Ozzy Osbourne Helps Kerrang Magazine Celebrate 30 Years Live Review From Hammersmith

Ozzy Osbourne performing a show nowadays is something of a semi-rare event. Ozzy playing to help celebrate Kerrang magazines' 30th birthday by playing a special, "more intimate" show at the Hammersmith Apollo definitely falls under the rare event category, so I figured it would be bonkers not to attend. Ozzy's live performances have become slightly more erratic as he has gotten older but he's definitely still capable of pulling off a spectacular show and it was hoped that this would be one of those evenings.

Before the appearance of The Prince of Darkness, one of Roadrunner Records' newest artists Revoker were given the opportunity to try and wow the ever growing masses inside the Apollo. I believe that this is the biggest, grandest venue they've had the opportunity to perform in during their relatively short career, but in my opinion they did not make the most of that opportunity. The riffs growled and the drums blasted away, but after the half an hour performance there was nothing really memorable about Revoker to comment on. At times they seemed to have elements of fellow British contemporaries such as Evile and Sylosis but there was nothing to suggest that despite their major label backing they will be as successful as either of their peers mentioned. There just wasn't anything about them to set them apart from the pack, and perhaps they were viewed as a safe choice not to upstage Ozzy. If so, they were perfectly booked. 4

Revoker: Uninspired

Within seconds of Revoker leaving the stage, very loud Ozzy chants started. These continued intermittently until 8:30 rolled around (a very early time for the main event of a metal gig to kick off), the lights went down and one classical intro later we were in the presence of one Mr John Osbourne. Ozzy and his band didn't waste any time, launching into the always popular I Don't Know. Unsurpisingly with Ozzy's hardcore following, the lyrics were belted straight back at the stage from all corners of the Hammersmith Apollo and a huge roar greeted Ozzy and co at the end of the song. This is also the only gig I think I've ever been to where the artist or band has the crowd chant loudly for them after every single song of the first 2/3 of the show. As with last years' Ozzfest, it didn't take very long before the front ten or so rows and especially the security guys down front had taken an almighty pasting from Ozzy's patented foam cannon, one reason on this occasion to appreciate my prime seat near the front of the balcony.

Ozzy: Soaking The First 10 Rows

As tonight was about celebrating the last thirty years of both Kerrang and Ozzy's solo career (a subject which he talked about and remarked "I can't believe I'm still here?!", a sentiment I think many of us would share based on some of the things that have happened during Ozzy's life and career), the setlist was full of old favourites, completely shunning the latter years of solo output (I don't think there was a single song from the last three albums, the lack of Let Me Hear You Scream a notable surprise admission). As one would suspect, there was also the inclusion of several of the usual Black Sabbath classics Ozzy likes to play during his solo shows but aside from Paranoid it was the solo material that received the loudest reactions.

About 2/3 of the way through the show Ozzy introduced the members of his band and paid tribute to all his previous guitar players before introducing his latest shredder Gus G (from Firewind). This led to a cracking solo from Gus and an instrumental section (including a rather awesome drum solo) before the Ozz man returned to lead a mass singalong through Iron Man and then rattled through another Sabbath favourite Fairies Don't Wear Boots before closing the main part of the evening with I Don't Wanna Change The World and a fantastic Crazy Train (to which I unashamedly went absolutely mental for as I missed it at Ozzfest).

Gus G: Hulking Up?

The encore saw the volume level of the audience remain as high as it had been all evening with two more favourites, Mama I'm Comin Home and the obligatory Paranoid to finish things off with. It was a thoroughly enjoyable show made even better by one of the loudest most rabid audiences I've ever heard at any venue big or small. If anyone needed proof that Ozzy is still capable of delivering a performance at the highest level then hopefully this will have satisfied the doubters, there's a lot of life in The Prince of Darkness yet on this showing. 8

Ozzy's full setlist was: