Ozzfest is free this year

[Livia]

http://www.pollstar.com/news/viewnews.pl?NewsID=7649

Free Ozzfest
Updated 11:46 PST Tue, Feb 06 2007

Ozzy Osbourne and wife/manager Sharon Osbourne held a press conference at the Concert Industry Consortium February 6 that was promised to be historic, and was.

Osbourne dispelled rumors that he was retiring and announced the first free festival tour in the history of the U.S.

"Ozzy's been touring for 30 odd years and he's done very well, and just wanted to give something back," Sharon said.

The tour starts in San Bernardino July 7 and will continue through 25 cities including San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Dallas, San Antonio, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus, Pittsburgh, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Hartford, Charlotte, Atlanta, West Plam Beach and Nashville. A final confirmed list of cities and dates is forthcoming.

How this will work logistically is unclear, but it will be a ticketed event and is a Live Nation tour.

"For the last few years,ticket prices have steadily climbed as artists demand more and more money for summer tours," Sharon said. "We certainly want everybody to make money, however we also want the kids to be able to afford to come out and have an incredible experience. If we continued with the traditional touring festival model, we would have no choice but to raise ticket prices again this year."

The bands will not be paid. This gives artists an opportunity to get exposure by playing in front of thousands of Ozzfest fans, Sharon said. The artists will have the opportunity to secure other gigs during the tour.

A lineup is expected within two weeks.