(antiMusic) It's now official, Ozzfest the tour is no more. It is now Ozzfest the one day festival. Ozzy and Metallica are heading the lineup which will also include main stage action from Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Hellyeah, Jonathan Davis (Korn), Cavalera Conspiracy, Shadows Fall, Apocalyptica and In This Moment. The press release says that a special all-star tribute to slain Pantera guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott will also take place on the mainstage when the event takes place on Saturday August 9th in Dallas Texas.
It wouldn't be Ozzfest without a second stage and the line-up there includes Sevendust, Devildriver, Kingdom of Sorrow, Soilent Green, Witchcraft and Goatwhore. And they will even have a third stage dedicated "as an homage" to bands from Texas. The Sword, Drowning Pool and Rigor Mortis are set to play that one.
Here is the press release minus the parts we just told you about: Ozzfest, the original and iconic hard rock festival, returns in 2008 as a one-day stadium spectacular that teams Ozzfest founder and namesake Ozzy Osbourne (in his only U.S. concert appearance this summer) with Metallica (marking their Ozzfest debut).
Produced by Sharon Osbourne and AEG Live, the all-day festival at Pizza Hut Park in hard music-loving Dallas will feature three stages of non-stop talent (with many Ozzfest alumni) and reliably twisted Ozzfest side attractions.
"Ozzy just finished an 11-month world tour so I think he deserves a summer off," Sharon says about this year's one-day Ozzfest. "We're going to be a stadium destination festival for now--we have gone past doing the sheds every summer. We've given everyone else the blueprint and we have to keep evolving Ozzfest. This is just the beginning; AEG Live and I have a lot of new ideas for Ozzfest."
This year's dynamic line-up encompasses artists who've played Ozzfest before in different incarnations such as Serj Tankian (System of a Down); Jonathan Davis (Korn); Hellyeah's Vinnie Paul (Pantera) and Chad Gray (Mudvayne); Kingdom of Sorrow's Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) and Kirk Windstein (Down); and Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Sepultura) of Cavalara Conspiracy. Other Ozzfest graduates include Shadows Fall, Sevendust, Devildriver, Drowning Pool and In This Moment.
"Ozzy has great relationships with all of the bands that have played Ozzfest," says Sharon. "We're the only real festival for harder edge bands and these artists have been very loyal to us--there is lots of love on this line-up."
Tickets for this year's Ozzfest will go on sale Saturday, May 31. For up-to-the-minute details go to www.Ozzfest.com.