The legendary heavy metal band Black Sabbath is set to reunite for one final time in a historic farewell concert.
Scheduled for 5 July at Villa Park in Birmingham, this one-day festival will not only celebrate the legacy of the band but also serve as a fundraiser for various charities.
The lineup boasts an impressive array of musicians who were inspired by Black Sabbath, including Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, Gojira, and Anthrax. For longtime fans, this event is nothing short of monumental as it marks the first time in two decades that the original Black Sabbath lineup—Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—will share the stage together.
For Osbourne, this concert carries an even greater significance. Now 76 years old, the Prince of Darkness has been forced to curtail his touring activities due to a combination of Parkinson’s disease and spinal injuries. Despite these challenges, he is determined to make one last stand before his devoted fans.
Before joining his bandmates for their performance, Osbourne will take the stage for a short solo set. His wife and longtime manager, Sharon Osbourne, expressed her husband’s excitement, telling BBC News, “He’s doing great. He’s doing really great. He’s so excited about this, about being with the guys again and all his friends. It’s exciting for everyone.”
However, she was quick to clarify that this concert would be Osbourne’s final live performance. She emphasized the importance of the event in giving him the closure he never had.
“Ozzy didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there’s been no full stop,” she said. “This is his full stop.” The magnitude of this statement was not lost on fans, who have been speculating for years whether Osbourne would ever take the stage again. Now, the answer is clear—this will be his last bow.
The concert, aptly named Back to the Beginning, was officially announced at Villa Park in the presence of Sharon Osbourne and Tony Iommi. The event will not only feature Black Sabbath but will also include performances from an array of iconic rock and metal acts, making it one of the most significant heavy metal gatherings in history.
The legendary guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine has been tapped as the musical director of the event. Speaking about the festival’s significance, he declared, “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.”
In addition to celebrating Black Sabbath’s legacy, the event will serve as a fundraiser for multiple charities. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a charity supported by Aston Villa.
The philanthropic aspect of the event has made it even more meaningful, ensuring that Osbourne’s farewell show will leave a lasting impact beyond the music world. Sharon Osbourne highlighted this aspect, saying, “It’s not just about the music. It’s about giving back to the community and supporting causes close to our hearts.”
Apart from the major headliners, the festival will also feature a “supergroup” comprised of some of the biggest names in rock and metal, including Billy Corgan, Slash, Fred Durst, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Tom Morello.
Their performance will be a tribute to Black Sabbath, with a mix of classic Sabbath songs and Ozzy’s solo hits. “It’s an endless amount of people,” Sharon Osbourne said. “They’re going to be doing some Sabbath songs, some Ozzy songs, and they’ll all mix together. Different little groups will be coming on, but they’re all icons.”
Black Sabbath’s legacy is deeply intertwined with Birmingham, where the band was formed in 1968. Their first-ever rehearsal took place at Newtown Community Centre, located near Villa Park, making this venue a fitting location for their final reunion. Reflecting on their journey, Tony Iommi stated, “Birmingham is where it all began, and it feels right to close this chapter here.”
The band previously played a farewell concert in 2017 at the NEC Arena, performing to a sold-out crowd of 16,000 fans. That setlist heavily featured their early classics, including War Pigs, N.I.B., and Black Sabbath, culminating in a powerful rendition of their signature song, Paranoid.
At the time, Osbourne expressed his deep gratitude to the fans, saying, “I’ve got to tell you something, what a journey we’ve all had. We started this in 1968, and now it’s 2017 – I don’t believe that, man. But you know what? We wouldn’t survive if it wasn’t for the fan base. So if you’re a veteran fan, great. If you’re new, welcome. But I can’t tell you enough how grateful we are for your support.”
Following that farewell, Osbourne continued making music, releasing two solo albums—Ordinary Man and Patient Number 9. However, his health struggles became increasingly difficult to manage.
His battle with Parkinson’s became public in 2020, and after suffering a severe spinal injury in 2003, followed by a major fall in 2019, he underwent several rounds of surgery. Despite these challenges, he remained hopeful about returning to the stage.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK, Osbourne opened up about his desire to perform again. “I’m taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will,” he said. “But it’s been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life.” His determination to give fans a proper goodbye has been a driving force behind his involvement in this final Black Sabbath reunion.
However, Osbourne made it clear that he would not settle for anything less than a full-throttle performance. “I’m not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy,” he said. “What’s the [expletive] point in that? I’m not going up there in a [expletive] wheelchair.” His refusal to compromise on quality only reinforces how much this final show means to him and his fans.
For those who have followed Black Sabbath from the beginning, Back to the Beginning will be an emotional and unforgettable event. It will mark the end of an era, bringing together the band, their peers, and legions of fans for one last celebration of the music that defined heavy metal. As Tony Iommi put it, “This isn’t just a concert—it’s history.”
With a lineup featuring the pioneers of metal, the event promises to be one of the greatest rock spectacles ever staged. And as the countdown to 5 July begins, fans worldwide are preparing to witness the final chapter of Black Sabbath’s legendary journey.
One last time, the heavy metal gods will rise on stage, and the echoes of their music will reverberate through history.
