On June 16, 2002, a concert of the “great and terrible” Ozzy Osbourne was expected to take place at the Tushino Airfield in Moscow. It was supposed to be a big event for fans of rock music. The Russian public had been waiting for the legend for a long time. The first and last live show of Ozzy Osbourne was 13 years ago in the USSR at the Festival of Peace in Luzhniki (1989). The JSA Promoter team organized the long-awaited event.
The visit of Ozzy Osbourne was planned as part of the 2002 Tour in support of his new album – Down To Earth. The concert of the heavy metal king had to take place at the Tushino Airfield (planned capacity: 25,000). The contract with the musician’s agent was signed in March. The ticket price was affordable – 500 rubles (about 15 euros). The tickets could be sold quickly. However, the JSA Promoter team faced a problem with permission from the Moscow authorities and police to hold a concert. The Agency T.C.I, which was supposed to hold the Rammstein concert at the same place, also faced the same problem.
Staging and technical production of the open area for both events were to be done by JSA Stage Company. A long time before this, Alexander Strizhak was negotiating with the new airfield director about the creation of a part of the special airfield area for big open-air concerts and festivals. JSA Stage Company has prepared the opportunities to do temporary infrastructure for the summer period for this case.
Therefore, Ed Ratnikov (T.C.I) and Alexander Strizhak (JSA) joined forces to solve this problem. Each one did his best. Ed Ratnikov connected Boris Nemtsov to this issue from the political side. Alexander Strizhak acted through the Department of Culture and the Moscow City Hall. Having a good reputation as a project manager with a mass audience, he believed that he could get a positive result – Ozzy’s concert will take place in “any weather”!
The problem was that the Militsiya (Russian police) were “afraid” of holding mass concerts during the days of the International Sports Youth Games in Moscow. But it was most likely someone’s not-fair play – a bureaucratic trick.
Boris Nemtsov managed to find a positive solution for this case, but the “city” made a long pause with an official answer. This situation was very difficult for promoters and unlawful by the city authorities.
Will Ozzy and Rammstein perform in Moscow?
An interview with Alexander Strizhak as the project promoter for the newspaper Gazeta.ru
Uncertainty badly affected the sale of tickets for both concerts. At the beginning of June, Ed Ratnikov and Alexander Strizhak held a large press conference for the media about the situation.
But the unexpected news from London put everything in place: Ozzy Osbourne’s concerts in Russia could not take place (the second concert was supposed to be in St. Petersburg). The reason for the cancellation of performances was not the strange opposition of the Moscow authorities but a sudden illness and hospitalization of the lead guitarist of the group Zakk Wylde. Ozzy performed at a concert on the occasion of the jubilee of the Queen of England. The same evening, Zakk Wylde was transported to America. Because of this incident, almost all concerts of Ozzy Osbourne’s European tour were canceled.
JSA announced this incident and the concert cancellation for a valid reason to the audience. In this way, the struggle to resolve the concert has lost its relevance. Official information on the return procedure for the concert of Ozzy Osbourne tickets. Taking advantage of this fact, the Militsiya Main Department of Moscow eventually banned the agency T.C.I to hold the Rammstein concert on the airfield. Rammstein? Nicht!
Music News Agency InterMedia:
– Ozzy Osbourne will land in Tushino
– Ozzy Osbourne will not perform in Russia
Musical News Internet Portal ZVUKI.RU:
– Ozzy OSBOURNE … And Moscow will shudder
– Ozzy Osbourne’s concerts in Russia will not take place due to the illness of musician Zakk Wylde.
News Internet Portal – NEWSru.COM:
– Ozzy Osbourne’s concerts in Russia and Europe are canceled
– Ozzy Osbourne concert ticket return begins
GAZETA.RU (Newspaper.RU): Rammstein did not pass Moscow censorship.
Network Publication KM.RU.: Ozzy does not threaten to Moscow, and Rammstein to Kyiv
The JSA Promoter team settled relations with the agent of the Artist for that case and made a refund for the tickets that were purchased. Unfortunately, Ozzy Osbourne’s show did not take place due to force majeure circumstances. Ozzy Osbourne did not get to Moscow.
Версия на русском языке: OZZY OSBOURNE В МОСКВЕ! РОК-МОНСТР НА АЭРОДРОМЕ В ТУШИНО
© All photos and promo stuff are the copyright of JSA Stage Company.