Pre-LA Ozzfest warm up in "hot" Atlanta

Adam Bowman tells us

who's mosh worthy in this year's lineup

Every year, the Ozzfest festival rolls through the country, and every year, it seems like it hits Georgia before it hits the beloved L.A. So I decided to brave the 110-degree heat and check out the show so you Californians can get a heads-up on who to look out for and who's hit some hard times on the tour. It's your standard 'who's hot, who's not' for Ozzfest, folks.

First, let's get a quick thing ironed out. Unfortunately, you guys aren't getting The Apex Theory, Flaw, Otep, Soil, and the like. So I'm omitting them from this guide. In the meanwhile, I'll cover Meshuggah, Hatebreed, and Down along with the main stagers. So alas, here we go

Hot:

Well, duh. These boys are way more than capable of filling Ozzy's shoes as the main headliner. Their show is high-impact, high-energy, and even humorous, as Daron busted out a cover of Dire Straits' "Sultan Of Swing" and dedicated it to the muscle-bound guys lurching about in the crowd. Also, be wary of possible new and rare material, as their Atlanta set included the Strangeland soundtrack's "Marmalade" and two songs that, even though I've got all the other CDs they've appeared on along with their albums, have never heard before.

Jeebus are these boys loud. Depending on how the layout is, you could hear these guys from across the venue clearly. Don't be surprised if Meshuggah's set seems shorter than everyone else's, because these guys bust out some fast songs for the set. If you're squeamish about the pit, stay back from the stage during Hatebreed's set. Even in the sweltering heat, people start moshing as they banged out some seriously loud metal.

Be on the lookout for a Metallica cover when these guys hit the stage, as they whipped out "Creeping Death" to the crowd's delight. Dave Williams is sure to be all over the stage, and will even remind some of a younger Pantera-age Phil Anselmo. He gets brownie points for that

Zakk Wylde's

Continuing his anti-Limp Bizkit campaign, Wylde is touring in support of 1919 Eternal, his latest effort. His set is more than likely going to hawk the album, with a couple of exceptions. And as always, expect volume and expect an 'incoming' before every solo.

... and the "Prince of F**king Darkness"

zzy -- It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out, does it? The Ozzman, despite everything going on, has a show that you will be fortunate to witness. By the time he rolls into your stop, the kinks should be worked out from his 21-day absence, and you'll get the entire Ozzy package: water, "Crazy Train", Sabbath songs, and overall anarchy in the crowd.

And now, for the other side of yon coin, the Nots:

-Down: Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's Phil Anselmo and Pepper Keenan, but the album just did not translate well to a live show. There were very few energetic moments, as the blues-laden metal just kinda made for a quasi-laid-back atmosphere. If you're expecting Pantera energy and heavy metal, you'll be mostly disappointed (fans of blues, however, should dig this band). Sadly, the pot references by Phil got a larger response from the down-south rednecks than most of their songs.

-Adema: Sadly, these guys got butchered by their sound people. If this keeps up, prepare to hear squelches, squelches, and squeaks. Marky Chavez and the boys put some good effort into their show, but got nailed by the sound folk. If the tech problem gets worked out, expect a decent show.

-Rob Zombie: I'm sorry, but I have a slight problem when you bitch at the crowd and don't even finish your own lyrics. I realize that Zombie has a sarcastic and sometimes vengeful sense of humor, but if you're not putting any effort into playing your songs and then gripe at the crowd because they're not jumping and moshing in 110-degree weather, you're losing points. On the plus side, though, you're getting at least two or three White Zombie songs, and if you're a girl and you're close to the stage, you'll get a chance to dance along on-stage to "Living Dead Girl". Plus he's a cool guy to meet off-stage, so that makes things a little closer to even.

So, alas, there's your cheat sheet. Remember, though, the bads are always capable of putting on blockbuster shows, and the slightest thing can make a good show poop. The point of this list is to show you who's got some momentum going into your show, and what to expect from some of the band's sets.

You have been warned.

Ozzfest hits LA on August 31 at Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion in San Bernardino, CA

Check out the official Ozzfest web site for more details and a possible set list closer to the event date www.ozzfest.com