Concert Reader Reviews:

Tour Title: Ozzfest

There are currently 7 Reader Reviews of this tour.
Average Rating: 3.67
Go to Judgment Committee Reviews of this tour

Submitted by joe (6/16/99 Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA):
Ozzfest 99... i wanted to Review the 2000 N.E. Metal Fest (VOD, Blood Has Been Shed ruled) anyhow.. As i threw things at SOAD, I wandered over to the 2nd stage where 14 yr olds were running around saying Apt 26 Rules... yea ok... Anyhow.. Godsmack was ok... I mean.. it's Godsmack.. Primus... who cares... Drain STH the Same... SLAYER who got dissed, played a hard set, excellent set list... Fear Factory couldnt get their sound right.. but it's FF, they rock... Deftones.. don't let them play an area... Rob Zombie... zzzzzz "yea why aren't you selling any more beer"!!!! Sabbath Ripped it up.. but of course....
TREE RULES ... Joe

Submitted by Perrin Ayabara (Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford, CT):
Yes, my first major festival. I had been looking forward to Ozzfest for months and just barely missed the last one. I got there two hours before the gate was opened and had to sit around awhile but it gave me the opportunity to hook up with some friends and fuckin' scream a lot at the stupid trend whores that kept showing up.
I was looking around the stores and stuff and saw something that I just had to have. This fuckin shirt that said "I fuck sheep," I bought it and put it on. I love it when people get fuckin weirded out when ya walk by them. The first band that played was Hed(pe). I'd never heard them before but they were pretty good... shit they fuckin rocked. Then Slipknot played. What the fuck is up with the two extra drummers?! Good mosh pit, though, and this fat little chinese guy kickin the shit out of everyone in the pit. "Spit...it out!" Fuckin cool.
Static X and Flashpoint suck.
Apartment 26 only made the bill b/c the frontman in Geezer's son or something. they also sucked.
From there on in I was in metalhead heaven. Godsmack kicked ass. The singer pounding away on his drums with the other drummer. Very cool. System of a Down was fuckin weird but also cool. Their guitarist was humpin the stage?! Weird shit. Primus was awesome. Les Claypool is one of the world's best bass players and the guest guitarist buckethead was fuckin sick!
Exit to the second stage for Fear Factory. I got there early after getting autographs from Dino and Christian at the booth by the entrance and got right up against the stage. There seemed to be a lot of FF fans there because everyone including me were screaming the lyrics back at Burtin. The scene was fuckin sick. One of the best performances I've ever seen.
Back inside, I missed most of the Deftones, not much of a disappointment, they suck live and they were all drunk.
Slayer fuckin rocked. Throughout their set the screen displayed fuckin sick ass acts of violence. Too bad it's so hard to mosh where the damn seats are.
Zombie put on a good show. I haven't heard any of his new stuff, but he did a lot of the old White Zombie stuff, too. "More Human than Human!!!"
Sabbath of course was great. Ozzy sounded much better than expected and the music was top notch. They really should change their set around a little. However, Sabbath are gods and they can do what they want. The pictures of Satan during "Black Sabbath" were very cool. Awesome shows, will I come back next year, fuck yeah!!!

Submitted by Ganley (6/4/99 Nissan Pavillion, Manassas, VA):
After being worried about the state of the festival, considering last year's mostly not-that-metal band line-up and the fact that Limp Bizkit and Tool were more highly regarded than Motorhead and Megadeth, I was eagerly anticipating how this year's would turn out. Well, let me put it this way, Thank you SLAYER! The day started when I and my group of friends got there early, and I mean we were the first people there, literally! After a long wait, we made it in and waited some more for the bands to start. So we trekked around and looked at the morbidly high priced merchandise. (hed) p.e. went first and we missed them. I've seen them before with fear factory and they just have WAY too much "rap & street-grooves" for me. Next we had Slipknot, and they were the unexpected killer new band of the day. The masks at first turned me off a little, but when they started playing, they just ran the stage and easily made new fans. The main drummer is actually very impressive with his kit. After that we went inside to catch System of a Down, who I personally like a lot. They weren't as good as when I've seen them before but hey, it was cool.

"SLAYER! SLAYER! SLAYER! When people chant a band's name long before they play, it should be obvious who people want to see."
We went back over to catch Puya next. What an eclectic combo, Santana meets Pantera. Next was Flashpoint. This is when I KNEW something was wong. These guys were like silverchair on ritalin. Exit me. Static-X was up next and these guys are ok for a song or 2 but after a while you notice 2 things: The drum beat is exactly the same in each song and the guitars are very unimaginative. Chugging on one chord the whole time is a little juvenile. Back inside, Godsmack was playing. This was another downfall of the day. A very disapponting, watered down "heavy music" for MTV they are. Next was Primus, I love 'em but felt guilty watching them when a METAL band could have been in their place. A good set nonetheless. (No Possessed though!) SLAYER! SLAYER! SLAYER! When people chant a band's name at shows long before they play, it should be obvious who people want to see. They Killed! No stage setup or rapping here, just pure Reign in Blood thrash and *gasp* METAL!, something I desperatly needed. "Chemical Warfare," "Angel of Death," "Bitter Peace," and "War Ensemble" made their way aroung the Pavillion beating Korn fans to a pulp. Beutiful it was, until I was told to sit down! People are allowed to stand and dance to Godsmack, and I can't headbang to my heroes?

