Featured Live Music Artist of the Week - Ozzy At The Aragon Part 1

So the timing of this Throwback Thursday post works out well.   A year ago, in January, I saw Ozzy live at United Center as part of Black Sabbath.  And now, just days ago, Ozzy announces he is headlining one night (as a solo act) at Chicago's Open Air Concert at Toyota Park.

However, the event I'm going to talk about took place decades ago - literally.  And it took place in November - the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to be exact.

The event was Ozzy Osbourne's Theatre of Madness Tour - 1991.

The place - the legendary ARAGON BALLROOM in Chicago (the brawlroom).

This was Ozzy's warm-up tour, prior to embarking on his very large scale, stadium sized/outdoor arena "No More Tours Tour".  The supported CD was "No More Tears".

Ozzy had put together a tour of small arenas as a warm-up tour.  The tour was announced on very short notice and tickets were released only a short time before the shows.  The Aragon Ballroom was a general admission (festival seating) venue.  And that is where Part 1 of the story begins.

Any Chicagoan knows there is just something special about attending a rock show at the Brawlroom.  It's legendary, everybody's older brother had stories about it - and down the line.  Everybody's story is different - but one thing that is common - is that they will always remember it - always.

This is my story - told is 3 parts : "Ozzy at the Aragon : Part 1 (or Before Dawn)"

Typical of a November day in Chicago it was cold, and there was a "cold November Rain" - long before GNR sang about such a thing.  A trip to the legendary Aragon Ballroom (Brawlroom) was an event - not just a concert - it was a pilgrimage, a journey, a rite of passage, and all those other cliches.  Though it wasn't a cliche - it really WAS an event, an expedition, and a moment in time.  There are several ways to do a Brawlroom show.  Show up just before it starts, mosey on in and stand somewhere near the back of the ballroom attempting to see over everybody's heads on this flat ballroom floor - or make it an event.  My friend and I chose to make it an event.

The show started at 7:00pm, which meant doors at 6:00pm (if we were lucky).  What time did we get there?  6:00am.  Yep, you read that right - 6:00 A M.  And guess what, we were NOT first.  Nope.  We parked the car in the parking garage structure next to the alley - about half a block from the entrance of the venue.  But the alley was the important place now - it was where the line started.  The layout was parking garage, alley, "L" tracks, store fronts, Aragon entrance.  There was a good half a block from where the general admission line formed and the opening of the venue.  The design of the "L" tracks actually had it so that there was a wall next to the tracks to support the elevation.  So, the line formed against this wall and the parking garage.  (the garage is no longer there, and parking is blocks away).

As we exited the garage on foot, we noticed about 5 or 6 people already in line.  Yep - 6:00am - in the rain - and not even first!!!  The one guy, who sort of looked like Dio himself, was at the front of the line, he was sitting propped up on a barricade with his boombox (yep, that's how long ago this was) blasting out classic Sabbath tunes.  The other 5 or so people were hanging out with him.  He was sort of "holding court" as they say, telling stories about seeing Black Sabbath and discussing which albums were better, and the classic Sabbath vs. Ozzy dispute or Ozzy vs. Dio dispute.  The rain wasn't hard, but it was cold, and everybody was wrapped up in typical Chicago layers, winter coats, and sleeping bags.  But all 8 of us now (with us included) were oblivious to the weather and having fun.  Oh, I forgot to mention, there was a brief respite from the cold, as the "Dio guy" had stated a garbage can fire - basically that stereo-typical garbage can fire seen in every alley in every movie where they try to make the area look dangerous.  So, we did have that going for us.  Not sure where the wood came from - or how we kept it going though.

Sun was not up yet, and even if it was, it was cloudy.  But then came two more people and 4 more people and 10 more people and so on and so on and so on.  Suddenly, there was actually a crowd - a real crowd - and the sun was just starting to show.  Time became meaningless, and I have no idea if this occurred over several minutes or two hours - I just remember talking and talking and singing and laughing and smiling and absorbing (the atmosphere, not the rain).

Then, of course, it started to snow.  So, when I tell people I stood in line in the rain AND the snow to see Ozzy, and I was thankful!!!  It's not just old-person talk - I really did.  (uphill both ways too).

Here we were - about 11 hours before the show started and already talking everything Ozzy.  And everything rock and roll.  Even though this was the prelude to the "No More Tours Tour" (which ended up NOT being his last tour) - The Ozzman was at the pinnacle of his career, No More Tears, was probably his most successful album to date and was dominating MTV (when they had videos) and the radio airwaves.  And, in about 11 hours, we were going to see him - live.  And, based on our spot in line - up close!!!

The line continued to grow - very informally but yet very organized.  There was no arguing, no cutting, no creating of a new line, or any of that other jazz.  Was it that everybody was harmonious or just afraid of starting a fight and missing the show?  Who knows - but it worked.  People started talking to people around them, getting to know the 7-10 people in their immediate vicinity and just having a good time.   Sharing drinks, smokes, stories, laughter, and music.  And the fire kept burning (still don't know how, considering it had been raining and snowing and sleeting - and the fire was going before we got there - hours ago).  Maybe it was that Dio-looking guy, maybe he really was a warlock.

It was still sometime before noon - and to be honest, thoughts like "what if I have to pee?  How do I get out of line - and WHERE do I even go?" started to creep in.  Along with, "okay, I'm starting to actually freeze now."   But the mind kept distracted with discussion, music, singing, laughing, and now, even card playing with the new neighbors in line.

Well, this is getting lengthy now for a blog post - so check back next Thursday for Part 2 (or "The Arrival of the Corrals).

And I don't have a name for part 3 yet.