Ozzy Osbourne's First US Show: A Disaster at a NJ College

The Legendary First U.S. Appearance of Black Sabbath

On October 30, 1970, Black Sabbath made their first appearance in the United States at Glassboro State College’s Esbjornson Gymnasium in South Jersey. This event marked a significant moment in music history, as the band was set to launch their new album "Paranoid" on tour. The lineup included notable openers such as Haystacks Balboa and Alexander Rabbit.

Tickets for the show were priced at $1.50 in advance and $2.50 on the day of the event. Rick Green, a New York University student at the time, was instrumental in bringing the band to the venue. He had paid $750 to organize the concert, which was advertised on a poster created by his sister, Andrea. Green would later co-found Midnight Sun Concerts, bringing big names like David Bowie, Gram Parsons, and the Police to the Tower Theater in the 1970s and early 1980s.

A Delayed Arrival and Equipment Issues

Ozzy Osbourne, known as the “Prince of Darkness,” was running late for the performance. His arrival at JFK Airport that afternoon led to unexpected delays. According to Green, Osbourne had filled out his customs form with the religion listed as “Satan.” Whether this was a joke or a serious statement remains unclear, but it resulted in a thorough inspection of the band's equipment, causing them to arrive at the college six hours after their scheduled sound check.

When they finally arrived, the band plugged in and began playing "N.I.B.," a song from their "Paranoid" album. However, the power in the gym blew out within a minute of the performance. The band tried again, only to cause a larger outage that affected the entire city of Glassboro. Green clarified that while the incident was dramatic, the actual outage was limited to the campus and surrounding neighborhood.

The Impact of British Equipment

The power issues were not due to the loudness of the band, though their sound was indeed ear-shattering. Instead, it was the result of using British equipment that was incompatible with American electrical systems. This was a common issue for many British bands at the time, but Black Sabbath was unaware of the problem.

Ozzy Osbourne was clearly frustrated. He kicked the cymbals, bashed the drum kit, and reportedly said, “F— America, I want to go home! I don’t want to do this tour.” As a result, the full show did not take place. While some sources list a seven-song set and a guitar solo performance for that date, Green insists that the actual performance was cut short.

A Make-Up Date and Growing Popularity

Despite the initial difficulties, the band agreed to a make-up date with Green, although not at Glassboro, where they had been banned. Instead, they performed at Montclair College in March 1971, selling out a 1,200-capacity gym. By the following month, Black Sabbath and Osbourne were gaining popularity and performing at the 20,000-capacity Spectrum in South Philadelphia alongside Mountain and Humble Pie.

This first U.S. appearance, despite its challenges, helped lay the groundwork for Black Sabbath’s future success. It also added to the mythology of the band, highlighting the unpredictable nature of live performances and the importance of preparation when crossing international borders.