Mr. Nut AKA Mr. Vegas is a huge Ozzy and Black Sabbath fan so when Ozzfest made a stop at New Jersey’s PNC Arts Center in June, 1999, Jimmy Nut picked up a pair of tickets for us to sit dead center in the first 20 rows with the theory that security would be beefed up to protect us from unruly, and possibly intoxicated metalheads of all shapes and sizes, rushing and crushing the stage. His concerns seemed to be well founded as a young man was swimming in a puddle in the parking lot when we arrived. My best memory of this New Jersey Ozzy road trip was seeing Slipknot on stage for the very first time in full masked regalia and moving back a few rows as when they hit the stage they scared me; specifically the one Slipknot band member perched on the spring loaded drum. Ozzfest was an awesome rock and roll traveling circus with something for every music lover to enjoy in a variety of metal maniac flavors.

Toxicity

Rock on!

GQ

I used to buy all sorts of music gifts for Christmas but compact discs are close to being obsolete and the concert outlook for me is quiet. I picked up tickets for John Mellencamp at the Beacon Theatre in June, and Judy Collins on what will surely be a cold Saturday night in February, as gifts for my wife. Neil Young keeps pumping out box sets and product at an astonishing rate, which is great, and I expect to find some under the tree this morning, but I continue to wish for a tour at some point. The summer shed schedule is light so far, with Foreigner’s “Farewell Tour” and few more shows on tap; I am mostly looking forward to the slow release of the 2023 Newport Folk Festival lineup in the new year where there are always more than a few surprises.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and

Rock on!

GQ