For Justin Roman, watching bands perform classic metal songs at Ozzfest ’97 was an unforgettable experience.
And not just because of the riot.
Only 14 years old at the time, Roman, who lives in Athens County, said the performances came to a “pretty amazing” close as various musicians appeared on stage together at Polaris Amphitheater playing classic Black Sabbath songs.
But when Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo announced headliner Ozzy Osbourne would not be making it to the show after all, things got a little too wild.
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“When we noticed they had lit the fence on fire, my dad said we had to leave,” Roman said.
Fans vandalize Polaris Amphitheater after Ozzy doesn’t show
Roman’s memorable concert experience was 27 years ago Monday. That’s when pandemonium broke out at the Polaris Amphitheater because Osbourne didn’t show up to his own concert.
On June 17, 1997, the heavy-metal legend was scheduled to perform in Columbus along with his band, Black Sabbath, as part of the annual Ozzfest music festival tour.
But Osbourne fell ill after a concert in New Jersey and wound up in the hospital.
In Columbus, fans were informed that Osbourne would be late, and treated to performances from bands and musicians such as Pantera, Marilyn Manson, Type O Negative, Fear Factory and Machine Head.
According to Dispatch coverage from that time, Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo broke the news at 9:25 p.m. that Osbourne would not be coming. Disappointment was widespread amongst the crowd of roughly 18,000 people.
Here’s how former Dispatch pop music critic Bill Eichenberger described the scene: “On its way out, the crowd lit at least three brush fires on Polaris property, smashed the box office windows and attempted to climb in, threw objects at employees (who quickly exchanged their uniforms for street clothes), tore down the wooden fence around the facility, destroyed neighbors’ fences and trees, and heavily damaged at least one car in the parking lot.
“Columbus police called in reinforcements, including a helicopter to get people to leave.”
Ozzy fans remember a night of pure chaos
Sam Natcher II remembers the helicopter.
Now 46 and living in Stark County, Natcher was a teenager enjoying his first Ozzfest. His memories of the day include police officers in riot gear, the illumination from the helicopter overhead and, of course, the fires.
“We could see the glow from the fire from people burning the fence on the way out,” he said.
As chaos ensued, Natcher said he vividly remembers a man swinging a 2×4 plank of wood, which he suspects came from a torn fence, while standing on top of a flower box.
(Roman, for his part, snagged a piece of broken fence as a souvenir.)
People were spitting and throwing so much dirt, according to Eric Forson, that it was practically “raining sod.”
“So much was going on all at once,” Forson, 51, of Urbana said. “I had never seen anything like it.”
Robert Beckman, 52, of Westerville, said he remembers the crowd had been “weird and restless” all night. When the riots began, he quickly tried to get his pregnant girlfriend away from the scene.
“I just remember shielding her as much as I could so we could get out of there,” he said.
Ozzy Osbourne’s return
A few weeks later, Osbourne finally made it to central Ohio for a July 1 makeup show.
Natcher was there and said the singer referenced the events of June 17.
“He pointed out to the lawn and something along the lines of, ‘How do you guys like that new fence I just bought?'”
