Ozzfest 2002

Written by Matt Swider on July 23, 2002

Ozzfest 2002: Referred to as: the greatest f***ing show on earth, and with PS2 at the helm, it's all the more true!

With Ozzfest stopping in the city of Camden, New Jersey, just across the Delaware from Gaming Target's basis in Philadelphia, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the show. Arriving at the Tweeter Center on the morning of July 12th, the first half of the bands took the second stage shortly after the gates opened at nine. The performances on this smaller stage included Flaw, Neurotica, 3rd Strike, The Apex Theory, Chevelle, Lost Prophets, Ill Nino, Pulse Ultra, Otep, Soil, Andrew WK, Meshuggah, Hatebreed, and Down. Although the second stage featured newer bands, many were still recognizable and definitely enjoyed by those who were around listening.

Throughout the day, people would walk around checking out the numerous pavilion areas that were setup everywhere. These included merchandise dealers, body painting, radio stations, and a bunch of carnie games. However, naturally the most popular tent came from the show's main sponsor in featuring the latest Playstation 2 blockbuster titles. At most locations, the 78-foot PS2 Tour Bus rolls in and triples in size after expanding and offers a bunch of contents and giveaways. With 26 available kiosks as well as four additional screens and another 80-inch monitor, the truck is a sight to see. Since certain concert sites like the one at the Tweeter Center can't accommodate a truck of that size, a simple but effective tent is setup displaying the same titles for just as much fun.

In either the truck or tent, gamers have the chance to check out a handful of upcoming titles yet to reach stores including The Mark of Kri as well as online-driven games SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals, NFL GameDay 2003, and ATV Offroad Fury 2. Furthermore, the tour also consists of PS2's latest and greatest hits like Spider-Man, Grand Theft Auto 3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, WWF Smackdown! Just Bring It, Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec and Tekken Tag Tournament. Of course, Grand Theft Auto seemed to be the most popular game on display along with Gran Turismo 3, and Spder-Man. In all fairness, each of the games was always occupied and the players looked to as if they were enjoying every minute of it. Luckily I was able to get my hands on The Mark of Kri for some time, as the game doesn't release until the end of this month.

As much as I was enjoying my gaming time within the PS2 tent, the day started to pass without me even knowing it and bands were ready to take the main stage. Though I stayed around the lawn area to see each band play on the center stage, I took frequent trips back to the PS2 tent for more gaming action between their setups. First up was Black Label Society, followed by Adema, Drowning Pool, and P.O.D. At this point, mosh pits were occurring on various portions of the lawn, however when it came time for Rob Zombie and System of a Down to play, things became insane. After those two amazing performances, the entire list of bands was complete except for Ozzy took the stage and likewise took control of the crowd.

Opening with text scrolling upward, in the same fashion as the Star Wars films, the information offers news details of Season 2 of The Osbournes hit MTV show. Following clips that were shown of the series, Ozzy finally appeared on stage and was able to liven the crowd like no performer I've seen to date. Everyone immediately stood, shouted, chanted, and just plain went crazy whenever Ozzy called upon the crowd for madness. He then started shooting a giant water gun at the front row while guitarist Zakk Wydle played behind his back or with his teeth. In playing every Ozzy favorite, it can't be denied that this was the highlight performance of the night and something people won't be quick to forgetЕwell those in the crowd who are able to remember it, that is.

With Ozzy's 32 years in the music business in which he's sold well over 40 million albums and the fact that he's starring in MTV's highest rated show ever reaching 6 million viewers each week, it's safe to say that he's at a peak in his career. Seeing Ozzfest teeming with so much life this year, Sony is sure to reach numerous potential PS2 consumers as well as showcase its latest lineup of titles to existing system owners. I'd like to thank the crew under the tent as well as the good people of SCEA and Ozzfest for setting up an event that wasn't just enjoyed by me, but all who attended Ozzfest this year. Playing games and listening to the hottest bands live is quite the combination and a tried-and-test formula for any summer day, so if you're headed to the show or thinking about attending one of the tour dates be sure to check out the PS2 grounds, especially if the tour bus is on location.
--> From his touring days with Black Sabbath during the seventies to premiering УThe OsbournesФ on MTV this past March, Ozzy Osbourne has gained the devotion of millions and remains more popular than ever today. Since embarking on the Ozzfest in 1996, Ozzy has continued to tour each summer along with some of the hottest bands around. In addition to big name bands, Ozzfest has always featured promotion from some of the leading companies that support the tour across the country. With the potential reach that touring events like this possess, concerts have become an ideal location for videogame companies to display their latest products. Following this trend, the title sponsor presenting Ozzfest 2002 is none other than Playstation 2. In showcasing titles at each of last year's shows, SCEA has returned on a much larger scale armed with a truck and enough games to give spectators a taste of the power Playstation 2 can bring.

