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Ozzy Osbourne to front Black Sabbath on this year's Ozzfest
Rather than bringing his solo band to all of this summer's Ozzfest dates, tour namesake Ozzy Osbourne instead will handle vocals for Black Sabbath during much of the outing.
According to the tour's publicist, Black Sabbath--which will feature original members Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, as well as well as Osbourne solo-band member Mike Bordin on drums--will play 26 Ozzfest dates, starting on July 10 in Hartford, CT.
Black Sabbath is supporting its new eight-CD/one DVD box set, "Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978)." The Ozzfest dates will mark the band's first live appearances since 2001.
Besides Osbourne or Black Sabbath, this year's Ozzfest main stage will feature '80s rockers Judas Priest (fronted by Rob Halford for the first time in a decade), Slayer , Dimmu Borgir, Superjoint Ritual (featuring Phil Anselmo) and Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society.
The second stage will sport a lineup of Slipknot, Hatebreed, Lamb of God, Atreyu and 10 other acts.
Ozzfest founder--and Osbourne's wife/manager--Sharon Osbourne said in a statement that fans will have a full day to look forward to when the tour touches down in their city.
"The music starts at 9:30 a.m. and doesn't stop until Ozzy leaves the stage at 11:00 p.m.," she said. "What they get is 20-plus bands, 13 and a half hours of non-stop music on two stages, and enough rock insanity to last them until the next year for about the same amount they'd pay to get into [Six Flags] Magic Mountain [amusement park]. And seeing Ozzy onstage is a better ride than any f---ing rollercoaster."
This year's Ozzfest production will require 20 trucks, 40 buses and 525 crew members, according to promoter Clear Channel Entertainment.
