As soon as I set down to begin making
My 30 Before 30 List I knew that seeing Ozzy in concert would definitely be included. In fact, the night I started the list I got so excited about just the
thought of seeing him in concert that I immediately began trying to figure out when I could make it happen.
The reason I was so adamant about including Ozzy is because a few years ago someone I'd admired since my mid-teens died, someone that I had always
sworn to myself that I would go see live in person "one of these days."
Here's the man I told myself over and over again I'd make it a point to see in person "later in life," ya know, when I "had the time."
Don't recognize him? Here, this may help.
This man is George Carlin. I won't get into the millions of reasons this man was an absolute genius and will forever be a legend in my mind, because that deserves a post of its own.
When I found out he'd suddenly and unexpectedly died it hit me hard. I would never meet the man that has been extremely influential to me. No more telling myself I'd do it "one day." My chance was gone forever.
So, when I sat down to write my list I thought of George Carlin and how he would be at the top of my list if he were still alive. And I also thought of any other living legend that I knew I absolutely had to see live before the chance passed me by.
The answer to that question was obvious.
I mean, look at that face! Ozzy is a legend. His music is insanely influential to millions of loyal followers. He's been around for like, ever. And for being The Prince of Darkness, his lyrics are often extremely poetic and thought provoking. Plus, you know you're lying if you try to tell me that you don't immediately whip out your air guitar every time you hear the intro to Crazy Train!
So, when I found out that Ozzy, the man who literally tours world wide, was going to be performing live just four hours away from where I live and that tickets for the concert had just gone on sale two days before I realized this, I knew I had to be there.
I immediately called up my amazing friend Alison to make sure she was in and I purchased the tickets. For over two months we counted down the days leading up to February 10, 2011--the date we would get to see Ozzy perform!
Unfortunately, a few days before the concert mother nature decided she had other plans.
See that green area? Yea, that's the area designated as slick and hazardous. It's also the area we needed to drive through in order to get to the concert in Tulsa.
The night before the concert Alison and I sadly decided there was no way we could safely make the trip. I went to bed very upset. When was I ever going to get the opportunity to see him again in concert? I had been looking forward to this for months. I was devastated.
The morning of the concert I moped and complained. That is until I realized there was one flight that would get us to Tulsa approximately two hours before the concert was set to begin (so long as there were no delays due to the weather) if we left right then--and I mean right then. I called Alison. We both knew we were crazy but we decided that so long as we could make it to the airport from our houses through the ice and snow, we were headed to Tulsa!
Sure we had no rental car waiting for us. Sure, we had no hotel to check into. And sure, we had no clue how to get home. But do you think we cared while we were enjoying this view?
When we stopped for a short layover in Texas, Robert called to let me know that he had booked the hotel for us. Less than two hours later, I was holding the golden ticket! I was about to mark off one of the items on
My 30 Before 30 List and I was ecstatic!
Slash performed first, which rocked my face off.
But it didn't come close to how I felt when I saw this.
When the stage lit up and Ozzy came out, I knew why he was the legend I just had to see (not that I ever had any doubts.)
One of my favorite moments during the show was when he performed Momma I'm Coming Home. The arena was lit up with lighters and cell phones and I realized that everyone else there was making one of their dreams come true at that moment too.
The concert felt like it lasted 15 minutes because he played "my favorite song" followed by "oh no wait, this one is my favorite song" the entire time.
After we made it back to the hotel Alison's fantastic husband called and agreed to drive all the way to Tulsa just to turn around and drive us home. [I'll hold for the applause, because that definitely deserves one.]
So #6 is complete. And now, 10 years from now when Maddox is listening to Ozzy I won't have to tell him that I never got around to seeing him in concert. I'll be able to tell him exactly how great he was in concert, back when he was just 62 years old!
