Ozzy Osbourne is set to reunite with his Black Sabbath bandmates for what will be his final performance – “the greatest heavy metal show ever”.
Legendary English rock band Black Sabbath have announced their final-ever live show, which will take place on 5 July at Villa Park in their hometown of Birmingham.
The event will see the band’s most iconic line-up – frontman Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward – play live together for the first time in more than two decades.
The band will be joined on stage by an equally iconic line-up including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins, Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit, Jonathan Davis from Korn, Slash, ex-Rage Against The Machine member Tom Morello, Mike Bordin from Faith No More and recent Grammy-winners Gojira.
The final live show, dubbed ‘Back To The Beginning’, was announced at the home of Aston Villa by Iommi and Sharon Osbourne, the manager and wife of the iconic frontman.
Ozzy issued a statement saying: “It’s my time to go Back To The Beginning… time for me to give back to the place where I was born. How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love? Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”
Osbourne, 76, has faced health problems including Parkinson’s disease in recent years. He had largely stepped back from touring after playing the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
However, he recently told Rolling Stone UK of his desire to return to the stage:
“I’m taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will. But it’s been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life.”
Tickets for ‘Back To The Beginning’ go on sale on Friday 14 February. Organisers said profits will be shared between Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn’s Children’s Hospice.
