Ozzy Osbourne reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates on Saturday for a festive and emotional farewell performance that was described as a "farewell tribute" to one of the fathers of heavy metal after years of health problems, including dealing with Parkinson's disease.
The show, called "Back To The Beginning", was held at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England - the city where the Prince of Darkness grew up - in front of about 40,000 enthusiastic fans. Osbourne, 76, opened his performance with a solo section while sitting on a black throne decorated with jeweled skulls, before being joined by the original line-up of the band - Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Terence "Geezer" Butler - for Black Sabbath's first performance in two decades.
"It's time to start the madness!" Osbourne exclaimed as he took the stage, telling the audience: "It's so good to be back on stage." During the show, he sang his greatest hits such as "Mr. Crowley" and "Crazy Train," and then joined his bandmates for unforgettable performances of Iron Man and Paranoid. Osbourne encouraged the audience to sing louder and "f**king go crazy." Although he sat throughout the entire show, his voice and the crazy sparkle in his eyes remained intact.
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Ozzy Osbourne sat throughout his final performance in his birthplace of Birmingham
(Photo: Screenshot/YouTube)
The evening featured a long line of heavy rock stars, including members of Metallica, Slayer, Guns N' Roses and Hailstorm, as well as artists such as Steven Tyler, Ronnie Wood, Youngblood, Travis Barker and Chad Smith - who took part in special "supergroup" shows, many of whom shared that they would not be the musicians they are today without Osbourne and Black Sabbath. Metallica frontman James Hetfield said during the show: "Without Sabbath, there would be no Metallica." Van Halen's Sammy Hager added: "There's no other artist as respected as him in the genre. No one can replace him." Anthrax member Scott Ian concluded: "We're not here to say goodbye - just to say thank you."
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The evening was hosted by actor Jason Momoa, who told the audience that heavy metal was a "safe space" for many in their childhoods, and that Black Sabbath's music influenced entire generations of musicians. Throughout the event, tributes from coaches and friends were projected on giant screens: Billy Idol, Ricky Jarvis, Dolly Parton, Sir Elton John and others. And Osbourne received overwhelming cheers throughout the evening.
The show was the brainchild of Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy's wife, who wanted to give him a fitting finale after he was forced to cancel his 2023 tour. "His only regret was not being able to say thank you to his fans," she previously told Sky News.
Proceeds from the show will be donated to charities including Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn's Children's Hospice.
Black Sabbath formed in 1968 and became one of the most successful metal bands of all time. Over the years, the band has sold more than 75 million albums, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 - where Osbourne was inducted again as a solo artist, and won lifetime achievement awards, including a Grammy. Saturday night's performance was their first in 20 years - and will also be their last. The show ended with fireworks and the audience chanting Ozzy's name.