Jannus Live – St. Petersburg, FL – On a cool November 29th night, the courtyard of Jannus Live becomes a sanctuary. Fans pour through the gates with visible emotion—some wearing vintage tour shirts, others draped in patch-covered denim, all arriving with the same purpose: to honor the life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne at Flying High Forever, a one-night-only memorial concert whose heartbeat lies in both celebration and remembrance which is the brainchild of Brad Balsama of Tribute Brands, llc.

Hours before showtime, the anticipation is palpable. Conversations drift upward into the warm St. Petersburg air—stories of first encounters with “Blizzard of Ozz,” memories of seeing Black Sabbath in their prime, the shock and sadness felt worldwide at Ozzy’s passing. Yet the prevailing energy remains unifying and hopeful. Tonight is not a funeral. It is a tribute—and a powerful one.

The night carries added purpose: proceeds directly benefit the USF Health Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, honoring Ozzy’s personal journey while supporting a cause deeply meaningful to the community and the artists participating.

At 7:15 p.m., the lights lower and the courtyard erupts. Flying High Forever immediately distinguishes itself from traditional tribute productions. There is no fixed lineup, no predictable sequence—this is a dynamic, evolving celebration featuring a rotating cast of top-tier musicians from across Florida’s rock and metal scene. Guitarists, vocalists, bassists, drummers, and keyboardists step into the spotlight in shifting combinations, creating a constantly fresh interpretation of Ozzy’s catalog.

The concept —a collaborative, community-driven memorial organized by tribute artists, studio veterans, and touring musicians who want to do more than mimic the songs. They seek to channel the unpredictable electricity that defined Ozzy himself. The setlist — a mile long set of songs the cover the storied career of Ozzy Osbourne, with one exception, a tribute to another band that is no stranger to loss, Pantera, as the band tears into a piercing rendition of “Walk”.

Each performance feels singular. One lineup delivers a blistering, high-gain attack on “Bark at the Moon,” trading fiery leads with the kind of chemistry born from years onstage. Another group brings introspection to “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” transforming the courtyard into a sea of swaying bodies and lifted phones. Black Sabbath’s heaviest staples—“Children of the Grave,” “War Pigs,” “Paranoid”—ignite a multigenerational chorus that reverberates through the brick-lined walls of the venue.

There are no breaks in energy. As one song ends, another wave of musicians steps forward, forging a night that feels both spontaneous and profoundly intentional. Every performer plays not only with precision, but with emotional weight—an unspoken acknowledgment that this music changed their lives, too. In between songs, fans are treated to testimonial videos of each of the performers in the show, making the event that much more personal and heartfelt.

The crowd radiates passion from the moment the gates open. Older fans carry decades of connection to the music. Younger fans discover the ferocity of Sabbath riffs in real time. Many wipe away tears during the softer moments; others launch into controlled headbanging during the harder ones. What binds them is the sense of shared celebration—a collective tribute to a figure who reshaped the landscape of heavy metal music, heck, pretty much created the genre.

The energy is both cathartic and elevating. It becomes clear that Flying High Forever is not simply a memorial; it is a reaffirmation of the influence Ozzy left on the global music landscape.

Aligning this tribute with the USF Health Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center ensures that Ozzy’s personal journey resonates far beyond the stage. Fans are given the opportunity to support the benefactor through the sale of event shirts, which will contribute to the total amount raised. There is a live auction for a couple of  signed and framed Ozzy memorabilia and a Zack Wylde signed music sheet of “Mama, I’m Coming Home”, each of these items generating in excess of $1200.

The legacy being honored here is not limited to records sold or concerts played—it is one of resilience, connection, and the ways music can unify us in moments of loss.

Participating Musicians:

• Rob Barrett (Cannibal Corpse)
• Bob Zilla (Damageplan / Hellyeah)
• Chris Cannella (N17 / Malevolent Creation / Deicide)
• Billy Keeton (Skrape)
• Brett Carlisle (Great White / Rise of Decades)
• Ilyn Nathaniel (The Union Underground / The Genitorturers / Together in Exile)
• Brad Balsama (Wicked Serenity – Tribute to Godsmack / Signs of Sacrifice – Tribute to Creed)
• Matt Henderson (Spoonmen – Tribute to Chris Cornell)
• Josh Rodriguez (Supply Chain)
• Spyder Zero Prime (Team Cybergeist / PsyKill / Triple Sixers)
• John Tyler (The Pantera Experience)
• Gary Schutt (Supply Chain)
• Shawn Lowery (Mr. Sawblade Head / Carnival of Crue / Nova Rex / Big City Nights – Scorpions Tribute)
• Alberto Gonzalez (In a Nutshell / Stone Temple Pilots Projekt)
• Aimee’ Mcgee (Women of Rock)
• Brad Secore (Wicked Serenity – Tribute to Godsmack / Signs of Sacrifice – Tribute to Creed)
• Kyle Patrick James (The Pantera Experience)
• Joshua Maloney (Pitbull Toddler)
• James Creer (The Genitorturers / Absolute Queen)
• Thomas Crane (Together in Exile / Kill Devil Films)
• Matt Solka (Spoonmen – Tribute to Chris Cornell)
• Rollie Feldman (Women of Rock / Lady Evil)
• Ty Vongneneneko (Flo-Raw)
• Bobby Vongneneneko (Flo-Raw)
• Cody Paige (Famous Last Words / Diary of an Ozzman)
• Justin Adams (Spoonmen – Tribute to Chris Cornell)
• Jay Soldano (Crossbreed / Crushtone / Wicked Serenity – Tribute to Godsmack / Signs of Sacrifice – Tribute to Creed)
• Angel Bartolotta (Team Cybergeist / Dope / The Genitorturers / Crossbreed)
• Brian Solka (Spoonmen – Tribute to Chris Cornell
• Chris Ryalis (Supply Chain)
• CJ Citek (Forever Ozzy)
• Deanna Woody (Women of Rock)
• Nik Wilson (Saints of Saturn)
• Matt Henderson (Spoonmen – Tribute to Chris Cornell)
• Gary Gagne (StraightJacket Smile)

Flying High Forever Setlist

1. I Don’t Know
2. N.I.B.
3. Suicide Solution
4. Sweat Leaf
5. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
6. Black Sabbath
7. Electric Funeral
8. Hellraiser
9. Snowblind
10. Perry Mason
11. Children of the Grave
12. Into the Void
13. Gets Me Through
14. Goodbye to Romance
15. diary of a Madman
16. Paranoid
17. Fairies Wear Boots
18. Over the Mountain
19. Hole in the Sky
20. Symptom of the Universe
21. Mr. Crowley
22. Flying High Again
23. Changes
24. Bark at the Moon
25. Miracle Man
26. Walk (Pantera)
27. The Wizard
28. Shot in the Dark
29. No More Tears
30. Mama, I’m Coming Home
31. War Pigs
32. Believer
33. I Don’t Wanna Stop
34. Planet Caravan
35. Take What You Want From Me
36. Iron Main
37. Crazy Train

Each performance is delivered by a different lineup, making the setlist feel more like a curated journey than a rigid concert order.