Saturday, August 27; The Zone parking lot (2501 San Mateo), 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (all-ages): Sure, Ozzfest is not without its overcommercialized charm, but it seems to me that the festival may not exactly cater to the most devout of rock fans. I mean, lets be honest—how hardcore can you be if you're willing to pay $78.50 plus a service charge for a reserved seat? Not very hardcore, would appear to be the answer. It is with this in mind that I present metal fanatics and rock enthusiasts with an alternative. ZoneFest could easily be considered the “anti-Ozzfest.” The free event will feature a heaping helping of hard-rocking local ensembles, including the schizophrenically supercharged sounds of Caustic Lye, the punkish, blues-influenced metal of Wisdom of the Leech and an ass-load more. Plus, who needs $6 Journal Pavilion hot dogs when you can have made-to-order barbecue? Finally, there will be merch tents, ticket giveaways, free hookah rentals and piercing specials all day long. So tell your uppity pal who won't let you forget you missed Ozzfest, that you hope he enjoyed paying almost 80 bucks to see In Flames. Screw him! You're going to a real rock show. Hell, you might even get some sort of body part pierced while you're at it. Rock on!
