunday's New York Times' "Arts & Leisure" section (6/25/06).
About AEG Live:
AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring for a variety of programming, and multi-media production. AEG Live, the nation's second-largest concert promotion and touring company, is comprised of special event, broadcast and exhibition divisions, fourteen regional offices, and numerous state-of-the-art venues nationwide. The company's national promotion arm is currently producing tours and productions including Bette Midler "The Showgirl Must Go On" and Cher at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas; and "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," an international tour of the artifacts of King Tut. Recent and upcoming promoted concert tours have included artists such as Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi, Hannah Montana, Spice Girls, Prince, Christina Aguilera, Kenny Chesney, So You Think You Can Dance, Paul McCartney, High School Musical, American Idols Live and The Color Purple. Goldenvoice, the company's Southern California-based regional promotion division, created and operates the award-winning annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival as well as Stagecoach: California's Country Music Festival. The company operates NOKIA Theatre at Grand Prairie in Texas, NOKIA Theatre Times Square, and recently opened NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE. For more information, go to www.aeglive.com.
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OZZFEST 2008…METALLICA AND OZZY OSBOURNE RAISE THE TEMPERATURE ON THE PLANET AT ONE-DAY STADIUM SPECTACULAR IN DALLAS, TEXAS
