Bishop5150
Well-known member
The crazy train came through town last Friday night and it was an amazing day and concert. As most of you know I play in an Ozzy tribute band so to say I’m a fan is an understatement. I was blessed enough to be able to get my wife and I meet and greets for Ozzy and Zakk. It was an incredible day.
It started out with all the VIP guest getting to watch soundcheck and during that Zakk walked out into the crowd while they performed Sabbath’s Snowblind. Zakk walked right up to my wife and I and ripped the outro solo behind his head standing right in front of us. It was incredible. Next we did the Ozzy meet and greet. They basically herded us all in and out like cattle and just got to say hello to Ozzy and take our pics but it was still very cool.
Next up was Zakk. I was really excited about this one. Part of the VIP package with him is you get a stage played guitar from him that he plays that night during the show along with signing the guitar and getting a signed poster. They emailed a couple of weeks prior to the show with a choice of 2 guitars to choose from and I chose the Hellfire Barbarian. I got the Zakk meet and greet for myself but he let my wife come with me which I thought was very cool of him. Our VIP chaperone Steve led us backstage to meet Zakk in his dressing room and he was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. If you didn’t already know he was a guitar god you would have never known. I was expecting him to be taller. I’m 6’ 3” so he was probably 6’. We hung out with him for 20-30 minutes and just bullshitted talking about anything and everything. I was pretty star struck. That day happened to be the 30th anniversary of his first album with Ozzy No Rest For The Wicked so it was cool to reminisce with him about that. Towards the end he pulled out the case with my guitar and signed the case and the back of the headstock and signed my poster. We took a few pics and said our goodbyes and then Zakk told Steve to take us up on stage to check out his guitars and get a pic with “The Behemoth”! I was blown away! Steve led us up on stage and we checked out his guitars and pedalboard and I got to hold his doubleneck guitar called “The Behemoth” that he plays on Mama I’m Coming Home which was so awesome. It was incredibly heavy.
Steve led us out of the backstage area and told me where to meet him after the show to pick up my guitar and poster and my wife and I headed to the VIP area for some food and drinks before the show started. At this point you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face and the show hadn’t even started yet!
We had amazing seats for the show. 5th row dead center. I’ve seen Ozzy with Sabbath 3 times over the last few years so I know his voice is not the best live anymore but for a nearly 70 year old guy I thought he sounded great. He was full of energy and put on a great show. Zakk was just killing it. His playing was spot on and he was literally all over the place. He went out into the crowd for his extended solo spot and the place went nuts. Ozzy sprayed us down with the foam and it was awesome!
Once the show was over we met Steve and got my guitar and poster and went out drinking with our friends for after show festivities. It was an amazing night that I’ll never forget.
It started out with all the VIP guest getting to watch soundcheck and during that Zakk walked out into the crowd while they performed Sabbath’s Snowblind. Zakk walked right up to my wife and I and ripped the outro solo behind his head standing right in front of us. It was incredible. Next we did the Ozzy meet and greet. They basically herded us all in and out like cattle and just got to say hello to Ozzy and take our pics but it was still very cool.
Next up was Zakk. I was really excited about this one. Part of the VIP package with him is you get a stage played guitar from him that he plays that night during the show along with signing the guitar and getting a signed poster. They emailed a couple of weeks prior to the show with a choice of 2 guitars to choose from and I chose the Hellfire Barbarian. I got the Zakk meet and greet for myself but he let my wife come with me which I thought was very cool of him. Our VIP chaperone Steve led us backstage to meet Zakk in his dressing room and he was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. If you didn’t already know he was a guitar god you would have never known. I was expecting him to be taller. I’m 6’ 3” so he was probably 6’. We hung out with him for 20-30 minutes and just bullshitted talking about anything and everything. I was pretty star struck. That day happened to be the 30th anniversary of his first album with Ozzy No Rest For The Wicked so it was cool to reminisce with him about that. Towards the end he pulled out the case with my guitar and signed the case and the back of the headstock and signed my poster. We took a few pics and said our goodbyes and then Zakk told Steve to take us up on stage to check out his guitars and get a pic with “The Behemoth”! I was blown away! Steve led us up on stage and we checked out his guitars and pedalboard and I got to hold his doubleneck guitar called “The Behemoth” that he plays on Mama I’m Coming Home which was so awesome. It was incredibly heavy.
Steve led us out of the backstage area and told me where to meet him after the show to pick up my guitar and poster and my wife and I headed to the VIP area for some food and drinks before the show started. At this point you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face and the show hadn’t even started yet!
We had amazing seats for the show. 5th row dead center. I’ve seen Ozzy with Sabbath 3 times over the last few years so I know his voice is not the best live anymore but for a nearly 70 year old guy I thought he sounded great. He was full of energy and put on a great show. Zakk was just killing it. His playing was spot on and he was literally all over the place. He went out into the crowd for his extended solo spot and the place went nuts. Ozzy sprayed us down with the foam and it was awesome!
Once the show was over we met Steve and got my guitar and poster and went out drinking with our friends for after show festivities. It was an amazing night that I’ll never forget.
