For a lot of us in San Bernardino County, Glen Helen Amphitheater in Devore will always be tied to Ozzy Osbourne, the “Prince of Darkness,” and the beginning of something unforgettable—Ozzfest.
The first Ozzfest happened in 1996 when Ozzy and his wife, Sharon, created the festival. That first year in San Bernardino had a lineup that true metal fans still talk about. On the main stage were Ozzy, Slayer, Danzig, Sepultura, Fear Factory, Biohazard and Neurosis. Over on the second stage, newer bands like Earth Crisis, Powerman 5000, Coal Chamber, Cellophane and King Norris were getting their start.
Ozzfest quickly became a worldwide festival, but for those of us who were there in the beginning, nothing beats those early shows. The heat was brutal. The crowds were huge. And the music was something you felt in your bones.
Ozzy’s story started far from Devore in Birmingham, England. He was the lead singer of Black Sabbath, a band that took its name from an old Boris Karloff horror film. Their dark sound gave Ozzy his famous nickname, and his wild stage presence helped seal the image. Then came the infamous bat incident in 1982. Ozzy bit the head off a live bat on stage in Iowa. He thought it was fake. It wasn’t. He had to get rabies shots afterward, but the moment became part of rock history.
Even with all the wild behavior on stage, Ozzy often said he was a Christian. That surprised some fans who only knew his darker side. He went on to have a huge solo career with hits like “Crazy Train,” and later starred in the reality show The Osbournes which gave fans a different look at his life.
The last Ozzfest was held in 2016, once again at Glen Helen. That doesn’t change what it meant to the Inland Empire. This is where it started. This is where Ozzy brought a bold idea and made it real. And for fans here, that connection never went away.
In his later years, Ozzy wasn’t touring as much, but he was still a legend. His music kept playing in cars, at parties and in homes. His shirts never went out of style. And younger fans kept discovering him for the first time.
Then came the sad news. Just days after giving what would be his final performances, Ozzy Osbourne passed away. He had been dealing with health issues for years. But fans said those last shows were emotional and powerful. They said he gave it everything he had. And then he was gone.
The loss was felt everywhere, including right here in San Bernardino. Ozzy wasn’t just a rock star. For many of us, he was the sound of our youth. He was the face of a movement. He made the misfits and outsiders feel like they belonged. And for those of us who stood in the heat at Glen Helen all those years ago, he’ll always be part of our story.
