Review: Ozzy & Slash

Photos by Susan Pfannmuller/Special to The Star

Ozzy Osbourne stood center stage dripping wet, covered in foam. Thanks to the fire hose he used to liberally douse both himself and fans in the front half of the floor, Ozzy looked like he’d just fallen into a bathtub. The foam would dissolve, but Ozzy would never dry out. 

Ostensibly in town to promote a new album, Ozzy performed just one new song.  Most of the rest of the setlist could have been written months in advance by a causal fan. But while the songs didn’t hold any surprises, many of the performances were still vital.

Experiencing Ozzy perform “Crazy Train” is a classic rock 'n' roll moment up there with hearing the Stones do “Jumping Jack Flash” or seeing Pearl Jam perform “Alive.” Despite being more than 40 years old, “War Pigs” still packs a powerful punch. 

Although some of his solo material hasn’t aged as well, the three-quarters full house still reveled in the night, pumping their fists during solos and singing along. During “The Road to Nowhere” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home” the room lit up with lighters. 

“Mr. Crowley” was an early highlight. Keyboard player Adam Wakeman, son of Rick Wakeman, turned the room into a giant cathedral with his ominous organ. As he played, a sheet of sparks feel from the rafters behind Ozzy, creating a curtain of fireworks.

Although there was a large video screen behind the band for most of the set and plenty of pyrotechnics, Ozzy’s oversized persona was the best visual effect of the night. Waterworks aside, he was constantly in motion, urging the crowd to clap, hopping up and down like a frog or bowing to his audience. During “Fire in the Sky” he writhed his arms and body during the lengthy guitar solo as if performing some Satanic jujitsu.

The two-hour set lagged quite a bit toward the end. It would have been difficult to maintain the energy and momentum of the opening numbers, but back-to-back, cliché-ridden guitar and drum solos deflated the show. Everyone would have been better served had the band performed two 45-minute sets with an intermission.

Fortunately Ozzy still had plenty of goodies buried in his catalog. “Crazy Train” brought the crowd back to life, while “Mama” and “Paranoid” ensured most of them would show up next time for his inevitable return.

Slash: Axl Rose is notorious for making fans wait hours before appearing; Slash came onstage 10 minutes early. His one-hour set was basically a truncated version of the show he put on last fall at the Voodoo Lounge. It was heavy on Guns ‘N’ Roses, with most of the songs coming from “Appetite For Destruction.” The Velvet Revolver material held its own, but some of the newer songs lost the crowd, especially “By the Sword.” 

For a band so reliant on its guitarist, the mix was atrocious. All the instruments were trapped in a mush under bellowing drums and vocals that sounded like they emanated from a tin-can telephone. Fans may have been better served sonically by asking their next-door neighbor to play “Appetite” at full volume, then retreating to their basement and listening to it from there. Although the sound got better at times, the closing solo during “Paradise City” was practically inaudible.

Ozzy setlist: Bark at the Moon; Let Me Hear You Scream; Mr. Crowley; I Don’t Know; Fairies Wear Boots; Suicide Solution; Road to Nowhere; War Pigs; Fire in the Sky; Shot in the Dark; guitar solo > Rat Salad >drum solo; Iron Man; I Don’t Want to Change the World; Crazy Train. Encore: Mama, I’m Coming Home; Paranoid.

Slash setlist: Ghost; Sucker Train Blues; Mr. Brownstone; Back From Cali; Civil War; Nothing to Say; By the Sword; Nightrain; Sweet Child O’ Mine; Slither; Paradise City.

| Joel Francis, Special to The Star

Comments

[Brian]

Good review. So right about lousy the mix for Slash. Great setlist for Ozzy, but the "Hey! Hey! Hey!" chant has got to go--it ruined nearly every song.

[Bubba]

In a way, I liked SLASH more than I did OZZY. Not that OZZY wasn't up to par. When was the last time he played "Fire In The Sky"? That song off 'No Rest For The Wicked' CD was great to hear - so was "Fairies Wear Boots", "Sucide Solution" and "War Pigs". Upside about this first cool show of 2011 is that it was actually affordable. Glad I wound up going. I ALMOST passed up Saturday night's gig.

I agree, the write-up is good.

[Sage]

what do "poorly mixed sound at an arena show" and "smellysmegma pussy" have in common?

they both ruin a potentially fun time.

[Keef]

My brother and I took my nephew to his first concert last night and it was my first Ozzy show since 1984 (also saw him with Randy Rhoads in '82) and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed most of it. I have to say that I was kind of underwhelmed by Slash's hour-long opening set. Sure, he can play, but his solo stuff just sounds average to me at best, and the Guns and Roses covers were OK ("Night Train" being my favorite), but "Sweet Child Of Mine" could have used a little more Axl and a lot less Myles Kennedy, who annoyingly thanked "Kansas" after one song. I know this is a tired subject and It used to bother me more, but you'd think touring American musicians would have a better grasp on their geography. Anyway, Slash's fine solos were almost lost in the muddy din of the Sprint Center. Slash was OK, but for me, there were no real high points in his set.

