After twenty years apart, “Black Sabbath” reunited on stage, performing in front of a packed audience of 40,000 at their one-day charity festival, “Back to the Beginning,” which took place in Ozzy Osbourne’s hometown of Birmingham on July 5. This event served as both a farewell concert and a tribute to the legendary rocker.
The concert at Villa Park featured a lineup of heavy metal legends, including Metallica, Alice in Chains, Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, Wolfgang Van Halen, Yungblud, and others. Actor Jason Momoa hosted the event alongside Adria Arjona, energizing the crowd and even igniting a circle pit.
“I’m more than just a fan, man. I’m obsessed with Black Sabbath and all the bands performing tonight,” the Game of Thrones star remarked. “This music is part of our DNA; every character I’ve ever portrayed has drawn inspiration from it.”
Osbourne, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, began the show solo with performances of “Mr. Crowley” and “Crazy Train” while seated on a bat throne adorned with skull patterns. Following his solo set, the original members of the groundbreaking hard-rock band, including guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Terence “Geezer” Butler, and drummer Bill Ward, joined him to perform hits like “War Pigs” and “Paranoid.”
“Let the madness begin!” he exclaimed to the audience, according to the Associated Press. “I don’t know what to say, having been laid up for about six years. You have no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
As reported by Rolling Stone U.K., the birthplace of heavy metal had been eagerly anticipating Osbourne’s return for weeks, with murals and decorations celebrating the occasion throughout the vibrant city. The iconic rock event also featured pre-recorded tributes from notable fans, including Dolly Parton and Elton John, as well as Jack Black, who honored Osbourne with a reenactment of his famous performance of “Mr. Crowley.”
Planned by Sharon Osbourne and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, the lively celebration was streamed globally with a two-hour delay, highlighting the farewell for both the legendary group and their hometown hero.
Osbourne last appeared at the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where he did not perform, and had to cancel a previously scheduled show at the 2023 Power Trip festival. The year before, he reunited with Iommi, and the group’s final performance before that was during The End Tour’s Birmingham concert in 2017, which did not include Ward.
Black Sabbath was formed in 1968 by Osbourne in Birmingham, the birthplace of British metal, and their haunting imagery and powerful sound have left a lasting mark on the genre. In the early 2000s, Osbourne gained fame on television through the MTV reality series The Osbournes, which aired for four seasons.
All profits from the Back to the Beginning festival will benefit Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice.
Later this year, Paramount+ will premiere a documentary titled Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now, which will delve into the public persona of the “Black Sabbath” frontman and discuss the challenges he has faced in recent years amid various health issues.