"I was just streamlined from seeing Slayer and Fear Factory within the timespan of about an hour."
Next up, Fear Factory. What a show they put on, the WHOLE crowd was by the 2nd stage for them. I managed to nestle my way up front! yippee. "Demanufacture" came through as did "Martyr" and "Shock." Great set. We then met Dino and the guys from Slipknot and got a few autographs. A word on Slipknot, these guys were walking around the place the whole day meeting fans, that earns them a great deal of respect from me. As the Deftones played on, I was just streamlined from seeing Slayer and Fear Factory within the timespan of about an hour. Whew! My friend who drove wasn't feeling so good so we left, missing Rob Zombie, thank god, and unfortunately Sabbath. Oh well, there'll be another reunion tour! Overall 2/3 of the bands could have been better but hey, I had a crazy sense of fun for the day.

Submitted by Keith (6/21/99):
Fat topless women couldn't keep me from seeing Black Sabbath's last tour! Saturday, June 19, 1999 was all about one thing: OzzFest! I've been to all three OzzFests and this one rocked just as hard, if not harder, than the last two. I'll briefly list what I think were the highlights of the show.
First, Fear Factory. Fear Factory commanded a capacity audience at the second stage. Why they were on the second stage is beyond me. It was the most energized part of the day. The sun was still out and everyone was in a great mood. They were loving it. We were loving it. Nobody even seemed to mind the Gary Neuman cover.
Second, Slayer. Slayer kicks ass! This was the first time I've seen them (and it won't be the last) and they fully lived up to my expectations.
Finally, Black Sabbath. It amazes me that guys that old and burned out can get up on stage following so many awesome bands and still kick ass! How do they do it? Bill Ward is the number one pick for the "death-pool" but he still beats the shit of his drums. Tony Iommi still follows one my number one rules of life: take a good guitar and plug it into a good amp and turn it up loud. He sounds great. I love a good shredder as much as the next guy but Tony proves you gotta have soul (even if your soul is black and bloodstained!). Then there is Ozzy--'nuf said! Most importantly, Sabbath looked like they were having fun. They were really jamming. Not just playing the songs. They were making music. I can't believe that just when they are starting to groove, they are gonna call it quits.
Some down sides to OzzFest:
One, too many fat ugly women with their shirts off and breasts painted. Who decided this was a good idea?
Two, Hartford sucks.
Three, Drain STH didn't play.

Submitted by Cynthia (6/24/99):
Boy do I love being female! I go to Ozzfest 99 in Hartford pumped to see some great bands and spend some quality time with 15 of my closest metal friends for a day of metal. Completely unaffected by porn and sex and all things baaaad (yeah baby!), I walk in to see two women on a stage making out in front of a crowd of beer swilling men (and women, I might add) and several women walking around topless but with their breasts painted like eyeballs, or some other failed attempt at "artwork" as if that were sufficient enough to not be wearing a shirt or even a tank top! Some women should not be walking around like that even at a metal show!
Having never been to an Ozzfest, I was psyched to experience and soak in everything including some frosty beverages because it was damn hot that day and we walked to the show from downtown for what seemed like 4 miles. As I walk around inside with my pals, after shelling out a whopping $6 for a beer, I checked out the "scene" and was a bit overwhelmed by a slew of booths and tents hocking overpriced jewelry, clothing, tatoos, piercings, posters, t-shirts, knickknacks, and anything under the sun (which was beginning to burn my shoulders) that a common metal head sucker like me might buy as a memento of the "occasion". I bought a cool Slayer baseball hat. And it was an occasion indeed! How often does one get the chance to see Slayer and Black Sabbath at the same show? We were all psyched!
Alas, we arrived in time to catch System of a Down on the main stage. We listened to their CD on the way up to the show and it was goof. They have a clean and contemporary live sound that blends well into the "nu metal" scene, but with a twist of something non-metal: jazz, Latin…that I can’t put my finger on but I liked it anyway. For a seemingly underground band, the seats were half full of diehard fans as we found our way to our respective seating and listened to the band for a while but I mostly sat and people watched. It was early in the day after all. Highlight: Q-Bert
Next up was Godsmack, another new band with a hit single and a new CD. I thought they were impressive. Their set was tight and they closed with their popular radio hit "Whatever", the only song I knew unfortunately. The music was loud and articulate and the crowd seemed into these neophytes as well which was a plus. I’m less inspired to rage for a band that nobody else seems into. Peer pressure maybe but a) there’s usually a good reason why people like and dont like certain bands and b) I wouldn’t want to look like a jackass thrashing around by myself.
I was excited to see Drain STH on the side stage, the all female Swedish metal band with stunningly gorgeous band members and a great sound. I got a chance to catch them in NYC last summer at Coney island High and they smoked, for grrrls. (kidding) But apparently, Flavia, the lead singer couldn’t sing because she was sick, had teeth problems, or something rumored like that so they bailed on the show (along with Judas Priest because they’re recording a new album). Dammit!
Time to kill and back to the booths for food and some shopping. The two women were still making out and as the sun beat down, more women with bare breasts! Then, as the sun began to set low in the sky we chilled at the main stage for Primus, and interesting band live. Punk, funk with metal riffs but too silly for me (no offense to the fans) but songs like "Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver" and "My Name is Mud" don’t cut if for me. The only problem is that we know the songs by heart anyway. What helped though again, was that the sound in the theater was crystal clear and Primus have a good goofy stage presence. Highlight: I saw a guy on stage with Primus in a mask, twirling nun-chucks at it was rumored to be the one and only Tom Araya from Slayer. That was cool!
It blew me away that an amazing band like Slayer had to open up for The Deftones and Rob Zombie. Hello? It seemed so unfair and depressing for the people who showed up late to see Sabbath because they missed the highlight of the whole event. Slayer is an astonishing band! They have as big a cult following in the metal community as The Grateful Dead did for the hippies and their sound is timeless and pure metal. A good strong set, and a few classics. Hardcore Slayer fans are my favorite ! Yeah baby! Highlights: Mandatory Suicide and South of Heaven.
Fear Factory was the only band I made an effort to see on the side stage. Since no band was playing on the main stage at the time, the place was packed so I chose to stand on the hill and watch the band from a good vantage point. These guys had a different, modern and industrial techno-metal sound that seems better live than in the studio recordings. More creative and warmer. A lot of their songs are very similar but there seemed to be a lot of people around who knew the words to all of their songs. They did play an interesting remake of the famous one hit wonder Gary Neuman’s "Cars". Is this a new trend now? Highlight: Remanufacture (Demanufacture)
The Deftones were pretty much just loud and fast. I was always under the assumption that this band fell into the hardcore category more than metal and a friend told me that they turned down Ozzfest 98 because they thought they catered to the Warped Tour crowd more than anything. Well, here they were and they seemed more metal than anything else so I think it was a nice addition to the lineup for 99. I was glad to catch them because I missed them the last few times they’ve come to the city. Wasn’t their hit single called "Nosebleed"?
Rob Zombie had the most elaborate stage show. Besides his signature corpse-like costume and face paint, his music is predictable but entertaining. I think he was the only act of the show that you could "dance" around to as opposed to mosh or headbang to (Slayer). He had the usual 666 on the drum kit, lights, fire, and 2 go-go dancers but that didn’t make up for the mainstream aspect of his music now. I kind if wish that White Zombie were still around. That’s where his unique sound originated and now Rob just continues on as a solo act with new songs that sound like old ones and a lot of radio airplay. Highlights: Thunder Kiss 1965, More Human than Human (old White Zombie tunes)
Alas, after a long break, Sabbath came out with a bang…no more like a boom. The sun was finally down and the dark night sky made for an appropriate setting for the pioneers of metal. They played a good mix of classics and Ozzy seemed happy and upbeat, for a metal god, doing his usual running, clapping, frog-jumping? And wide-eyed sneering at the crowd. The crowd was into it and this venue was fantastic for the show. Ozzy had a lot of energy and made a few cracks about drinking and partying which we all had done plenty of by then. The set was smooth and flowed through their years like an anthology and Tony had a little solo set that left me truly awestruck. I liked the water that sprayed from the Ozzfest sign hanging above the stage. Didn’t sit down once! Highlights for me: Black Sabbath (lighters and all), NIB (one of my favorites of all time), and Electric Funeral
All in all, I’d say that the day was excellent. Despite a few personal setbacks: lost sunglasses, no copy of the band schedule, and no Drain STH, it was a good day and a pleasure to attend a metal show with my good friends and some good music. I ended up spending less money than I thought I would although i acquired a new hat, a mild sunburn, and pure exhaustion. Love those summer festivals: freaks, nudity, metal! Rock on!

