Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne Announce Career-Defining News
The original Black Sabbath lineup and Ozzy Osbourne have announced their final show ever along with a few surprise guests. – Author: Scarlett Hunter, Photo via Vertigo/Republic Records/Universal
It’s been years since the metal titans of Black Sabbath have played together, seeing that their The End tour wrapped up in 2017. But, they never said that they were done with performing for good, at least outside of the U.S., and the possibility was always out there about the band could get together again for one final show.
Lead vocalist Ozzy Osbourne has been dealing with health issues for years and has had to cancel extensive tours and one-off appearances to mend to his health, but surely he has it in him to do one more show, right?
Black Sabbath Reunion
Now, the original Black Sabbath lineup, including Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, will get together for one final show on July 5 at Villa Park in the group’s hometown of Birmingham, England. The evening will also bring one final Ozzy solo performance, being billed as his last ever, as well as performances from a bevy of big-named groups.
Black Sabbath didn’t get C-rate talent to perform on their special night. The bill will feature Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax and Mastodon, making for a massive night of talent. Tickets for the show go on sale starting on Friday, February 14, at 10 a.m. local time.
The show, called “Back to the Beginning,” will be Black Sabbath’s first concert since they closed out their farewell tour in February 2017. Ward wasn’t part of that tour, so this marks his first gig with the band since even prior to that tour.
The last full Ozzy show the singer performed was at the end of 2018, following his health conditions forcing him to cancel the rest of of his personal farewell tour.
“It’s my time to go Back to the Beginning….time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” Ozzy stated. “How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”
Also, even though Rage Against the Machine isn’t performing at the event, guitarist Tom Morello will serve as musical director for the night, stating, “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.”
Billy Corgan, Slash, Zakk Wylde Also Performing
On top of the headliners for the evening, which were already mentioned, the event will feature a handful of performers rocking early in the day, before the nighttime acts get started. Those performers include Morello, Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, David Draiman of Disturbed, Duff McKagan and Slash, Fred Durst, Jonathan Davis, Jake E. Lee, KK Downing, Mike Bordin, Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Sleep Token’s II, Ghost’s Papa V Perpetua, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Zakk Wylde, among others.
It’s great to see Wylde taking part in this event, and not just as Ozzy’s guitarist. It’s also fitting that Wylde is back with Ozzy’s solo band to wrap up his time with the band. With that in mind, it would have been extra special to see Gus G, Ozzy’s former guitarist, on this tally of performers. Gus G was an integral part of Ozzy’s solo career during the “Scream” era, and his band Firewind could make a great addition to the bill. Are you listening, Ozzy?
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