Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath delighted tens of thousands of supporters at an emotionally charged final concert in Birmingham on Saturday, capping off a day filled with homage performances by an impressive array of artists.
Almost sixty years following its initial contribution pioneer heavy metal With a self-titled track that both captivated and unsettled listeners, Black Sabbath made their way back to their hometown of Aston for "Back to the Beginning" concert held at Villa Park stadium.
This special concert, which raised money for charitable causes, was promoted as Osbourne's final show—five years after the legendary “Prince of Darkness,” then aged 76, announced his retirement from touring. Parkinson's disease which resulted in him losing the ability to walk.
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A flamboyant lead singer known for one of rock’s most outrageous stunts—biting the head off a live bat during a performance—Osbourne delivered his set seated atop a dark-colored royal seat. At moments, he seemed emotional in front of fans who enthusiastically embraced classics like “Crazy Train.”
“You can’t possibly know what I’m feeling right now. From the depths of my soul, thank you,” Osbourne remarked.
Previously, more than a dozen performers such as Metallica, Slayer, Tool, and Guns N' Roses honoured Black Sabbath with their performance, playing for an ocean of devoted fans clad in black band tees who spent hours headbanging, moshing, and surfing across the crowd during an extended celebration of rock and heavy metal music.
"Metallica wouldn’t exist without Sabbath. Thanks, guys, for giving our lives direction," remarked Metallica’s lead vocalist, James Hetfield.
Among the rock legends who took to the stage were Ronnie Wood from The Rolling Stones, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Megadeth’s David Ellefson, Chad Smith representing Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine—who additionally served as the evening’s musical director.
Earlier, Morello shared with *Metal Hammer* magazine that his aim was to produce “the ultimate day in heavy metal history as a tribute to the group that launched the genre.”
The performance marked the first reunion of Black Sabbath's original members — Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, and drummer Bill Ward — together onstage in two decades.
A number of fans were moved to tears, with many expressing how deeply touched they felt emotionally.
Black Sabbath and Ozzy have helped me get through tough times.
Among them was Runo Gokdemir, a London-based educator, who mentioned selling his car for £400 ($546) to cover the cost of the trip.
“I adore Ozzy so much,” he said to Reuters. “During the rough times of my adolescence, I turned to Black Sabbath for comfort, and Ozzy really helped me get through a difficult period.”
Lisa Meyer, the organizer of a Black Sabbath exhibition held in Birmingham in 2019, stated that the band created a lasting impact by providing a darker, more intense counterpart to the Beatles-inspired pop and psychedelic sounds dominating the 1960s.
“That’s what truly connected with fans, expressing that sense of outrage, fury, and disappointment, yet delivering it in a deeply cleansing manner,” said Meyer, one of the founders of the Home of Metal initiative, speaking to Reuters.
After completing his solo performance, Ozzy reunited with Black Sabbath—featuring a bare-chested Ward—to play four of their most iconic tracks such as "War Pigs," "Paranoid," and "Iron Man."
Tom Mould, an engineering apprentice who spent 12 hours standing at the front, said he enjoyed every moment of Osbourne’s performance: “He still has what it takes.”