Birmingham, UK – In a thunderous celebration of heavy metal’s origins, the original Black Sabbath lineup – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward – reunited for the first time in 20 years on Saturday night to deliver a four-song finale that also marked Ozzy’s last-ever live performance. The emotional closer at Birmingham’s Villa Park (attended by 42,000 fans and 3M+ livestream viewers) capped a marathon day of hard-rock royalty paying tribute, including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Slayer, Steven Tyler, and 20+ other acts performing Sabbath covers and originals.
Ozzy’s Final Bow
Seated on a winged throne, the 76-year-old Prince of Darkness roared through:
- Solo Set: “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” and “Mama I’m Coming Home” (dedicated to fans who “got me through six years of being laid up”)
- Sabbath Reunion: “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid” – the latter punctuated by fireworks as Ozzy blew kisses to the crowd.
“Let the madness begin!” he shouted at the start, later adding: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
All-Star Tributes & Controversy
- Guns N’ Roses delivered four Sabbath covers before their own hits.
- Supergroups featuring Steven Tyler, Billy Corgan, Ronnie Wood, Travis Barker, and Tom Morello (the event’s curator) mashed up classics.
- David Draiman (Disturbed) was booed during his performance amid backlash over his pro-Israel stance, including signing IDF artillery shells.
Legacy & Logistics
- Health & Retirement: Ozzy confirmed this was his swan song: “I don’t want to die in a hotel room… It’s time.”
- Charity: Proceeds benefit Cure Parkinson’s and Birmingham children’s hospitals.
- Streaming Snag: The $50 PPV livestream ran 2 hours behind the live show.
Full Setlists
Black Sabbath:
- “War Pigs”
- “N.I.B.”
- “Iron Man”
- “Paranoid”
Other Highlights:
- Metallica: “Sabbra Cadabra” (Sabbath cover) + “Master of Puppets”
- Tool: “Sweet Leaf”
- Slayer: “Symptom of the Universe”
“Ozzy’s not what he was, but the crowd carried him when he couldn’t hit the notes. It was deeply emotional.” – The Guardian
Photo Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rome is a freelance writer and photographer. He brings a fresh perspective to the indie music scene and highlights emerging artists and underground movements. His writing style is drawn from personal experiences and a deep love for the art form.