Blizzard Of Metal Descends On Tulalip with Oz 3:16

Edited by Cindy C.

Fans of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, and Randy Rhoads got an earful of satisfaction at Tulalip Resort & Casino on Sunday 28 October, when Oz 3:16 paid tribute to these legendary acts and musicians.

Oz 3:16 consists of Jon Memolo on Vocals, Larry Harwood on Bass, Jeff Mills on Drums, and newest member Kip Camaro on Guitars. All four men are veterans of the local music scene. Oz 3:16’s catalog spans early Sabbath songs like Paranoid, and all the way to Ozzy’s 1991 hit No More Tears.

Catching them at Tulalip was perfect for an experience of this heavy sound!

The night’s music was well mixed (with the exception of a couple vocals here and there), and I was able to pick up decent audio when recording from the back of the cabaret. The lighting – while tough on photographers like me – was perfect for the genre: lots of red and fog machines.

Watching this band live reminded the audience that an Ozzie show in the 1980s, was always worth the money. There were plenty of hard hits and juicy licks. Kip Camaro flew effortlessly through parts once played by Randy Rhoads – no small feat for sure.

Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads – Heavy Metal Holocaust at Port Vale Football Club – Stoke-On-Trent UK, 1 August 1981. Photo by Alan Perry

The fog, the lighting, the massive gong in the back, and Ozzy’s signature vocals were all present at this show.

I caught up recently with Kip Camaro and asked him about the show, and what it was like joining this tribute band.

“I never thought I’d do a tribute band,” he said. “Because I am pretty particular about my rock/metal tastes. I must love and respect the artist if I’m going to do a tribute to them. I’m not gonna join an ABBA tribute just because it might make money. Fuck that! I would hate myself!”

But things changed when a longtime friend contacted him.

“Larry Harwood asked me to join Oz 3: 16. I thought about it, and I realized that Randy Rhoads was the reason I started playing guitar. I also wanted the challenge. When I researched whom the other members were ( Jon Memolo on vox and Jeff Mills on drums) I said to myself ‘why the fuck not? these guys are all pros.'”

From the audience, the show was really fun to watch. It’s always nice to know that the experience from the stage is mutual!

“I had a blast at the first show at Tulalip,” he said. “I was worried that I would forget parts and mix up certain songs, and I did a little bit, but not to the point that the audience noticed.” None of us did. In front of the stage, we heard great music. “That’s the thing,” he continued. “When you are playing with pros, you all adapt and pull it off.”

It looks like Kip is now a tribute band convert, and wants to keep burning the flame!

“We are looking forward to playing as much as possible, as a band. It can only make me better as a musician. By the way – Jon, Jeff, and Larry are all really great guys that don’t take shit too seriously, I love that!”

2018-10-28 Oz 316 Tulalip (121) — Tulalip Casino in Marysville WA, 28 October 2018. Photo by Kurt Clark / Nehi Stripes Musiczine / NehiStripes.com

Tribute bands give skin and bone to legendary sounds of the past; when that music is performed by professionals who love the songs as much as the audience, the show they play ends up becoming a perfect storm of talent, songwriting, and passion. The days are long past when tributes like Oz 3:16 lived in the shadows of bands performing originals. They have a place in our musical fabric, giving us all the ability to continue enjoying the music we loved growing up.