Submitted by Jim (8/7/99, The Meadows):
Ozzy rules! That's all there is to say. Maybe I had lowered my own expectations for Black Sabbath being that there getting up in age, but I was blown away. The guy is in his fifties and he can still put on a great show. Some other sets that impressed me include: Slayer, Godsmack (sick percussion), System of A Down (but dude, chill on the message a bit and just fucking play). The event as a whole was very well organized. The Meadows is a great venue (surprisingly due to the fact that it is in a shit hole of a city). The place was kept clean throughout the show despite some drunken/drugged individuals trying their best to screw things up. That's not to say that one shouldn't be drunk or drugged (I fully support that behaviour), but just don't act like a jackass. There were entirely too many nuckleheads who wouldn't be happy until they were fighting. Look, if you need to get out some aggression, why not go to the pit (was there a pit? maybe that was the problem). On another note, six dollar beers is a little extreme. How soon will it be until we find ourselves shelling out $10 for a beer? What ever you do, don't spill it!

Submitted by War (8/7/99):
There are alot of things in life (and death) I like. Horses (as I am a rider of the Apocalypse), women, beer, and a fair fight. I am also pretty fond of music, especially heavy metal. The Ozzfest was a great opportunity to combine many of these interests into one great package. Would the bands be able to surprise and delight a metal veteran like myself? Would the metal community be out in full chaotic force? Would Black Sabbath play the same tired setlist that they have played the past few tours? Fear not gentle reader, all questions shall be answered, as WAR is your guide and he will not mislead you.
Entering the concert I could sense that this was going to be a good time. The crowd was a varied array of metalheads, skate rats, beer swilling jocks, and even a few nuclear type families. Most people seemed to be having a great time already, smiles were on everyones' faces. I for one was happy to be there with the rest of the Four Horsemen and assorted groupies and hangers on. One kid even asked what band we were in.
The concert was divided into three main areas, the main covered outdoor stage, a second small stage for the up and comers, and what I can only describe as commercialism land. Commericalism land is the home of $6 beers, $3 hotdogs, and the typical carny style "everyone wins a prize!" but you all lose your money type booths. Strategically setup so that you had to travel through it each time you went from the main to the second stage. A sweeter setup for the event promoters and vendors could not have been realized without literally sucking money with a vacuum out of peoples pockets as they entered the venue. But honestly I was happy to have the beer there (one of the finer things in life, remember?) and by my second one I had forgotton about the price. So onto the show.
The first band that I saw in its entirety was Sytem of a Down. While I had heard the album before I had not bought into the bands music yet. The audience was particularly lazy during their set and I could count the number of people standing up and getting into the music on one hand. What a bunch of fools. This band was putting on a great show! I was converted after couple of songs and felt a great urge to strike out at the masses and tell them to wake up! However, the lead singer was adequately chastizing the audience for their malaise, so I remainedsilent.
After System of a Down, we traveled to the second stage to catch a glimpse of the lovley ladies of Drain S.T.H., stopping only to grab more beer. Alas! It would seem that Drain would not appear because one of the girls needed an emergency lobotomy, I think, or some such arcane medical procedure.
Stopping only to grab a beer, we headed back to the main stage to see Godsmack. Again a band I had been unimpressed with at first listen. Wow! This band was heavy and played great. Unlike System, they had the audience eating it up.
Next up was Primus. I was really looking forward to seeing this band. I had hoped to be blown away. Unfortunately their set was utterly forgettable.
Then it happened. The greatest metal band to ever grace an audience with their presence and then spit in it's collective face was here. Slayer took the stage. The crowd rose up and surged forward with an urgency and sense of anticipation that can only be felt when true artists begin to perform. Slayer played many great tunes with highlights including Chemical WARfare and WAR Ensemble. My only complaint was that Slayer's rightful position as lead in to Sabbath was usurped by the Deftones and Rob Zombie. One day a reckoning shall come.
After Slayer came the Deftones a veritable yawnfest from my point of view. They most certainly did not capture the audience the way Slayer had. I wondered what kind of jerk would give this band preferential billing when they have no real history, no real presence, and no real talent. Definitely my least favorite band of the evening.
Rob Zombie had an excellent array of lighting effects, explosions, movie clips, and go go dancers. While he is not a favorite of mine his show was mesmerizing and worked well with his music. It was nice to see an artist who cares so much about giving his fans the most bang (literally) for their buck.
After that there isnt much to tell. I got a beer and Black Sabbath took the stage and played the usual set list. While I wanted to hear other selections it was still great to see Ozzy and Tony in their diametrically opposed white and black outfits feed off of the audience and each other.
All in all this was a great show. It was very fun to celebrate old favorites and discover new bands in one concert. Athough the crowd seemed quite diverse at the start of the show, by the end we were all just one big happy chaotic metal family. And isnt that what it's all about? At least until I decide to start World WAR III ? WAR's note: Although I left out a few bands and my order of the bands is not necessarily exactly how they appeared to others, remember one thing. I am WAR. My perceptions, if questioned, may be forced upon you with violence. If this is a problem for you fight me.

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