Ozzy Rocks Intimate Show at Sunset Strip’s House of Blues

Ozzy Osbourne is a guy who likes to do everything larger than life -- even if that means sometimes scaling down. To wit, Ozzy could rock L.A.'s Staples Center or Forum, but you can see his Ozzness in an arena any time. However, seeing one of metal's biggest icons in a small, packed club doesn't happen often. It did June 20 though, as to celebrate his new album, 'Scream,' Osbourne packed a thousand or so sweaty, yelling, devil horns-holding up fans into the Sunset Strip's House of Blues for an hour-long look at why he is a metal legend.

Opening with 'Bark at the Moon,' Osbourne seemed inspired by the small setting, yelling at fans between every song to "make some mother f---ing noise," and saying, "I can't hear you," until they were worked into a frenzy.

Flanked by the swirling hair of guitarist Gus G on one side and bassist Rob 'Blasko' Nicholson on the other, Osbourne -- who constantly waved his hand and exhorted the crowd to do the same, and at one point drenched the front rows with a bucket of what we presume was water -- seemed 20 years younger as he worked his way through his entire career, from the Black Sabbath classics 'Iron Man' and the ferenetic energy of 'Paranoid' all the way through to the new album's pseudo-title track, 'Let Me Hear You Scream.'

Mixed in with the obvious hits like 'I Don't Know' and 'Crazy Train' were some impressive rarities like the Sabbath track 'Fairies Wear Boots,' also from 'Paranoid,' and 'I Don't Want to Change the World,' off 'No More Tears.' He also pulled out 'A Shot in the Dark,' a song he said he hadn't done in some time, in addition to 'Mr. Crowley' and 'Suicide Solution' from the 'Blizzard Of Ozz' album. But this show was less about the set list, impressive and varied as it was, and more the chance to celebrate a metal legend. And both fans and artist had a freaking blast doing just that.