The original Black Sabbath will reunite this July for a British heavy metal festival performance hailed as Ozzy Osbourne’s final concert.

The four original members — Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward, who hadn’t taken part in recent reunions, including their The End Tour in 2016 — will perform together live for the first time since 2005 at what’s being called Back to the Beginning, an all-star, one-night-only charity gig in Birmingham, England on July 5.

Also on the lineup for Osbourne’s farewell party at Back to the Beginning: Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, and more, with Tom Morello serving as musical director. “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever,” the guitarist told the Guardian.

In recent years, as Osbourne battled Parkinson’s disease and underwent several spinal surgeries, the singer remained optimistic about giving fans one final performance; Osbourne was due to return to the stage in 2023 at the Power Trip festival, but that appearance was canceled due to medical issues.

“I’m taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will,” Osbourne told Rolling Stone UK in November 2023. “But it’s been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life. At the start of my illness, when I stopped touring, I was really pissed off with myself, the doctors, and the world. But as time has gone on, I’ve just gone, ‘Well, maybe I’ve just got to accept that fact.’”

Osbourne, at that time, also revealed that he and Bill Ward — with whom Ozzy had a long feud — mended their decade-long falling out, but that amid Osbourne’s health problems, bassist Geezer Butler “hasn’t given me one **** phone call. Not one **** call.” (Butler later clarified on social media that he had reached out to Ozzy.)

“It’s my time to go back to the beginning… time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” Osbourne, who will play a solo set before rejoining Black Sabbath, said in a statement social media Wednesday. “How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham for ever.”

Also appearing at Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5 are Lamb of God, Anthrax, Halestorm, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Disturbed singer David Draiman, Wolfgang Van Halen, Duff McKagan, and Slash of Guns ‘N Roses, Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, and more.

Proceeds from Back to the Beginning will benefit Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and the Birmingham-based Acorns Children’s Hospice. The gig will take place at Osbourne’s Villa Park, the home stadium of his beloved Aston Villa soccer team.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/black-sabbath-original-members-reunite-ozzy-osbourne-final-concert-1235257226/ 


I imagine this to be on par with Led Zeppelin's last show, a very shortened set. So what songs do you think they're going to play?

Me?

War Pigs
Paranoid
NIB
Faries Wear Boots
The Wizard
Tomorrow's Dream

In no particular order

Ozzy hasn't made a single domestic date since returning to Birmingham. John is crippled with spinal fusion and being treated for Parkinson's. For the legend's sake, I hope they keep the chill at 11. Maybe some Planet Caravan from a comfy chair?

Saw Sabbath in '97 sans Ward, solo Ozzy a few times and most recently in 2019. Wasn't aware of the diagnosis at the time, but it was clear his ability was nowhere close to what it used to be. I don't fault him for it of course. I assumed at the time age and years of partying had taken their toll. I have no desire to see another show though.

That said, I assume Iron Man and Sweet Leaf will be included. Outside shot at Black Sabbath, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and Snowblind

I can't believe Ozzy is going to try for one last time. He's in bad shape.

Has been for a long time, but oddly when he struts out there it’s like he’s been touched by a youth serum.

I wonder if he's been hanging around Mic and Keith Richards learning their secret.

Cocoon, the musical…

Ozzy has never vibed well with those two. He say's he respects them tremendously as professionals, but they just go too hard all of the time. Mic and Keith go too hard for Ozzy!?!

Being a musician that's really into metal. Like the rest of my constituency, have a profound respect for the band that first accomplished what others had not. Geezer has been diotized in all his groovieness. Ozzy played harmonica in a doom metal song before doom was defined. And Tony put the metal in the heavy.