Watch OZZY OSBOURNE and BLACK SABBATH Reunite for Final Performance at 'Back to the Beginning' in Birmingham

Summary

• Ozzy Osbourne gave his final live performance at Back to the Beginning, joined by the original Black Sabbath lineup for the first time since 2005.
• The all-day event at Birmingham’s Villa Park featured sets by Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, and a star-studded supergroup.
• Profits will support charities including Cure Parkinson’s, and the full show is available to rewatch for 48 hours at backtothebeginning.com.

Ozzy Osbourne gave his final live performance on Saturday, July 5, during the Back to the Beginning event at Villa Park in Birmingham, U.K.

The 76-year-old singer took the stage seated on a black throne, delivering a five-song set with his solo band. The lineup included longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman, and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

Ozzy opened with four tracks from his 1980 solo debut Blizzard of Ozz, “I Don’t Know,” “Mr. Crowley,” “Suicide Solution,” and “Crazy Train.” He also played “Mama, I’m Coming Home” from his 1991 album No More Tears.

After the solo set, Ozzy was joined by the original Black Sabbath lineup, Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums), to perform four Sabbath classics: “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “N.I.B.,” and “Paranoid.” It was the first time the full lineup had played together since 2005.

“You have no idea how I feel,” Ozzy told the crowd of over 40,000 fans. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The all-day concert also featured sets from Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Lamb of God, Anthrax, and more. Actor Jason Momoa hosted the event, which was produced by Live Nation and streamed with a two-hour delay. Fans can rewatch the full show online for 48 hours.

Profits from the show will support three charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice.

A special “supergroup” of musicians also performed during the event. The lineup included Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), K.K. Downing (Judas Priest), Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Sammy Hagar (Van Halen), and Steven Tyler (Aerosmith).

Tony Iommi had doubts about the reunion at first, telling The Guardian he didn’t want it to feel like a gimmick. “I didn’t want to get into that thing like all the other bands are doing, saying it’s the last tour and then coming back again,” he said. But he eventually agreed, noting that no one involved was getting paid and the show was for a good cause.

Geezer Butler admitted he was nervous before the show, even having nightmares about it. “It’s important that we leave a great impression,” he said.

Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife and longtime manager, said this event was about closure. “Ozzy didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his fans. This is his full stop,” she told The Sun.

Ozzy has dealt with serious health issues in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple surgeries, and complications from past injuries. He canceled several tours over the last few years, including a European run with Judas Priest that had been rescheduled multiple times.

Despite his challenges, he performed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and during the NFL season opener in Los Angeles that same year.

Sharon said Ozzy’s voice is still strong even though Parkinson’s has affected his mobility. “He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this,” she said.

For fans who couldn’t attend in person, the concert is available to stream for a limited time at www.backtothebeginning.com.

The event was produced by Mercury Studios and streamed through Kiswe, the platform behind BTS’s record-breaking livestreams.

Ozzy’s performance at Villa Park marked the end of his five-decade-long career on stage. As Sharon put it: “For Ozzy right now, it’s definitely: ‘I love you and good night.’”

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