Ozzy, on the other hand, for all of his slightly immature and borderline embarrassing stage antics (What is the purpose of the hose? Does he not realize the fans up close need to walk out into sub-freezing weather afterward?) is smart enough to know that a strong backing band can make up for his hundreds of requests for the crowd to go $@#&ing CRAZY!! OK, Oz, we GET it! But he actually sounded pretty good vocally, to me at least, and again, this band was a worthy addition to the Ozzy legacy. The drummer, who at first look, appears to have been snatched from some JAM band, fresh from the stage at Wakarusa, was actually a force of nature. Energetic and solid all night. Adam Wakeman (Son of YES keyboardist, Rick Wakeman!) also added some nice touches, especially during the intro to "Mr. Crowley." But last night's real star was new Guitar 'Wunderkind,' Gus G. Holy $@#%!

Having seen Randy Rhoads live, this guy also possess some of that same fire. You only needed to watch his mesmerizing fretwork on the big screen to see that this guy is mega-talented. Hopefully, this guy will land on his feet and we'll be hearing more from him, Post-Ozzy.Overall, a fun night of Rawk was had by all. On a recent tour date, Oz played both, "Flying High Again," and my favorite Sabbath song, "Into The Void." Would have LOVED to have heard ONE of those. Oh, well. Also, I wanted to throttle the young punk next to me smoking his nasty bunk weed ALL night, with no apparent Security personnel in sight. But then I remember my behavior at my earliest concerts and just let it lie. My nephew? He looked bored and texted his girlfriend for much of the show, oblivious to the ear-numbing onslaught happening around him. But I walked away more impressed than I thought I'd be. Ozzy said it best last night (with an assist to Paul Simon), "I'm still CRAZY after all these years!" Indeed.........

[K.K.]

As a devoted Slash fan, I was disappointed I didn't attend. But after seeing his setlist, I'm glad I didn't bother. His KC gig last fall was great. As for Ozzy, I'm a casual fan, at best. So missing this concert was no biggie ... thanks for review.

[Homer]

Why didnt you clue the kid in about; that if he smoked better weed, he'd smoke less, thus do less damage to his lungs, and more importantly, not piss off the people around him. puff puff pass.

THANK YOU KANSAS!!!!

[Bubba]

Now that a couple of you mention that you chose to pass up on OZZY this time around, I HAVE to admit that one of the reason(s) I went was because it's [sort of] a force of habit. Plus the fact they had tickets for like $40. Another reason was the fact that on Saturday, it got up to 40 degrees, thus the streets and sidewalks were LESS slick. I've really gotten to appreciate the Sprint Center. Parking isn't even that bad as many ASSUMED it would be prior to the venue's opening. OZZY and SLASH both rocked!

[Steve J]

Me and my son enjoyed ourselves. Never saw Ozzy before, it was fun, and Gus G is amazing. Loved Slash to, I did not think the sound was bad at the time, but now that I think about it, "Sucker Town Blues" was rough. I like Slash new CD, and "By The Sword" is a great.

[carb]

Bubba,
Would mind sharing how/ where do (how muchd o you pay) to park you car? We took a cab, as usual, but that is such a hassle too.

[Mr. Value]

St. Louis got a 20 song Ozzy set on 1/14, and we get 16 songs. On a Saturday night, no less. In fact, this is one of the shorter sets Ozzy has played on this tour. Hmmmm......

[NEW]

Not to answer for Bubba, but I have had no problem parking around 17th or 18th and McGee (up near Grinders) and walking two or three blocks. You can usually find street parking for free and you just walk over the walkway just past Crosstown Station.

[Steve J]

I found a nice parking garage two blocks over. They close an hour after shows, but I get right out onto onto 35/70.

[300%_Density]

St. Louis got a longr set b/c it was just Ozzy playing and no Slash that night.

[who-fan]

Personally, I enjoyed Slash's set more than Ozzy's, but I agree with Joel Francis that the sound mix was "muddy" for his set.

Ozzy's set list was shorter than his recent shows, most notably, he dropped Flying High Again. (one of my favs) His new guitarist, Gus G, is quite flashy and quick on the fret board, but I prefer Zakk Wylde's monster groove. Having said all that, I still enjoyed Ozzy's set.

[Bubba]

300%_Density -

AUGH! You are correct - I located a setlist from Uncle OZZY'S St. Louis gig (Jan. 14) and it looks like he played four more songs - I would have LOVED to hear "N.I.B." and "Into The Void". Wow!

[Bubba]

Carb -

I paid like $50 for my OZZY / SLASH ticket. Why do you ask? We parked a bit away - like maybe five [downtown] blocks. The walk wasn't too bad + we saved $10. Ever since I was a kid, I get a HUGE laugh out of how SO many people FUSS about having to walk a 'little' rather it be a few city blocks OR an extra 100 feet across a Walmart parking lot.

An exception would be IF it's raining or you're in a wheel chair - THEN I can understand why people whine, fuss, bitch and complain about a little walk. Oh, cabs are HIGHWAY R-O-B-B-E-R-Y!!

