Ozzfest resurrected with a handful of 2010 dates

By Jason Heller | May 3, 2010 | 4:33pm

Aux Features Music

Like its namesake, Ozzfest has never been particularly stable or coherent. The once mighty package tour—one that helped solidify the '00s metal resurgence—started to fly off the rails following 2005's Iron Maiden fiasco, during which Sharon Osbourne called Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson a prick in front of thousands of adoring fans (Maiden's, not hers). Then in 2007, the odd decision to make the sponsor-heavy Ozzfest a free event prompted tons of logistical headaches, not to mention the fact that the tour's stop in New Jersey led to the deaths of two fans and mass arrests on underage drinking charges. 2008 saw the fest scaled back to a single concert, and 2009 was the first year since Ozzfest's 1996 inception that no fest was held at all.

But despite rumors that the whole endeavor might finally be kaput, Ozzfest 2010 is officially a go. As reported today by Billboard, this summer's trim, six-date tour will be main-staged by Mötley Crüe, Rob Halford, Devildriver, Nonpoint, and Ozzy himself (whose long-in-development biopic seems to be moving forward, fueling this reporter's admittedly far-fetched hopes that Crispin Glover will be cast in the lead). Also on this year's bill are Black Label Society, Drowning Pool, Kingdom Of Sorrow, Goatwhore, Skeletonwitch, Saviours, and Kataklysm. Tickets go on sale May 22; here are the dates: