Back Where It All Began
On Saturday, July 5, Ozzy Osbourne gave fans one final show with Black Sabbath in their hometown of Birmingham, England. The 76-year-old rocker sat on a throne shaped like a bat, complete with skulls on the armrests, as he performed during the “Back to the Beginning” concert at Villa Park.
Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, which has made it difficult for him to walk or stand. Still, he chose to take the stage for one last performance with the band that started it all. Actor Jason Momoa and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler were in the audience.
A Night to Remember
Before Ozzy performed, screens around the stadium showed highlights from his past performances. Fan videos posted online captured these emotional clips. The event featured a long list of rock legends, including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, and more.
Black Sabbath played classic tracks like “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid.” Ozzy also performed solo favorites like “I Don’t Know,” “Mr. Crowley,” “Suicide Solution,” “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” and “Crazy Train.”
Family and Friends Support
Ozzy’s daughter, Kelly Osbourne, shared behind-the-scenes moments from the night on Instagram, including a picture of her with singer YUNGBLUD near the stage. The concert marked Black Sabbath’s first show since their 2017 farewell tour, also held in Birmingham.
While the full band hadn’t performed together since then, Ozzy did reunite with guitarist Tony Iommi for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where they played “Paranoid” and “Iron Man” as a duo.
Keep going for the video below:
Determined to Perform
On his SiriusXM show Ozzy Speaks, Osbourne talked about giving “120%” for the performance. “If my God wants me to do the show, I’ll do it,” he said. He admitted it had been years since he did any physical work, but he wasn’t giving up.
“By hook or by crook, I’m gonna make it there,” he explained. “I’ve got this trainer guy who helps people get back to normal. It’s hard going, but he’s convinced that he can pull it off for me. I’m giving it everything I’ve got.”
Doing What He Can
Earlier this year, Ozzy confirmed to Billboard that he wouldn’t perform a full set, saying, “I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.” He had canceled his scheduled performance at the 2023 Power Trip festival and did not attend his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2024.
