Ozzfest 2003 line-up and US dates confirmed!

Ozzfest 2003 promises "14 hours of non-stop rock with its most ferocious line-up to date". A bold statement indeed, yet a quick glimpse at the initial line-up appears to back this up. Ozzfest will tour the US through June to August, with a one-off UK date, although unconfirmed, expected at the end of May. More details on the UK Ozzfest will be announced soon, but the line-up is likely to be almost identical to the US version.

Ozzy Osbourne returns, of course,  to headline Ozzfest 2003 to do what he loves best - play rock n'roll. The Prince of Darkness will hit the stage with band mates Zakk Wylde, Robert Trujillo, and Michael Bordin with a hard-hitting set of "songs culled from his 33-year career as rock's purveyor of heavy metal".

American heavyweights Korn, have signed on for their first Ozzfest, "bringing their rich sonic assault to the masses". Comedy genius and occasional rock star Marilyn Manson returns with his memorable stage antics. Ozzfest favorites Disturbed are back with more of their 'anthemic metal' and Ozzfest 2002 Second Stagers Chevelle have graduated and will usher in the Main Stage entertainment beginning at around 5pm.

Ozzfest's reputation as a world class rock n'roll festival is cemented each year as new bands continue to break out and become multi-platinum acts. Bands such as Limp Bizkit, Incubus, Linkin Park, System of a Down, Slipknot, Godsmack, POD and Disturbed are just a few of the many bands that have scaled great heights after a summer on the US Ozzfest stage.

This year the tradition looks set to continue with a second stage bill that boasts "the best young acts in the constantly changing hard rock scene". Presiding over the Second Stage are English goth-metal phenoms Cradle of Filth who will make their first U.S. rock festival appearance on Ozzfest 2003 alongside Trust Company. Underground favourites Shadow's Fall, Killswitch Engage, and Nothingface bring a heavier edge to the second stage, joining upstarts Hotwire, Grade 8, Twisted Method, Unloco, and Memento - just a few of the 14 bands that will round out the second stage line-up.

The Village of The Damned concourse will be re-vamped to offer Ozzfest-goers the best in entertainment with all state-of-the-art video games and some new surprises in addition to everyone's favorites such as piercing booths and world-class tattoo artists.

Over 4 million fans have attended the US Ozzfest over the last seven years and last summer's version of Ozzfest was among the top-25 grossing tours of 2002, grossing $24.5 million, despite being cancelled halfway through, due to Sharon Osbourne's breast cancer scare.

Stay posted for Ozzfest UK confirmations and info.

U.S. Ozzfest 2003 TOUR DATES (subject to change)

Jun. 28 San Antonio Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Jun. 29 Dallas Smirnoff Music Center
Jul. 02 Phoenix Cricket Pavilion
Jul. 03 San Diego Coors Amphitheatre
Jul. 05 Los Angeles Glen Helen Pavilion
Jul. 08 San Francisco Shoreline Amphitheatre
Jul. 09 Sacramento Sleep Train Amphitheatre
Jul. 12 Seattle White River Amphitheatre
Jul. 15 St. Louis UMB Bank Pavilion
Jul. 17 Kansas City Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Jul. 19 Minneapolis Float. Rite Park
Jul. 20 Chicago Tweeter Center
Jul. 22 Cleveland Blossom
Jul. 24 Detroit DTE Entergy Music Theatre
Jul. 30 Pittsburgh Post. Gazette Pavilion
Jul. 31 Indianapolis Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Aug. 02 Milwaukee Alpine Valley
Aug. 03 Columbus Polaris Amphitheatre
Aug. 05 Scranton Montage Mountain
Aug. 07 Philadelphia Tweeter Waterfront
Aug. 09 Hartford Meadows Music Theatre
Aug. 11 Buffalo Darien Lakes
Aug. 14 Boston Tweeter Center
Aug. 18 New York PNC Bank Arts Center
Aug. 22 Washington DC Nissan Pavilion
Aug. 24 Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Aug. 26 Atlanta Hi. Fi Buys Amphitheatre
Aug. 28 West Palm Beach Coral Sky Amphitheatre

Tickets go on sale in March with limited specially priced $10 tickets available at venue box offices. Regularly priced tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets.

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