Ozzy

Ozzy, System of a Down Lead Ozzfest

Sabbath man to go solo for first time in three years

Iron Man to stand alone

Photo by David Atlas

Ozzy Osbourne, System of a Down and Disturbed will headline Ozzfest 2006, kicking off July 1st in San Francisco. The touring festival, now in its eleventh year, will hit twenty-one cities, with a solo Osbourne to play only a select ten performances.

Hatebreed, Lacuna Coil and another, yet-to-be-announced headliner will take the remaining mainstage slots, while Black Label Society, Atreyu, Bleeding Through, Norma Jean, Full Blown Chaos, Between the Buried and Me, A Life Once Lost, Strapping Young Lad and the Red Chord will all rock Ozzfest's second stage.

Osbourne, who headlined the past two Ozzfests with Black Sabbath, will give his first solo performances in three years. The sets will feature new material from the Prince of Darkness' forthcoming solo album, which he is currently working on with Black Label Society guitarist Zakk Wylde.

Ozzfest has played 263 shows, featured 146 bands and played to over 4.5 million heavy metal fans since originally launching in 1996.

Ozzfest dates:

7/1: Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheater
7/2: Sacramento, Sleep Train Amphitheater
7/7: Phoenix, Cricket Pavilion
7/8: San Bernardino, CA, Hyundai Pavilion
7/14: Kansas City, KS, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7/15: St. Louis, MO, UMB Bank Pavilion
7/16: Chicago, First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
7/19: Detroit, DTE Music Energy Center
7/21: Columbus, OH, Germain Amphitheatre
7/22: East Troy, WI, Alpine Valley Music Theatre
7/23: Indianapolis, IN, Verizon Wireless Music Center
7/26: Scranton, PA, Toyota Pavilion
7/27: Buffalo, NY, Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
7/29: New York City, Randall's Island
7/30: Hartford, CT, New England Dodge Music Center
8/1: Boston, Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
8/4: Camden, NJ, Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
8/5: Bristow, VA, Nissan Pavilion
8/6: Virginia Beach, VA, Verizon Virginia Beach
8/9: Raleigh, NC, Alltel Pavilion
8/13: West Palm Beach, FL, Sound Advice Amphitheatre

CHARLEY ROGULEWSKI @ Rolling Stone