Singer Ozzy Osbourne, known as the “Prince of Darkness,” also cast a spotlight − some would say shadow − on Peoria.
The legendary rocker, heavy-metal icon and reality-show celebrity died Tuesday at age 76.
As a vocalist, the former Black Sabbath frontman performed twice in Peoria, both times marked by controversy over his satanic reputation and reported eating habits, including biting the heads off of small animals.
When did Ozzy Osbourne perform in Peoria?
On March 16, 1983, as part of the “Speak of the Devil” tour, Osbourne performed before 6,600 fans at the Peoria Civic Center. “No bats were decapitated, no doves killed,” the Journal Star reported. “This guy’s reputation for munching on live animals during performances never gained so much as a nibble.”
Nevertheless, “scattered protests were visible outside the arena, where religious groups gathered to pass out literature.”
The story added, “Those protesters, like those who objected to his playing Peoria at recent City Council meetings, feared that if he wasn’t possessed then he was the devil himself,” the story read.
To the contrary, Osbourne repeatedly told the audience that “God loves you.”
His setlist included his solo hits “Crazy Train” and “Suicide Solution” and the Black Sabbath song “Iron Man.”
Osbourne’s performance followed months of columns, articles, editorials and letters in the Journal Star both for and against the singer’s upcoming appearance. Protesters beseeched the City Council to cancel the show.
(Days before the concert, Osbourne told a Journal Star reporter that reports of his eating habits had been exaggerated. “These tales allege Ozzy, while on stage, employed his teeth as a guillotine. Legend has it bats, doves and chickens have fallen prey to this singing executioner’s mouth,” the newspaper reported. “I don’t do that stuff during concerts,” Osbourne said. “I don’t do that stuff anywhere, not anytime.”)
On July 15, 1986, Osbourne returned to the Peoria Civic Center for a stop on “The Ultimate Sin” tour. This time around, pre-show opposition was muted, although a Journal Star headline read, “Ozzy opponents bedevil council” after about a dozen people lobbied against the concert.
Osbourne and opener Metallica performed before about 5,000 people. “Compared to past Osbourne efforts, his stage show Tuesday was relatively mild,” the Journal Star wrote. “He did not bite the head off any bats or birds at this concert, as he has in the past, but instead held fans’ attention through decibel-levels, a few explosions and sometimes blinding multi-colored lights.”
Memories of Ozzy Osbourne performances in Peoria can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=%20Ozzy%20Osbourne%20Peoria.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Protests, controversy and bats: Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne caused a stir in Peoria
Reporting by Dean Muellerleile, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