With Ozzfest stopping in the city of Camden, New Jersey, just across the Delaware from Gaming Target's basis in Philadelphia, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the show. Arriving at the Tweeter Center on the morning of July 12th, the first half of the bands took the second stage shortly after the gates opened at nine. The performances on this smaller stage included Flaw, Neurotica, 3rd Strike, The Apex Theory, Chevelle, Lost Prophets, Ill Nino, Pulse Ultra, Otep, Soil, Andrew WK, Meshuggah, Hatebreed, and Down. Although the second stage featured newer bands, many were still recognizable and definitely enjoyed by those who were around listening.

Throughout the day, people would walk around checking out the numerous pavilion areas that were setup everywhere. These included merchandise dealers, body painting, radio stations, and a bunch of carnie games. However, naturally the most popular tent came from the show's main sponsor in featuring the latest Playstation 2 blockbuster titles. At most locations, the 78-foot PS2 Tour Bus rolls in and triples in size after expanding and offers a bunch of contents and giveaways. With 26 available kiosks as well as four additional screens and another 80-inch monitor, the truck is a sight to see. Since certain concert sites like the one at the Tweeter Center can't accommodate a truck of that size, a simple but effective tent is setup displaying the same titles for just as much fun.

In either the truck or tent, gamers have the chance to check out a handful of upcoming titles yet to reach stores including The Mark of Kri as well as online-driven games SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals, NFL GameDay 2003, and ATV Offroad Fury 2. Furthermore, the tour also consists of PS2's latest and greatest hits like Spider-Man, Grand Theft Auto 3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, WWF Smackdown! Just Bring It, Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec and Tekken Tag Tournament. Of course, Grand Theft Auto seemed to be the most popular game on display along with Gran Turismo 3, and Spder-Man. In all fairness, each of the games was always occupied and the players looked to as if they were enjoying every minute of it. Luckily I was able to get my hands on The Mark of Kri for some time, as the game doesn't release until the end of this month.

As much as I was enjoying my gaming time within the PS2 tent, the day started to pass without me even knowing it and bands were ready to take the main stage. Though I stayed around the lawn area to see each band play on the center stage, I took frequent trips back to the PS2 tent for more gaming action between their setups. First up was Black Label Society, followed by Adema, Drowning Pool, and P.O.D. At this point, mosh pits were occurring on various portions of the lawn, however when it came time for Rob Zombie and System of a Down to play, things became insane. After those two amazing performances, the entire list of bands was complete except for Ozzy took the stage and likewise took control of the crowd.

Opening with text scrolling upward, in the same fashion as the Star Wars films, the information offers news details of Season 2 of The Osbournes hit MTV show. Following clips that were shown of the series, Ozzy finally appeared on stage and was able to liven the crowd like no performer I've seen to date. Everyone immediately stood, shouted, chanted, and just plain went crazy whenever Ozzy called upon the crowd for madness. He then started shooting a giant water gun at the front row while guitarist Zakk Wydle played behind his back or with his teeth. In playing every Ozzy favorite, it can't be denied that this was the highlight performance of the night and something people won't be quick to forgetЕwell those in the crowd who are able to remember it, that is.

With Ozzy's 32 years in the music business in which he's sold well over 40 million albums and the fact that he's starring in MTV's highest rated show ever reaching 6 million viewers each week, it's safe to say that he's at a peak in his career. Seeing Ozzfest teeming with so much life this year, Sony is sure to reach numerous potential PS2 consumers as well as showcase its latest lineup of titles to existing system owners. I'd like to thank the crew under the tent as well as the good people of SCEA and Ozzfest for setting up an event that wasn't just enjoyed by me, but all who attended Ozzfest this year. Playing games and listening to the hottest bands live is quite the combination and a tried-and-test formula for any summer day, so if you're headed to the show or thinking about attending one of the tour dates be sure to check out the PS2 grounds, especially if the tour bus is on location.