Ozzy Osbourne - aka The Prince Of Darkness - gave an impressive performance at the Air Canada Centre Saturday. (ERNEST DOROSZUK / QMI AGENCY)

Ozzy Osbourne is a mere three years from senior citizenship - he turns 62 next Friday - but you've got to hand it to him.

The heavy metal pioneer - aka The Prince Of Darkness - is going mighty strong as a live performer, as his jumping jacks demonstration during his show opener, Bark At The Moon, at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday night more than proved.

Touring in support of his latest solo album, Scream, the veteran British rocker and previous reality TV star was also adept at comedy too.

A pre-show pop-culture video montage featured Osbourne as a blue Avatar, partying with the Jersey Shore gang, in a scene from The Hangover, appearing as Beyonce opposite Lady Gaga in the Telephone video - "What ARE you wearing?" he asks the sartorially adventurous singer - and as a gloomy Edward opposite Bella in a scene from Twilight.

"Vampires are pu--ys, I'm the Prince of f---ing Darkness," he boasts to Bella.

Yes, he is, and after more than four decades in the business - both with Black Sabbath and as a solo artist.

Along with a newfound energy, also in Osbourne's arsenal on Saturday night was a monster sounding band - his new guitarist Gus G (who Ozzy put in the same ranks as Black Sabbath's Tonni Iommi, the late Randy Rhoads, and Zakk Wylde), new drummer Tommy Clufetos, bassist Blasko and keyboardist-guitarist Adam Wakeman (son of Yes keyboards master Rick Wakeman.)

Playing on a stripped-down stage, save for blinding lights and the occasional explosion and fireworks display, Osbourne first appeared in a long black leather duster jacket with his trademark black eyeliner visible from even the highest quarters.

"Let the madness begin," he commanded in his thick Birmingham accent.

Osbourne eventually lost the jacket and showed off his physicality - this guy should put out an exercise video - jumping up and down on the spot, clapping his hands over his head, whipping his hair, orchestrating his band and the audience like a mad conductor, holding his arms outstretched and even turning a fire hose on the fans and himself.

Picture Osbourne with white suds on his face and in his long dark hair (this was after he poured water over his head from a white bucket) clapping his hands and bending his knees.

It was quite a sight.

"I'm still f---ing crazy after all these years," he said proudly after the fire hose display.

And despite the crowd of over 10,000 eating up his every word and movement, he continually encouraged even more applause and screams as the two-and-a-half-hour-show wore on.

"Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!" they screamed back.

Osbourne, who ended the show on his knees and bowing to the audience, appreciated the fans as much as they did him and didn't seem to want to leave the stage.

Both Gus G and Clufetos also got solo turns - the latter in a levitating drum kit with steam shooting out the bottom of it and a giant gong behind him which led to fireworks when hit three times.

The fans likely came for Ozzy's antics - he also threw buckets of water on them - and the classic songs but his new single, Let Me Hear You Scream, fit in nicely with his back catalogue including Bark At The Moon, Mr. Crowley, Crazy Train, Mama I'm Coming Home, and Sabbath songs Fairies Wear Boots, N.I.B. (Nativity In Black), the air raid siren-powered War Pigs - which produced the first big crowd singalong - and the granddaddies of them all - Iron Man and Paranoid.

"What makes Ozzy Osbourne tick?" he asked rhetorically at one point. "I don't give a flying f--- man. My name is Ozzy! And if you don't like me you're in the wrong building tonight!"

Luckily, I was in the right one.