For the second – and, who knows, perhaps not the last – time, metal legend Ozzy Osbourne embarks on a "farewell tour" and once again, that tour brings the former Black Sabbath frontman and "Crazy Train" conductor to the Milwaukee area.
As part of his "No More Tours 2" jaunt, Osbourne brings his band – Zakk Wylde (guitar), Blasko (bass), Tommy Clufetos (drums) and Adam Wakeman (keyboards) – and openers Megadeth, to Summerfest’s American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Thursday, July 4.
Tickets for the show go on sale on Friday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. at Summerfest.com and Ticketmaster.com, and, as always, include admission to Summerfest. For access to all American Family Insurance Ampitheater online-only presales sign up for the Summerfest Insiders email newsletter at Summerfest.com. Insiders will have access to purchase online-only presale tickets a day early, while supplies last.
The Ozz staged his first "farwell" tour in 1992 and played at Alpine Valley that year. His most recent performance here was at the Bradley Center in 2007 as part of the "Black Rain Tour."
The July 4 show will mark the Big Gig debuts of both Osbourne and Megadeth. They be among the first to perform on the newly rebuilt American Family Insurance Amphitheater, slated to open in time for Summerfest 2019. You can see renderings and learn more about the new stage here.
The first leg of the "No More Tours 2" tour got underway earlier this year, but was briefly derailed a staph infection in his thumb. Next spring, Osbourne hits the road in the U.S. again after a slew of dates in Europe, Asia and Down Under.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