[carb]

Thanks to everyone for the parking ideas.

Bub,
I was asking about how much you paid to park.

The reason I like to park close in the winter is because I hate dealing with a coat inside a hot concert. It is not a problem with walking, it is a problem with freezing my balls off. I used to love shows at Kemper because I had "my guy" whom I paid extra to, and we got to park right by a door, no coat, no hassles. Ya know, it is never cold inside.

ps
Funny is the looks I get while (the middle of winter) running into a show wearing shorts and a t-shirt, e.g. a show at the Beaumont, or some other swety local. The guys at the door laugh and say I am nuts, but inside I still sweat like de'pig.

btw- I keep a winter coat and long pants in the car in case something goes wrong on the way home.

[Bubba]

Carb - okay! It sounds as though you like to go to shows totally prepared. Smart move. Hope you had a good time at OZZY. Bubba said it. Don't forget it .....

[DKM]

This message is meant ONLY for rockers and reviewers, mellow fest fans need read anymore-

==================
==================
I dont wanna overstate the point, but with ticket prices at on $30 bucks each, the dropkick murphys show on march 2 at the beaunmont is a must see. Any rockers and/or reviewers who skip this show are fkn pussies.

Be there, or be a fkn pussy. A great time is guranteed. A perfect way to gear up for St Pats day.

BE THERE!!

ps
I know Green will be there, that fkr knows how to rock!!!

[DKM]

mellow fest fans need NOT read anymore...

rocker... a taste of last year

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=7777cg#p/u/16/nDqah3Ld3kY

[DKM]

WARNING- The DKM show WILL sell out, as usual, so be sure to grab a ticket early, and at only 30 bucks is a bargain.

Last year, when we walked in, just before DKMs hit the stage, there were people literally begging to get in. I am surprised they are still playing such a small place. Thye have a new CD due out March1, so it should be interesting.

ps
I dont get paid nuthin to post this info, I am simply tipping people off. I wish more people here would do that here, as opposed to waiting until the end of the fking year to "LIST THEM" and talk about some show I never heard about, and how all the Star reviewers were there, and how it was so great, and at a samll venue, and tickets were available ect etc.... TELL US, TIP US OFF, BEFORE HAND FKRS!!!
please :)

[joeboo]

As far as parking goes, I've never had an issue using the main P&L underground parking lot, and when you enter they will ask you what you are there for. Tell them you are going to a random restaurant or bar, and they still charge you only $2 for parking. Tell them you are going to a show at Sprint Center and they charge you $10. Pretty ridiculous, but I've never paid more than $2 to park there on any show night.

Now, getting out of there after a show can bite, usually takes 30-45 minutes, but seeing as its right across the street from the Sprint Center, that's better than a long walk on a freezing night in my opinion.

[Bacardi]

HAHA, very nice tip joeboo "I AM GOING TO BARK AT THE MOON"... is that place still open?

...pours Joeboo a shot of Rum.

[joeboo]

I actually found that out from a nice parking attendent the first time I ever went to a Sprint Center show several years ago.

Pulled into the garage, he asked where we were going and I said "The Van Halen Concert". He asked again so I replied the same. After e third time he said "tell me you're going somewhere else and I only have to charge you $2 instead of $10"

Has worked every time since then, probably a dozen times at least that I've seen shows there.

[Bacardi]

Great story, reminds me of my old "kemper parking connection", I miss.

Pours joeboo another shot of rum, and offers him something to smoke.

[beaumont sucks]

Too bad the DKM's are playing the Beaumont. Years ago I vowed never to return to that place.

[Destroyer of Trolls]

Take all of the Dropkick Murphys talk and your mention of "fkn pu$$ies" elsewhere, dude. This is a thread about the Ozzy show. If ya want, give us your take. If not, then please SHUT THE 'fck' UP!! If you didn't go to the Ozzy show, maybe YOU are the fkn pu$$y here. But enough about the lame-assed Dropkick Murphys, already. ALL of your posts here are mere proof that you must have taken a LOT of abuse as a child. Seriously.......

[LMAO again]

Destroyer of trolls?

hahahaha, looks like the old grumpster is back.... HAHAHAHAHlmao.

Hey grumpster go fck yourself, I will talk about anything I want, anywhere I want, and you can go fuck yourself... ummmkay?

[LMAO]

Hey grumpster I did start off by saying.....

""meant ONLY for rockers and reviewers, mellow fest fans (that is YOU grumptser) need NOT read anymore.....

but you you chose to read anyway....

you are so fkn funny, you give me a laugh, (as I slap grumpster in his forehad and stomp on his foot HAHAHAHAHA) so anyway grumpster, you worthless piece of sht, gumpy, mellow fest loving doucher, go fk yourself gaywad..... hheheheHAHAHAHAH LMAO!!!

[Destroyer of Trolls]

The Prosecution RESTS.......

[lmao]

What a fkn doucher, and as usual, off the mark. Go away moron.

[Matt]

Is this what it's like to watch two handicapped people fight?

[shhh]

head on over to your mellow fest mattyboy, and keep your yap shut, people are trying to sleep.