Black Sabbath Bows Out: Ozzy’s Final Show

Heavy metal’s founding fathers have played their last chord. Black Sabbath’s original lineup reunited one last time on July 5 in their hometown of Birmingham, capping a half-century saga with an emotional, all-star farewell.

Dubbed “Back to the Beginning,” the all-day stadium concert at Villa Park served as Black Sabbath’s final live performance and a triumphant send off for 76-year-old frontman Ozzy Osbourne. Despite battling Parkinson’s disease, Osbourne took the stage seated on a gothic black throne. “You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he told the 45,000 fans, overcome with emotion.

The Villa Park extravaganza went way beyond just a simple concert. The event featured an all-star lineup of hard rock’s finest paying tribute to Sabbath’s legacy. Members of Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Lamb of God, Judas Priest, and more rocked the stage throughout the day. Two “supergroup” jam sessions saw the likes of Billy Corgan, K.K. Downing, Nuno Bettencourt, Steven Tyler and other legends team up for covers of Ozzy's songs.

The Prince of Darkness opened his set with five of his own classics (from the ballad “Mama, I’m Coming Home” to his classic “Crazy Train”) before welcoming the rest of Sabbath onstage. Guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward joined him for a blistering four-song finale of Sabbath anthems: “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “N.I.B.” and of course “Paranoid.”

Hosted by actor (and superfan) Jason Momoa, the entire spectacle was livestreamed globally to over five million fans. Proceeds from the show (which totaled over $150 million) are set to go to charities including Cure Parkinson’s (Osbourne himself suffers from a rare form of parkinsons) and local children’s hospitals.

For Black Sabbath, it was a fitting final chapter in a story that began in 1968. Now, after 50+ years, 19 studio albums, and countless outrageous tales, Sabbath has left the stage for good, and on their own terms. As fireworks lit up the night sky, Ozzy declared “It’s the last song ever… thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” then stood alongside his brothers-in-metal to soak in a rapturous ovation. A message on the big screen, “Thank you for everything… Birmingham Forever” brought this historic night to a close.