The Prince of Darkness Still Reigns: South Florida Concert News Bids A Fond Farewell to Ozzy Osbourne

By Joanie Cox Henry

Image by Larry Marano

In the sweltering heat of countless South Florida amphitheaters, from the old Coral Sky to Markham Park in Sunrise, one voice consistently cut through the humid night air like a banshee's wail—that of John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne. Now that the Prince of Darkness has taken his final bow, those of us who witnessed his magic under our palm-tree skyline must reckon with the loss of more than just a rock star. We've lost a force of nature.

Ozzy didn't just sing heavy metal—he embodied it. When Black Sabbath first conjured those doom-laden riffs in Birmingham's industrial wasteland, they created something that would resonate perfectly with Florida's own brand of beautiful chaos. There's something about our state's wild energy, our hurricanes and alligators and general disregard for conventional wisdom, that always made Ozzy feel like one of us. Maybe that's why his shows here always felt particularly unhinged, why Florida crowds brought out some of his most feral performances.

But beneath the bat-biting headlines and reality TV antics lived an artist of raw emotion. Listen to "Mama, I'm Coming Home" or "Shot in the Dark" and you'll hear a man wrestling with his demons while somehow maintaining an almost childlike wonder about the world. That duality made him relatable to generations of misfits who found solace in his music. I am proudly one of those misfits.

Ozzy's influence on metal is immeasurable, but his impact on people runs even deeper. He showed us that you could be broken, flawed, and utterly human while still creating something transcendent. He proved that darkness and light aren't opposites—they're dance partners, spinning together in the cosmic mosh pit of existence.

From his Sabbath reunions to solo tours that left venues looking like war zones, Ozzy gave us everything he had right up until his final show. Our own photographer Larry Marano has been there to capture these electric moments throughout the years, his lens preserving the raw intensity of Ozzy's performances for posterity. From backstage candids that reveal the man behind the madness to those perfect shots of him mid-scream, arms outstretched to embrace the chaos, Larry's photographs tell the visual story of a legend who never held anything back. These images serve as our collective memory now— developed proof that we witnessed something truly extraordinary unfold. He taught us to embrace our weirdness, to find beauty in the brutal, binge eat burritos, and to never, ever go quietly into that good night.

The Prince of Darkness has left his earthly throne, but his crown will never tarnish. He can always be found if you just push play and turn that volume to 11. His voice will echo eternally, reminding us all to stay curious, wild, and always, always authentic. Death could not conquer the man who stared down every demon imaginable and came out swinging. The crazy train rolls on.

A few of Larry Marano's snapshots of Ozzy Osbourne through the years: