Ozzy Osbourne Brings Scream to Roundhouse

Review by Mark Taylor

Ozzy Osbourne is now a household name, but sadly not just for being the Godfather of Metal. He almost lost that status after making a moany divering old fool of himself on the reality show of his family the “The Osbournes.” Ozzy is now back doing what he loves best, making albums and performing on stage.

The double ‘O’ is at the legendary Roundhouse (so called because it’s round), the smallest venue Ozzy has played in the capital since The Forum on a club tour back in ‘88, a time when a young, slim, long-blonde-haired guitarist by the name of Zakk Wylde first shredded with the band.

With a new band, Ozzy has just made his best album in two decades with Scream. Tonight’s show is a promotional tool for both Ozzy and iTunes Festival. To obtain a ticket, you had to be one of the lucky names pulled out of a hat on the iTunes Facebook or MySpace campaigns.

For dedicated fans, the eyes were on new guitarist Gus G. (His real name is Kostas Karamitroudis. Try screaming out for his name and you’ll end up sounding like Daffy Duck.)

Gus G has brought more of a melodic sound to Ozzy’s band, not heard since Jake E. Lee was committing the ultimate sin. In fact, only three songs from the Zakk Wylde era are performed this night and two of those are slow, balladry songs, so comparisons are kept to a minimum.

It’s in “Bark At The Moon” and “Shot In The Dark” where the band sounds vibrant and fresh again, with Gus G bringing a more commercial sound to the fore, dismissing the Pantera crunching sound of recent years.

“Let Me Hear You Scream,” the only new track played tonight, is a crowd pleaser where we duly oblige by screaming back.

For “Mr.Crowley” there is a note-perfect introduction from keyboardist Adam Wakeman (the son of Rick, the Yes man who played keys on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath). Ozzy’s voice may get a bit of a enhanced help these days but it’s all about entertainment baby. Ozzy hobbles across the stage with the gaze of Tommy Cooper on acid.

“Fairies Wear Boots” is first of five Black Sabbath numbers tonight, all of which, oddly, are from the “Paranoid” album. Drummer Tommy Clufetos is doing an admirable job, even looking like a youthful Bill Ward with his beard and pony-tailed hair.

Ozzy throws more buckets of water out over the audience than you would receive at a Tiswas convention. With time moving on, it was time to board the “Crazy Train,” where, once again, Gus G made the song sound closer to the orignal than in recent years.

For a four-song encore with Ozzy prompting the crowd to shout “One more song,” we gathered in our masses to sing along to “War Pigs” and end in fine head-banging fashion for “Paranoid.” The Prince of Darkness still shines brightly.

Set list: Bark At The Moon / Let Me Hear You Scream / Mr Crowley / I Don’t Know / Fairies Wear Boots / Suicide Solution / Road To Nowhere / Shot In The Dark / Rat Salad / Iron Man / Crazy Train … encores Mama, I’m Coming Home / I Don’t Wanna Change The World / War Pigs / Paranoid