July 1, 2006 - Shoreline Amphitheater - Mt. View, CA

The 11th Annual Ozzfest raged through town yet again, as it has for 16 years now. The Ozzfest line-ups have led to some great shows in the past, as well as some questionable line-ups, but this particular show had to be my personal favorite. Apart from a few opening acts whom I had not heard of, the majority of the show showcased some truly talented new, and already defined acts. The quality of performances were truly on par, with only a few hit and misses here and there. Although I had some personal issues and complaints with a handful of performances, in the bigger picture this was still one of the finest productions that the Ozzfest tour had put on to date.

Something to add from a personal note - As I used to work for a “metal only” magazine years ago, I burned out on that scene long ago, enjoying only but a handful of metal bands since (although I absolutely love everything else including hard rock, industrial metal, gothic metal, etc.). For anyone else who just got disillusioned or disappointed with what happened to the concept of “metal” in the past 20 years (including the thankfully dead “rap metal”), I’m happy to say that there is a great resurgence of bands that have brought metal back to its origins.

Another thing I have found amusing is that most publications seem to dwell on Ozzfest as a veritable freak-fest with its calvacade of odd characters and social outcasts, while spending less time with the music at hand. As well, too much time is spent commenting on the tobacco, alcohol, and drug paraphernalia influences. Let’s face it, Ozzfest first and foremost is a marketing tool - and a damned effective one at that. One can argue that it might spend too much time catering the wrong ideas to a young, impressionable market, but can we assume that everyone in society is so stupid as to follow every lead given to them? And for those who do, if they were impressionable to begin with, they were going to find one path or another. Ozzfest is not baby-sitting tool - that’s a parent’s job. Ozzfest is the demonic hayride to heavy metal hell and back. It’s sole purpose is to promote new music, whilst mixing in older established music, and serving up a dose of questionable fun. It’s a show, kids.

To begin with, let’s talk about the show times for Ozzfest. Just as a serving suggestion for the future... what rocker in his partying right mind is “up and at ‘em” already at a rock concert by 9 am? More so, what band can be dragged out of bed and onto the stage by 9:15 am? That just seems ungodly, and undoubtedly illegal in some states. But that’s what happened again this year. I opted for proper rest and slept in for much of the morning show, arriving for the afternoon and evening’s portion. And with that, on with the revamp of the show...

- Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society -
Zakk Wylde has become a staple at Ozzfests, with little wonder as he is Ozzy’s musical protégé. As usual, Zakk put on a ballsy juggernaut of a show, which always seems to endear his fans. Speaking of his fans - so long as there is one person swigging a bottle of Jack Daniels, there will be a Zakk Wylde listener. He has become the staple of the beer-drinkin’ and hell raisin’ set. His guitar, as usual, churned and burned through his set with it’s trilling riffs, and piercingly tortured note squeals and wails. Vocally, the performance was a bit lacking, as Zakk’s voice seemed a bit muffled and mumbled. A mention about fashion - I think I’m becoming amused overall at the mix of Dungeons & Dragons warrior with Mad Max appearance. I see a film role in the future. “Braveheart II - The Axe Slinger." Could be. Overall it was a decent show, but at times it begins to seem like it’s all the same.

- Ozzy Osbourne -
This is the point in a journalists’ job where it becomes tough to appease anyone. One doesn’t necessarily want to upset the publicists and diehard fans (especially when the writer himself has been a fan for over 25 years), but yet, as a writer, one has to tell the truth in what one sees. So, the following comments can be said in fairness, reflect not only the opinion of this journalist, but also that of many fans questioned about the performance that they saw. After fronting Black Sabbath, and over 25 years of popularity as the Prince Of Darkness embodied, this show proved the obvious. It’s time for Ozzy to stop. It’s OK to just say no, relax, and enjoy the successes that he has earned. Ozz has had a great run, but you wouldn’t have known it from this performance. Granted the Ozzness showered the audience with his devilish grin of mischief, and seemed genuinely excited to be performing for his fans, but age, and his voice, have different plans for him.

