Chicago Sun-Times: OZZY's Shopworn Act Gets A Pass From Fans At Fest

July 22, 2003

Anders Smith Lindall of Chicago Sun-Times reviewed the Ozzfest 2003 tour when it came through town Sunday (July 20).

"The Dark Wizard of Ozz brought his annual traveling show, Ozzfest, to the Tweeter Center on Sunday, but his headlining set showed he should have mothballed the microphone and mascara long ago," he wrote.

"That was evident from the moment Osbourne appeared, tottering gingerly to center stage. He looked fragile — and then he opened his mouth. His singing voice, never too technically impressive even 30 years ago, has degenerated into an incoherent, tuneless mewl.

"Of course, none of this was a surprise to anyone unlucky enough to witness Ozzy's humiliating buffoon act on 'The Osbournes', or any of his recent tours. Much to the contrary, in fact: Sunday's throng of thousands knew fully what to expect, and they stood and whooped and sang along anyway, offering Ozzy a kind of lifetime achievement award with their vocal support.

"The crowd chanted along to the chestnuts (like BLACK SABBATH's ever-timely 'War Pigs'),waved lighters and warbled out the power ballads (OZZY's 'Goodbye to Romance') and even joined in on the set's relative obscurities ('N.I.B.'). They didn't seem to mind that the onetime 'Iron Man' looked more like a poster boy for Metamucil." Read more.

To read a slightly different perspective on this gig from Jeff Pizek at Daily Herald, click here.

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