Meanwhile, Back at the US Festival...

I was born in 1979, so I surely wasn't at the US Festival on "Metal Day" back on Memorial Day weekend in 1983. We've talked about that mythical show from time to time. In fact, I've often said if science ever invents a time machine - I'm totally going back in time to stand backstage at the US Fest!

These bands performed on Metal Day:

Van Halen
Quiet Riot
Motley Crue
Ozzy Osbourne
Judas Priest
Triumph
Scorpions

Awesome, right? Well, until some brilliant scientist creates my time machine, I'll rely on YouTube to take me back. Last night, I found a couple awesome clips from Ozzy's performance at the US Festival. Ozzy looked so young - and the crowd is huge! Pretty much, I watched these clips and was captivated. Enjoy.

Comments

[Shadow]

Ozzy did more than that, There was a promo lp of the whole setlist which i have some of. Over the mountain and Fairies wear boots are nice! Can you imagine if Randy was still alive and with Ozzy and the metal health Quiet Riot was performing at the same venue! man that would be awesome! All the other bands just add to it! Although i hear VH was visibly smashed when they performed but hey they party hard.

I wanna be there!!!! Where's Doc Brown??

[looksthatkill]

Motley Crue rocked, I wish I had seen them in the "shout" days live

[Damnp78]

I'm with you Ally. being a late 70's baby myself I missed alot of what seemed to be the hey day of our beloved music but continue to re-live it (sort of) through old clips and dvd compilations. Also, the reason I will continue to shell out my hard earned bucks for these reunions tours no matter how predictable the set list.

[Rita]

This line up is heaven. Pure and simple.

[kris]

What was the attendance? There is a sea of people in the pics.

[Metalboy!]

HUGE!

I've got the entire Metal Day on DVD and 3 CD Set.

It's all out of control KICK-A*S! xcept for comedy troupe, Triumph, who are still amusing, nevertheless.

Anyone out there who was at USFest Metal Day, do tell what it was like in the audience.

[Bob]

I was 14 when this momentus occasion happened. i was living in New Jersey so I had no shot of being in Cali for the event. I do remember though that MTV showed part of these performances so at least I got to watch them on TV. the sound was odd, not mixed all that well with a strange slapback delay throughout, but the performances were killer. Even the smashed Van halen brought it hard that day.

[Shadow]

I've seen that video of VH Ed and Mike looked like they were ready to pass out while doing the back up vocals to unchained, priceless! now if only Motley could perform anywhere near how they did at this show during their tour with Poison etc., Of course QR and Ozzy are the highlights for me. I find it funny that on the dvd the commentary for Ozzy's set makes a bit of deal about Ozzy's costume which he takes off after about 15 total seconds!

[Ace]

I was there, and can tell you, you're getting a romanticized version of how it really was.
First off, it was hot. The sound was not all it should be until late in the day... around the time the Scorpions went on.(Major time delay problems between the main P.A. & the towers halfway back in the crowd.) Quiet Riot were great, even with their sound problems & staying in tune. Motley Crue were OK, but could've been so much better had they not been so smacked out. They too, had sound problems. Ozzy was OK, Jake did his best,but obviously was no Randy Rhoads. His band had a near last minute lineup change, with bassist Bob Daisley re-joining the band literally the day before, (Bassist Don Costa, had been fired for some suspicious reason) Judas Priest was Judas Priest, riding the crest of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" at the time.I can't really comment on Triumph, as I spent all of Triumph's set standing in line to use one of the portable toilets. And I seem to recall that Van Halen was way late getting on stage.I left halfway thru their set. More than anything, I remember that all my friends and I that did attend spent the next month hacking up the dirt & dust that had collected in our lungs from our day at "The dUSt Festival".

[Brian L]

It certainly looked like fun. We should have another one like this. Just bring in the biggest and best bands and party like it is 1985. I guess, that's what ROK tried to do, but the attendance dropped and now the format has changed.

[i'mtheone]

I was born in 72 so I was there; Ace is right in that it was really hot and dusty but still..I'm so glad I was able to go. I went with my dad and my older sister and some of her friends. I remember Judas Priest and the Scorpions being really tight and sounding really good and I remember VH coming on late...I still loved them anyway.. :)

[Metalboy!]

Great comments, all!

Ace and The One... Dudes! I am not worthy.

Man, I wish I coulda been there even if it was actually dUSt Festival '83.

Judging from the DVD, I gathered Quiet Riot, Priest, Crue and Scorps were the highlights. Van Halen seemed pretty ramshackle, but still, man, what a show!

I thought Halford's performance was particularly killarious, actually approaching performance art of the highest order with all his over the top gesturing and exaggeratedly robotic moves.

I also thought Rudy Sardoz's stagecraft was notable as was the Scorpions' band pile-up during their set on top of Rudy's edge of the stage guitar posturing which also proved to be quite amusing.

[i'mtheone]

Metalboy..to be honest the Scorps were the best sounding; they were really tight and just sounded like a machine. Even my Metallica loving pops thought they were the best band of the day. Motley was fun and raw and VH got better as their set progressed. They fudged on the opener 'Romeo Delight' but got tighter. I'm glad I saw them with Roth because the next time I saw them was when Hagar was with them. Still great but not the same!

[Ace]

I'll second that... Scorpions were definitely the best performance of the day.

[Metalboy!]

Cool, One! Yeah, I was lucky enuff to see Van Halen point blank in '78 blow headlining Terrible Ted off the stage when their debut album had only been out for two weeks.

Then I saw 'em point blank in '81 off "Fair Warning" and they were equally astounding!

Rock On!

p.s. Never saw 'em with Hagar but I do like the Van Hagar stuff. Just not as much as VH with Diamond Dave. Not by a long shot.

[Shadow]

Ace, I'll bet he first to admit to Jake is no Randy but what he does with the solo from Over the mountain is insane i think! I'm in Rome for the bext week, any metal spots i should scout out?

[Spence]

@metalboy - Triumph a comedy troupe? Your kidding, right? I will agree that they are not "metal", but they are one of the best classic rock bands of that era. You would be hard pressed to find a guitar player as talented and original as Rick Emmitt.

[Metalboy!]

Phew. Spence! Really? Triumph? Again, it's not technical prowess I'm looking for here.

I'm talkin' ROCKIN' OUT!

If you watch the DVD (check online... It's pretty cheap and easy to find), you'll find Triumph subdued and boring except for their just okay, semi-hit, "Lay It On The Line", during which they semi-rock.

Dude, quit takin' this stuff so seriously (like Triumph) and ROCK OUT instead!