By the time that he sang “Crazy Train,” the voice was giving out in a painfully obvious flatness. The odd mix of hearing that with the musicians almost brought to mind if anyone thought the other was out of tune. The band performed well - not great, but good. The songs were there, but it could have been a cover band compared to some of the past limelight that Ozzy has created. What keeps Ozzy going is his infectiously good nature, despite any odds. He either doesn’t bother with worrying, or just doesn’t know when he should. Either way, he is truly a boy at heart, and one whom you can’t help but love. This was especially evident in his stage mannerisms of clapping hands, and jumping up and down onstage - although his body might not be too thrilled with the latter choice. Speaking of his body, at one point he opted to lift up his shirt to flash his half-naked self, that was enough. NO! Ozz had made an announcement of wanting to play the smaller second stage at select Ozzfest shows this year to “get closer to his fans.” As the second stage area holds less people, and the announcement was not heard by most of his fans until the arrived, it seemed as though some people got cut off from seeing him perform. I have to wonder if there was an alternate reason for this change in performance times. Could it just be age, wear and tear sends him to bed sooner than his earlier party self would have liked? My personal concern was how he would handle the incredible heat of the SF Bay Area on that particular day at 4 pm. It wasn’t inviting for the rest of us, so one could imagine him in the heat onstage.

The set included older numbers, and even older numbers which included songs from the first Osbourne albums as well as Black Sabbath. It was nice to hear the old songs, although I can’t say that they sounded revitalized. But again, as it was, the vocals are the thing, and it was lacking. One thing that I feel compelled to add is that, I had personally loved Ozzy’s work for years - from the very beginnings when hitchhiking 30 miles to meet him at a Record Factory meet and greet signing - but only lately had I really delved into finding out who he was and what he had accomplished. The reality is a great marketing plan. He never wrote the biggest songs that launched his career, nor in Black Sabbath for that matter. Although some people consider him the father of heavy metal, and he did have his own delectable stage manner, he was never amongst the foremost of vocalists. What really remains now is a shell of who he has been. There comes a time in all careers when one should know when to hang it up. It seems that for Ozzy that time is now, before becoming more of a parody of himself than his reality TV show has already done for him. Let the Ozzy we’ve all loved for years rest. It’s time to enjoy that well earned rest that he deserves. Let the respect of all the years speak for themselves.

And added note: In perusing the internet, I came across an interesting article/blog that briefly gave a thought on why Ozzy was hitting the second stage at earlier hours. It mentioned how Sharon Osbourne (purportedly) had finally figured out a way to let Ozzy perform, and still give enough time to have him fly home to Los Angeles for dinner. At first I found it amusing, but upon further thoughts, it almost makes sense. If anyone has any further insight, please email us.

- Dragonforce -
What? Power metal? Here and now? It’s true! Dragonforce is a band that really surprised me. I had heard about them on MySpace (now the international music marketing tool) and looked forward to this show. Not knowing what to expect, as I had not even heard them yet, I was more than pleasantly surprised. This band brought all that made power metal of the 80s great and wrapped it all neatly into one package. Although their set was not too long (35 mins), it packed enough punch to overshadow what many bands can’t even do in two hours. Wow! And the name - this is something that may incite thoughts of Spinal Tap-ishness, but this band really delivers. Dragonforce is British band made up multi-nationally of a couple Brits, a Hong Kong-born guitarist, a Ukrainian keyboardist, and South African vocalist. All the elements that made rock music an extravaganza were here - the songs just drove home with every note, the stage performances accented with atypical jumps off of the risers, posing for the crowd, dual guitar battles, portable keyboard solos in the front stage, and more. All that was missing during this mid-daylight show was the visualized light show. With what this band gave already, that was hardly missed, but I could just imagine it.

Musically Dragonforce consists of the overdriven double-pedal drums, crisply picked guitars with searing, lightning fast solos, Dream Theater-ish scorching vocals, textured keyboards, and solid bass. There was nothing bad about this band at all. If they don’t revitalize progressively styled heavy metal, nothing else can. A most perfect blend of tunes and showmanship. Vocalist ZP Theart put his all into his screams as he belted out tune after tune. Guitarists Sam Totman - the somewhat shy one - and Herman Li - with the crowd-pleasing showmanship - ripped and shredded through the set. Keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov is one who loves to perform, jumping on and off his keyboard stand, pointing to the crowd, and running about with his strap-on keyboard (that almost sounded wrong, but you get the idea). Finally bassist Frederic Leclercq and drummer Dave Mackintosh kept the heartbeat and soul thumping throughout the set as a powerhouse metal backbone duo.

