Roadtrips

There are some folks who just don't know how to say goodbye. Ozzy Osbourne is tops on the list; the guy's retired so many times he should have his own planned community in Florida by now. Once again he's "retiring" the original Black Sabbath line-up, which will be headlining the Ozzfest. This year's other monsters of rock include Rob Zombie, the Deftones, Slayer, Primus, Godsmack, System of a Down, Fear Factory, Puya, and Static-X. The June 16 date at the Tweeter Center (401-331-2211) in Mansfield is already sold out; tickets remain for the second Tweeter show, on June 18.

Rumor had it that Vanilla Ice was trying to get on Ozzfest; somehow he didn't make the cut. But he's back with his Korn-ish metal band and a couple of hardcore outfits at the Palladium (508-797-9696) in Worcester on June 12. We still shake our heads and wonder whether we've been zapped to another dimension each time we see the line-up: Ice-Ice Baby, Hatebreed, Eastcide, and 7th Rail Crew.

From Nashville Pussy to Kid Rock to the stoned-cold roster of Frank Kozik's Man's Ruin label, redneck chic has been the iconography du jour for the latest batch of rock-and-roll renegades. Get a glimpse of the real shit-kickin' Southern rock deal when the Confederate freak flag flies over the "Volunteer Jam Tour" with the Charlie Daniels Band, the Marshall Tucker Band, and the legendary Molly Hatchet. It hits the Tweeter Center on June 11.

The South Shore Music Circus (781-383-1400) in Cohasset has some of the best sightlines in outdoor amphitheater-dom -- no seat, they claim, is more than 50 feet from the in-the-round stage. Which means you can get all intimate and whatnot with our favorite rockabilly-lite crooner Chris Isaak when he hits the joint on June 13.

Some of you probably have tickets to see the Beach Boys on July 21 at the BankBoston Pavilion (401-331-2211), but you'd have to be crazier than a loon to be a Beach Boys fan without a ticket to see one of Brian Wilson's performances in the area this month. The certifiable pop genius/nutcase makes a couple of ridiculously rare live appearances, on June 15 at the Calvin Theatre (413-586-8686) in Northampton and on June 21 at Symphony Hall (617-266-1200) in Boston.
-- Carly Carioli