Ozzfest, Knotfest join forces for summer bash

Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne and Corey Taylor
Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne and Corey Taylor (Image credit: Getty)

Ozzfest and Knotfest have joined forces for a special weekend bill in California this September.

The event is billed as Ozzfest Meets Knotfest and it’ll run over September 24 and 25 at the San Manuel Amphitheatre in San Bernardino, California.

The Saturday bill will represent Ozzfest and feature headliners Black Sabbath. Joining Ozzy and co will be Disturbed, Megadeth, Opeth, Black Label Society, Rival Sons, Children Of Bodom, Hatebreed, DevilDriver, Municipal Waste, Goatwhore, Huntress, Dave Lombardo’s Dead Cross, Kataklysm, Nails, Still Rebel and The Shine.

Sunday will be given over to Knotfest, and joining headliners Slipknot will be Slayer, Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Trivium, Sabaton, Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, Emmure, OverKill, Butcher Babies, Man With A Mission, Combichrist, Death Angel, Sim and Oni.

Tickets go on sale on May 20 from 10am PST, while VIP packages will also be available.

Sabbath frontman Ozzy was joined onstage by his estranged wife Sharon Osbourne for the festival announcement. She put the couple’s recent difficulties behind her to tell the crowd at the Hollywood Palladium: “20 years ago, we realised that there was no touring festival that supported music like these guys did.

“We came up with Ozzfest and for 20 years it was amazing. And for many of those years we had the unbelievable Slipknot playing. And Slipknot came along and kicked our arses and created Knotfest.

“They took that around the world and it was hugely successful and critically acclaimed as one of the best festivals on Earth.

“Then we decided, ‘Why not merge together?’”

In addition to the music, there will be a Thunderdome Battle Arena, massive fire displays, carnival rides, travelling troupes of freaks, a monster truck arena and a rollercoaster called the Children of The Grave-Itron.

Fore more, visit the Ozzfest Meets Knotfest website.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more for Louder. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, The Tragically Hip, Marillion and Rush.