OK, so yes, I suppose this can all sound like a big kiss-up, but I’m not inspired by simplistic attempts. This band is the real deal, and their Ozzfest performance is sure to nail them into the American musical psyche.

- Avenged Sevenfold -
I first saw A7X at the San Jose Events Center in April and was promptly blown away. There is so much unwarranted media and (ex) fan attention to their image, change in sound, and more, that it really takes away from what matters - this band, and what they are creating. Avenged Sevenfold has really nailed heavy metal where it counts. The songs are driving, the vocals - although not necessarily the greatest ever - are certainly blistering, the guitar work is exceptional, and the band really does what they want, by delivering honest, tasteful, varied music in the form of heavy metal. I personally jumped on the bandwagon after their first two releases, so missing the argument of styles. All I care about is where they are headed from here, and personally they caught my attention from the get go. This show, even with a 45 minute set list, let the audience know who was in charge for the early evening. From opening with “Beast And The Harlot” from their acclaimed “City Of Evil” CD, to closing with the radio-hit “Bat Country,” A7X cemented their sound into the aural cavities. They didn’t miss a note. Given the band’s subtle dark image, it was a bit amusing to see the posing in places, but it worked for Motley Crue, and I’m sure it will work for A7X as well. What I got from the whole show was that the band is concentrated on putting on the best performance possible, which they did without a hitch. Synyster Gates’ shredding licks were much appreciated, as were the tradeoffs with rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance. Vocalist M. Shadows belted out his lyrics like he meant them, buffed arms pumping as he worked the crowd into a frenzy. Bassist Johnny Christ pounded out his four-string while stalking the stage with ominous image. The Rev is a drummer who really knows how to hold it all together. I’m sure that more will be heard about him in the near future. Also, the harmonies were present in their angelic glory. A nice touch was a cover of the Pantera song “Walk,” dedicated to fallen guitar hero Dimebag Darryl. Overall, Avenged Sevenfold really puts on a satisfying, if ear-blistering performance and almost took the show at Ozzfest.

- Lacuna Coil -
From Italy came Lacuna Coil, a very talented metal band who places progressive bits intertwined with goth, and more churning darker metal stylings to produce something that becomes uniquely their own. Granted the band is more known for their incredible beauty in the form of ethereal vocalist Cristina Scabbia, she of the perfect white toothy smile. If you’ve only seen photos of the band, you might tend to gravitate towards her photos and skip the rest, but once seeing them live, you will find that this is a most genuine band with purpose. Lacuna Coil’s music is both metal and ethereal, and definitely ear-catching. The band is set apart from others by offering a male/female co-vocalising between Cristina, and Andrea Ferro. The rest of the band is rounded out by bassist-keyboardist Marco Coti Zelati and drummer Cristiano Mozzati, along with guitarists Cristiano Migliore and Marco Biazzi - all very Italian names indeed, in case you didn’t believe. Their stage presence on this tour was interesting, with Cristina and Andrea both dressed in headwaiter fashions, while the rest of the band sported overly baggy suit pants that appeared almost clownish in nature - especially when the entire band would bend over, death-metal style - to churn their instruments and spin their heads (shades of Slayer anyone?). This band certainly left the audience impressed as the band burned through their tunes in fine, methodical form. Again, a band I had never seen before, and only had occasion to hear a scant few times, but seeing them live has made me a believer. Not a band to be missed at all, and certainly looking at only a bigger and brighter future as the days go on. And to mention, within their set they pulled out a surprising cover of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy The Silence.”

- Hatebreed -
Everyone needs to take a break from the hot day. This was my turn, so I missed this band entirely, but as my own band had opened for them in the past, I can say that this band pummels the auditory senses hard. From what I heard off in the distance, that had not changed with Hatebreed.

