The day started as I arrived at Ozzfest 2001 in Tinley Park around 1045, missing of course the ever so shitty REVOLUTION SMILE, and getting there and catching the middle of MOTOGRATER's set. They were alright, I suppose..At the time I didnt really like them, but I've gotten used to them. I didnt really watch much of their set, I was more into the guys paying 10 dollars to get spanked by some dominatrix. C+ for MOTOGRATER.
After that was over, I proceeded with my buddy Steve a little closer to the stage as we were set to watch MEMENTO...I hadn't really heard of these guys, but Steve said they were good. I gave them a chance. They sounded alright..Better than I expected, but definetly not an A+ effort..I give their overall performance a B- however, the DAVE WILLIAMS tribute was sweet and I caught the guitarists pik, so I'll bump their grade to a B+.
There really isn't too much to say about the next two bands, HOTWIRE and TWISTED METHOD. HOTWIRE was just really shitty and boring. And while TWISTED METHOD was entertaining, the music sucked, and the singer is shorter than Dani Filth, but with spikes. HOTWIRE grade is an F, for FAILURE, and TWISTED METHOD gets a D.
Here is where I got happy. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE..Wow..so much to say about these guys. They are more known than I had expected. Chants of KILLSWITCH, KILLSWITCH filled the 2nd stage audience. They came out and the crowd busted into pits all over the place. I was up front at this time with Steve as we were trying to stay together, but it was hard. To me, it was about time Ozzfest got started. KILLSWITCH definetly was one of the best performances of the day. A- for KILLSWITCH.
Next was SHADOWS FALL...I dont know about these guys...I liked them, then I didnt..I couldnt really decide, but once they hit the stage, everyone around me was jumping and moshing, and I was, too...But I just couldnt get into them.. They just were very boring to me..They are a lot better on cd, let me tell you..I would never pay to see them live again, unless I were to expect something very different from what I saw at Ozzfest...C for SHADOWS FALL.
NOTHINGFACE was next..They were one of the 3 bands I wanted to see the most at Ozzfest. They weren't as good as they should have been, as at the time, Matt, the singer, was struggling with throat problems. He had a bad throat and couldnt scream at the parts he should have been able to, instead singing them. It was a great set, nonetheless. Played greats such as Here Come the Butchers, Blue Skin and, more. Couldnt have asked for much more with Nothingface...except a more healthy Matt Holt. B- for NOTHINGFACE.
The next 2 bands, UNLOCO and ENDO, I didnt care for, so me and Steve went off to piss and eat and drink...and of course rest...We wanted to catch Sworn Enemy so we didnt catch the end of ENDO...and thankfully it was the end, cuz they sounded like they had sucked ass...and plenty of it. Grades for the 2 bands arent available due to the fact I didnt see anything of UNLOCO and 4 minutes of ENDO.
Speaking of getting to see end of ENDO, me and Steve jumped in the crowd as we wanted a good place in the crowd for hardcore band SWORN ENEMY. We saw a nice guy in the crowd we attend school with, his name was Alec, and he made way so we can cut through some pits and nail the front of the crowd. Alec gave me a friendly pat on the back as we were heading up front. We got to the front just as ENDO was thanking everyone for coming out to their set.
SWORN ENEMY had come out and they rocked the 2nd stage...Everyone was into them and there wasnt one person standing still...Most people had found their way to crowd surfing, which was the only downfall to the set..They were very entertaining and sounded great. However I was getting trampled by people crowd surfing. At the end of their set, they were ready to play their last song which indeed was titled SWORN ENEMY, and the singer announced that he wanted to see 50 bodies crowd surfing at once..It was madness...Hell is more the word. During the last song, Brian from Shadows Fall came out and sang the song with Sal from SWORN ENEMY. Great set. B+ for SWORN ENEMY.
GRADE 8 and DEPSWA I missed...Fuck them, they suck ass.
VOIVOD..wow...suck...Jesus Christ...they are the most boring band I have ever seen live..I seen them twice..Once with Sepultura in May 2003 and again at Ozzfest...Both times were the same exact thing..They sounded the same, they did the same exact things on stage...It was like an encore with different scenery..Grade is F for VOIVOD...Sucks...real bad.
Last up on 2nd stage..CRADLE OF FILTH...Most everyone who is reading this probably skipped the whole review, and is reading this. A lot of people hadn't heard CRADLE OF FILTH prior to Ozzfest. My girlfriend, Irene, hates CRADLE OF FILTH more than anything on this Earth. I love them..I've been listening to them for so long and they hardly come to the states. So I was staying up front for these guys...It seemed like forever between the set change from VOIVOD to CRADLE. They started out with the intro At The Gates of Midian. This is where the crowd cheered as the band out from behind the stage..no Dani Filth yet, and he is everyones favorite goth midget. There was about 3 CRADLE chants. I had started one of them. Finally, they were getting ready to play their first full song. After all of the band was on the stage, DANI chants filled the 2nd stage crowd, and Dani finally came out and did a trademark screetch. They opened with Beneath the Howling Stars. They also played Cruelty and the Beast, Dusk and Her Embrace, Her Ghost in the Fog, and finally closed with one of my favorites Ebony Dressed For Sunset. The crowd was unbelievable and so was CRADLE OF FILTH. A for CRADLE OF FILTH.
I proceeded to Main Stage now, catching the middle of the DATSUNS set...I didnt pay attention to these boring sluts, but from what I heard they are worthy of a D+ grade.
CHEVELLE was way better than I expected, but still no Ozzy...They could have done more on stage than just stand there. I give them a C+ for their efforts.
Next up, every parents worst nightmare MARILYN MANSON. He played a lot of new shit and some old shit as well..I was kinda disappointed with MANSON..His set seemed sort of slow and boring. I expected more. He put on a show 10 times better at 2001. He didnt have anything original. He had dancers where he proceeded to stick a microphone up one of their asses. That was the highlight of his set. C+ for MANSON who was disappointing.
DISTURBED was next. I am really not a big fan of these guys...But they are Chicago's own and they owned. They played really well and they sounded great. Definetly, one of the biggest surprises at this years Ozzfest. I was walking around during their set hanging with Jessica, Drew, and Sandy. The crowd loved DISTURBED and could have been VOTED the best of the night. I give them an A- for the surprise of DISTURBED being as good as they were.
Finally, my headliner...KORN was about to come up...KORN had been my favorite band since I was 9 years old. Every time they were in my town, something always had come up to where I couldnt go see them, so unfortunetly, Ozzfest 2003 was my first KORN experience. And I couldnt have asked for a better set. I stood next to these stoner bastards who knew and sang every word, as I did. They were really nice guys. KORN played everything including ADIDAS, BLIND, FAGET, FALLING AWAY FROM ME, and DID MY TIME. I strained my voice screaming during them. Definetly my favorite band on the main stage this year, no question...Jon is God. A+ for KORN.
And of course, the father of Ozzfest, MR. OZZY FUCKING OSBOURNE. I dont really want to get into Ozzy. He played the same shit every year at Ozzfest I have seen him, but still he and of course Zakk Wylde and his 10 straight minute guitar solo doesnt disappoint. OZZY gets an A+ just because he is so important..Think of things without him...If you could see metal being the way it is without OZZY, I hope you get slapped by an old person.
So there is my review of Ozzfest. Best band on 2nd stage would Cradle of Filth, and best band on Main Stage would be KoRn. Probably everybody's favorite two. But who cares...If they weren't that good, they wouldnt be everyones favorite. Now fuck you, and goodnight.



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