Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson participated in a staggering display of musical unity earlier this month, taking the stage at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City to perform alongside a literal army of fellow rockers.
On November 20, as part of the fourth edition of the Rockland festival, Ellefson joined a collective of over 1,000 musicians to deliver a thunderous rendition of the Black Sabbath heavy metal anthem “Paranoid“. The event, conceptualized by producer Rodrigo Renovales, gathers hundreds of guitarists, bassists, drummers, and vocalists to perform simultaneously, creating a “wall of sound” unlike any standard concert.
The massive ensemble covered a total of 26 songs throughout the night, paying homage to Latin American rock history with tracks by Caifanes, Fobia, and La Cuca. However, the night also served as a memorial for the rock legends lost in 2025, specifically featuring tributes to Ozzy Osbourne, Ace Frehley of Kiss, and Xava Drago of Coda.
For Ellefson, the sheer scale of the performance—and the diversity of the participants—left a lasting mark. In a statement following the event, the bassist expressed his awe at the logistics and the emotion of the night.
“Performing ‘Paranoid‘ at Rockland in front of 12,000 excited fans alongside 1,000 musicians at the Arena CDMX was an experience unlike anything else,” Ellefson commented. “The energy, the passion, the unity — absolutely unparalleled. Only in Mexico do you find a concept this bold and this powerful. That was truly one of the most fun things I’ve ever done.”
He continued, highlighting the multigenerational nature of the gathering:
“Performing ‘Paranoid‘ with 1,000 other musicians as we honored the late, great Ozzy Osbourne inside Arena CDMX was an experience I’ll never forget. With performers ranging from age 5 to 83, I fit comfortably somewhere in the middle — and the energy from every corner of that stage was absolutely electric. Grateful to have been part of something so massive, so joyful, and so truly rock ‘n’ roll. I’m truly honored and incredibly appreciative of the invitation to perform with all of you.”
The tribute to Osbourne was particularly poignant for Ellefson, coming just months after the icon’s passing in late July. Speaking recently to “The Logan Show,” Ellefson reflected on the whirlwind of emotions surrounding Osbourne‘s final “Back To The Beginning” concert and his subsequent death.
“Leading into the gig, obviously, was huge… And the news feeds were still full of content, everybody just feeling the love, the emotion of the event,” Ellefson said. “And then [Ozzy] passes, [which] was just a whole other week of mourning. And then a couple days ago was the memorial and then, I guess yesterday, the funeral. So it’s been a month of just feelings all over.”
Video footage of the massive “Paranoid” collaboration has since been uploaded to YouTube, capturing the spectacle of hundreds of musicians synchronized in tribute to the Prince of Darkness.
Video credit: Entrelazados
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