- Disturbed -
The band that has done a lot with darkness and despair returned again to Ozzfest to wreak disaster upon the senses. Head honcho and vocalist David Draiman brought his merry gang of metal-meisters to the stage in an onslaught of hard rock that proved you do not need as many as three chords to get the point across. Well, actually the one-chord award goes to Godsmack, but that’s another story entirely. In this case, Dave & Co plunged into the depths to bring up that which ails... Dave. Performing all their now-obligatory hits, the band churned darkly with Dan Donegan’s crunchy, heavy-laden guitar work, Mike Wengren’s solid drumming, and newcomer, bassist John Moyer (formerly of The Union Underground) holding down the low end. I like this band, but there are points that get under my skin. I find that much of the show seems to be about David Draiman and his ego. He struts about the stage, shaved head glistening in the spotlights, as a confident Gestapo guard checking on his quarry - with the added shock factor of his two curved, pointy protrusions implanted in his chin. When he speaks to the audience, I’m sure he means what he says in earnest, but it comes out as a parody of any latter day heavy metal band - with his slow, attention grabbing buildup, culminating in his defiantly booming finish of any statement that he has to say. Usually he goes on about how important heavy metal is, and how the fact that there are audience members in the seats proves that metal is a powerful force to be reckoned with. Amusing at best, but I don’t buy it. As it is, David has claimed many times that Disturbed are “old school” metal. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are absolutely not old school anything, but a mix of hard rock, nu-metal, techno-metal, and a flourish of industrial. Let’s call it what it is, Dave. Renaming the rose won’t change the smell. So the band played on through it’s set of old and new, including the latest CD’s offering - a very oddly included cover of a Genesis tune (from their pop phase, no doubt) entitled “Land Of Confusion.” The subject matter aptly fits, but it’s still Genesis. When will they appear at Ozzfest? We’ve already had a Depeche Mode cover for the day. In any case, Disturbed delivered their brand of goods, and the fans ate it up - hook and bait. A good show overall.

- System Of A Down -
SOAD - they of the impressive proboscises. This is a band whom I had seen at a previous Ozzfest and was quite blown away by their raucous performance. I wish I could say that I had the same feeling again during this day’s show, but it just wasn’t there for me. This is not to say that they weren’t good - they were - but that my tastes have either changed, or they have altered their own sound to the point where I just am not getting it anymore. The band definitely did not disappoint their fans as they offered up tastes from across their recorded plates - old and new. The show opened with “Soldier Side,” leading into “Attack” and “BYOB.” The set went on for quite a while as they kept the songs coming. They played the hits, such as “Chop Suey,” “Old School Hollywood,” “Toxicity,” and more, as well as newer offerings including songs not released yet. The lines “My cock is much bigger than yours” and “My shit stinks much better than yours” from the song “Cigaro” just kills me. That was not something I expected. And to see kids in their teens and pre-teens singing along to it in unrivaled laughter just made me think... well, it just made me wonder really. Although one should note that much of their lyrical content, as face-forward as it might be, is very much a social commentary of just how messed up our social lives are. “Violent Pornography” emphasizes to just what level we are reaching for kicks, when we associate sex with violence now. Soon rape might even be a passing party game, and Hunting For Humans might be the next Sunday afternoon sportsman’s show. I would have to say that even for those who don’t “get it” with what SOAD is about, the ideas behind it are worth a moment’s reflection.

So the band played on, including a favorite song of mine, “Aerials,” before ending the set with “Sugar.” I would have to say that Daron Malakian perhaps rants a bit much onstage, but from what I understand, that’s part of his personality. Serj spoke with the audience as well, but in a more subdued manner that carried across with a bit more meaning. Good cop, bad cop? Who knows. Either way, although the show was not quite what I personally had hoped for, the fans loved it (a LOT!) and all was well. A fitting end to what was a rather decent day all in all.

And as a final note - for those who did get to see the show, cherish it, as rumor has it this may have been the last time that System Of A Down ever tours. There is always a chance that they might get together, but it looks as though they are definitely on an extended hiatus at the least - as the members each focus on their own individual projects that they have already begun.

Written by Philip Anderson