Ozzfest - the king of festivals ??" triumphantly returns this summer to celebrate its hard-earned 10th anniversary with the staggering line-up of BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN, ROB ZOMBIE, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, SHADOWS FALL and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. The summer’s premier concert festival ??" which has propelled many of today’s rock bands to superstardom while paying close attention to its discerning fans ??" will roll out July 15 in Boston and visit 26 cities by the time it reaches West Palm Beach on September 4. The Hot Topic Second Stage will be headlined by ZOMBIE and feature a preview of rock’s rising stars, including AS I LAY DYING, MASTODON, THE HAUNTED, IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, BURY YOUR DEAD, SOILWORK, TRIVIUM, IT DIES TODAY, A DOZEN FURIES and more.
“I’m most proud of the success of Ozzfest,” says founder Sharon Osbourne. “Everyone said it would never happen and 10 years later we are still in business.” In fact, 125 bands, 238 shows and over 4 million fans later, the all-day extravaganza of music and deranged merriment is roaring louder than ever. History in the making, 2005 marks the first time metal legends BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN have toured together and also represents IRON MAIDEN’s first Ozzfest appearance.
IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson said, “This summer’s MAIDEN touring is based on the recent Early Days DVD and all the songs we do at Ozzfest will be from our first four albums ??” Iron Maiden, Killers, Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind. We will be bringing over our full European show, naturally including as special guest Eddie in various appropriate guises!! The stage sets, production and backdrops will recreate aspects of the shows on the tours around those albums ??" only bigger…much bigger!!! We don’t know if anyone has done anything like this before but we think it’s something the fans will really appreciate both in the choice of songs and in the production values."
Also debuting on the tour will be Texas-based band A DOZEN FURIES who landed their coveted Hot Topic Second Stage slot after winning Ozzy and Sharon’s MTV “Battle For Ozzfest” reality series competition. Debuting last fall and lasting right up until the February launch of the fourth and final season of the Emmy-award winning “The Osbournes,” “Battle For Ozzfest” is the ultimate battle of the bands, with contestants having survived 2004’s grueling Ozzfest challenges.
This year, a limited number of fans who purchase OZZY OSBOURNE’s first-ever 51-song, four-CD retrospective box set Prince Of Darkness (out March 22 of Epic Records) will be able to obtain one free Ozzfest ticket. The initial pressing of the box set will feature a precedent-setting promotion allowing fans to buy one Ozzfest general admission ticket and get one free.
Ozzfest, originally launched in 1996 as a limited two-city trek, has become a virtual breeding ground for up-and-coming bands. The renowned second stage has been instrumental in catapulting the careers of SYSTEM OF A DOWN, LINKIN PARK, LIMP BIZKIT, INCUBUS, SLIPKNOT, DISTURBED, GODSMACK and CHEVELLE. “Playing Ozzfest ??” twice ??" will always be among the highlights of our career," notes drummer Samuel Loeffler of CHEVELLE, who most recently appeared in the festival’s 2003 line-up. “Personally speaking, I was honored and somewhat nervous about sharing the stage with Ozzy, but finally felt comfortable after both he and Sharon patted me on the ass.”
The heavy metal juggernaut has earned a hallowed position in the busiest tour season with a relentless commitment to its core fans and the consistency of quality they demand as their birthright. Just as the festival is committed to presenting the best music, it also provides an interactive, multi-sensory experience for concert-goers with a wide-range of attractions. The traveling show’s notorious “Village Of The Damned” ??" alive with tattoo artists, piercing booths, state-of-the-art video games, a wide range of vendors and much more ??" promises to be wickedly tempting.
JUDAS PRIEST ??" one of the biggest attractions on last year’s tour ??" declared: “We were thrilled to be part of such a unique moment in heavy metal history that will be remembered forever!” Jonathan Davis ??" lead singer for KORN, who pounded the main stage in 2003 ??" added, ‘Ozzy and Ozzfest are some of the cornerstones of metal. I loved playing in front of the Ozzfest crowd, the fans at those shows were f$*#ing amazing."
In addition to drawing vital hard rock acts, Ozzfest has always attracted a variety of select sponsors devoted to the tour’s core fan base. Hot Topic ??" returning to host the second stage ??" will be the festival’s official soft line teen retailer. Throughout the day, Tama drums and Ibanez guitars will proudly showcase their arsenal in the Village. F.Y.E. (For Your Entertainment) is on board for the fifth consecutive year as the official music retailer and will host the FYE autograph tent giving fans the opportunity to meet some of their favorite Ozzfest artists. Trojan brand condoms will also have presence in the Village as the official latex condom of Ozzfest. Jagermeister will once again bring the backyard BBQ party back to Ozzfest and prove their commitment to metal music with artist autograph signings and tons of free swag for attendees 21 and over.
Here are the Ozzfest tour dates:
Jul. 15 - Boston, MA - Tweeter Center
Jul. 17 - Hartford, CT - Meadows
Jul. 19 - Camden, NJ - Tweeter Waterfront
Jul. 21 - Buffalo, NY - Darien Lakes
Jul. 23 - Pittsburgh, PA - Post Gazette
Jul. 24 - Washington, DC - Nissan
Jul. 26 - New York, NY - PNC
Jul. 30 - Chicago, IL - Tweeter Center
Jul. 31 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center
Aug. 02 - Columbus, OH - Germain Amphitheatre
Aug. 04 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
Aug. 06 - East Troy, WI - Alpine Valley
Aug. 07 - Minneapolis, MN - Floatrite Park
Aug. 11 - Seattle, WA - White River
Aug. 13 - San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug. 14 - Sacramento, CA - Sleep Train
Aug. 16 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Pavilion
Aug. 18 - Phoenix, AZ - Cricket
Aug. 20 - Los Angeles, CA - Hyundai Pavilion at Glen Helen
Aug. 23 - Albuquerque, NM - Journal Pavilion
Aug. 25 - Dallas, TX - Smirnoff
Aug. 27 - Houston, TX - Cynthia J. Woods Pavilion
Aug. 28 - San Antonio, TX - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Aug. 31 - Nashville, TN - Starwood Amphitheatre
Sep. 02 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon
Sep. 04 - West Palm Beach - Sound Advice