OZZY OSBOURNE – Live at Hammersmith Apollo, London – 21/06/11. | livemusic.fm

OZZY OSBOURNE – Live at Hammersmith Apollo, London – 21/06/11.

Playing a one-off gig for Kerrang!’s 30th birthday celebrations!

For this year’s Kerrang! Awards, Ozzy Osbourne was honoured to receive the legend Award – and to celebrate the 30th year of Kerrang! he played an exclusive one-off show in London.

As the crowd waited for the legend to grace the stage there was an almighty chant of, ‘OZZY!, OZZY!, OZZY!’ Fists were in the air, adrenaline was oozing from every soul in the arena; and eyes were wrenching out of sockets as they freakishly scoured the stage, to catch the first glimpse of the man they all came to see.

Where some big names in the music industry modestly signal for the crowd to tone it down and ease off with the chanting - Ozzy raises his arms for more and shouts, “I can’t fucking hear you!” - To which the crowd reply with a deafening roar. “I wanna see a fucking wild crowd tonight!” he beamed as the music kicked in behind him - and the audience went wild, just as requested.

The set was outstanding! It consisted of some of his classics such as Mr. Crowley, Crazy Train, Paranoid, Mama I’m Coming Home, War Pigs, I don’t want to change the world and Bark at the Moon. And as Ozzy sung he often encouraged the crowd to clap with their hands above their heads as he semi-star-jumped in front of his mic.

At random points during the gig, those who were lucky enough to get close to the stage got sprayed with Ozzy’s white foam machine, which had backfired and even got Ozzy covered in the stuff. Looking around the arena it did appear to look like Ozzy had jizzed all over his crowd... and on himself. Pure Rock and Roll Ozzy, well done!

But I haven’t yet mentioned the musicians - Tommy Clufetos on drums, Rob Nicholson on Bass, Adam Wakeman on keyboards and Gus G on guitar. During the gig there was a point when Ozzy left the stage to his band for a solo frenzy which was fucking immense! These guys really know how to use their instruments, and as they played they soaked up the audience like a sponge, and took them all on a journey that left the crowd trembling and ruined. The riffs were simply face-melting and the drum solo was powerful enough to rearrange a heartbeat. The word ‘quality’ doesn’t seem to do their performance justice at all.

Then, Ozzy was on the stage again - his voice ricocheting off his crazed and wild crowd as stage lights glistened upon sweaty faces, and the sign of the devil horns was raised by all his people.

Best gig I’ve seen so far – Ozzy’s got my vote, and I welcome any challengers.

\m/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leahs-Ears/204658296229438#!/pages/Leahs-Ears/204658296229438