Ozzfest Meets Knotfest – Photos

This past weekend, Ozzfest Meets Knotfest hit San Manuel Amphitheater for 2 days of metal – and it was a blast! We’re talking Black Label Society, Megadeth, Disturbed, Anthrax, Slayer, Slipknot, and of course Black Sabbath!

I am still coughing up dust and dirt – that is the lasting effect of Ozzfest Meets Knotfest – but the payoff is 4 stages of Metal’s best. So many great bands in one festival, and Black Sabbath’s final shows here in So Cal. If you missed the event, maybe a few photos will make you feel better. There was so much music going on at this event that photographing every band is pretty tough, so I focused on the 2 Monster Energy Stages and the Main Stage, but the Nuclear Blast Stage had some good acts too – like Kataklysm, ONI, Combichrist and White Chapel.

If I put all the photos here the page will take hours to load, so there is a full gallery is at the end of this post. Here is the breakdown of the 2 days …

Day 1 – Ozzfest – Saturday 9/24

The lineup on the Monster Stages this day were some of my faves to photograph! Huntress, Hatebreeed, GoatWhore, and yes… Suicidal Tendencies!

Once the main stage kicked off I wanted to check out Rival Sons…. These guys have opened for Black Sabbath on this tour, and they were great. Really suggest checking them out.

Also on night one we had Megadeth (2nd photo at the start of this post), Black Label Society, Disturbed and more.

Again, lots more photos at the end from Day 1.

I should add that you do not see my Black Sabbath photos here. That is because the band did not allow us to photograph their set.

Day 2 – Sunday 9/25

Day 2 we saw a lot of bands I have photographed before, but usually inside… at a normal venue… where I could see… and breath actual air. For the early stages at this event, it was so bright outside that it was a big challenge from a photography perspective. Still, even in the sun and heat, these pros left it all on the stage.

Man With A Mission is a fun shoot. The entire band wears those heads. and it is pretty entertaining. And Butcher Babies I could photo every day!

Bet by the time we hit the Main Stage I was looking forward to some killer performances. Anthrax is one of the most amazing bands live. From a photo angle, just trying to get them in focus is the challenge, but when you can get a face in focus and still see how fast they move… I am in heaven.

Slayer is….. well, it’s Slayer. If you haven’t seen them live then pull out your bucket list and start writing. These guys are a must see.

Finishing the night off was Slipknot. Amazing. It is actually tough to describe Slipknot live. It is a show that is…. well, a SHOW! It’s not just a concert, but a sensory overload – in the best possible way.