Ozzfest 2003

This weekend, headbangers from Spokane to the Tri-Cities will unite, making their annual pilgrimage to the Mecca of metal shows: Ozzfest. But when the Ozzman cometh to the Pacific Northwest this year, a few things will be different. Ozzy Osbourne's band will feature a new member, new exhibits and attractions will be added, and the heavy metal spectacle will be held at a new venue.

Ozzfest has been one of the best-enduring recent annual music festivals, managing to consistently turn a profit each year since its inception in 1996. But in order to turn a profit this year, the traveling metal-fest has its work cut out for it, competing against the return of Lollapalooza, Metallica's Summer Sanitarium tour, the Van's Warped Tour and the standard array of radio festivals -- all making this summer one of the biggest concert seasons in recent history.

This year, Ozzfest's main stage will host multi-platinum metal heavyweights Korn, Disturbed, Marilyn Manson, the up-and-coming band of brothers Chevelle and, of course, the Prince of Darkness himself. But as is usually the case with the tour, the second stage is where all the buzz and excitement will be generated. The second stage at Ozzfest is where bands such as System of A Down and Slipknot became mainstays of metal.

While some bands have gained a large fan base and sold millions of albums partly because of their success at Ozzfest, other bands such as Kittie and the horn-infused Latin-metal band Puya have achieved only marginal success after their time spent on the tour. Securing a spot on Ozzfest does not necessarily guarantee success, but younger bands on the bill are excited about the possibility of success following the tour.

Ozzfest 2003

Saturday, 9 a.m.

White River Amphitheater

$49.50 general admission, $79.50 reserved

"If you're going to be launched as a band it's going to be at Ozzfest," said Endo drummer Joe Eshkenazi.

Eshkenazi's band is one of the many notable second-stage acts, along with Grade 8, Depswa, Twisted Method, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, Cradle of Filth and ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted's new band Voivod. Newsted will be pulling double duty throughout the tour, performing with Voivod and performing as Osbourne's new bassist. He replaced Robert Trujuillo, who, in an ironic twist of fate, is now the new bass player for Metallica.

A total of 15 bands perform in a period of eight hours on the second stage. The music starts at 9:30 in the morning and ends at 5 p.m., just in time for concertgoers to catch the bigger acts performing on the main stage. As if eight hours of metal was not enough, six more hours of hard-hitting, head-banging music will take over the main stage after the second stage closes.