OZZY OSBOURNE Rejoined By MIKE BORDIN For SUNSET STRIP Performance

FIREWIND guitarist Gus G. played his second concert with OZZY OSBOURNE last night (Saturday, September 12) at the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival (SSMF). Also returning to Ozzy's performing lineup was drummer Mike Bordin, who did not join the singer for the BlizzCon concert on August 22 due to Bordin's touring commitments with the reunited FAITH NO MORE.

The three-day Sunset Strip Music Festival kicked off when Ozzy was honored at a tribute event Thursday, September 10 at the House of Blues and it concluded yesterday when Ozzy performed the festival's final set. That's when, for the first time ever, the Sunset Strip (between Doheny Drive and San Vicente Blvd.) was closed to host two concert stages. KORN, PEPPER, THE DONNAS and KOTTONMOUTH KINGS are among the 40 acts that also performed throughout the day.

Check out photos of Ozzy's performance at the Sunset Strip Music Festival:

* Wire Image
* theblackcatphotography
* Scherbarth Photography
* photo grafitti
* TheBrando
* Los Angeles Times

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be viewed below.

Ozzy's setlist was as follows:

01. I Don't Know
02. Suicide Solution
03. Bark At The Moon
04. War Pigs
05. Crazy Train
06. Paranoid
07. Iron Man
08. Mr. Crowley'

Encore:

09. I Don't Want To Change The World

Encore 2:

10. I Don't Wanna Stop

Ozzy's appearance marked his first full performance on the Sunset Strip in almost 40 years and his first ever as a solo artist. Back in 1970, BLACK SABBATH performed a five-night stand (November 11-15) at the legendary Whisky A Go-Go as part of their first U.S. tour.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, Osbourne waxed sentimental about those early days on the Strip. "It was like a different world," he said. "I remember seeing hippies on every corner, just trying to catch the vibes. For us English guys, it was like landing in some beautiful paradise. It was the start of my love for L.A."

Gus spoke out about getting the job with Ozzy in the new Greek edition of Metal Hammer magazine. Asked how he got the gig, Gus said, "I got a message on my MySpace page from Rob 'Blasko' (Nicholson),Ozzy's bass player, asking me what was doing, if I was living in America or not and saying that he wanted to talk to me. I never thought he'd want me for something like that (playing with Ozzy). I initially thought that maybe he wanted to talk to me about doing a project or something and then he told me that one of Ozzfest's managers was looking for me. The manager said that they wanted me to fly out to Los Angeles immediately for a show that Ozzy was about to do in Anaheim, California."

Gus added that he came to the States and jammed with the other members of Ozzy's band first before Ozzy showed up to sing. Then Gus explained what happened: "Everybody else came into the room and shut the door behind them — Ozzy, Sharon (Osbourne, Ozzy's wife/manager),the band, the managers... You can imagine how anxious I was feeling at this time! Then they came out and said that I got the job and that we're gonna play that BlizzCon show together."

As for replacing longtime Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde, who apparently did not find out until late in the game that he was being sidelined, Gus said, "Zakk is a tremendous guitar player, just like all the guys that have played with Ozzy. In fact, Zakk is my favorite Ozzy guitar player ever and my biggest influence of them all! It's quite an honor for me to step into his shoes."