Ozzy Osbourne has bid farewell to live performances with a final, emotional concert that saw him reunite with his Black Sabbath bandmates. The "Back to the Beginning" concert on July 5, 2025, at Villa Park in Birmingham, marked the end of an era for the Prince of Darkness, who has been battling health issues, including Parkinson's disease.
The historic event brought together original Black Sabbath members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward on stage for the first time in 20 years. The concert was held in Birmingham, a stone's throw from where Black Sabbath was formed in 1968.
Osbourne, who used a large black throne, told the thousands of heavy metal fans in attendance that it was "so good to be on this stage". He started his set by saying, "Let me hear you. Are you ready? Let the madness begin!" and later added, "It's so good to be on this f** stage. You have no idea. I f* love you all. Let me see your hands in the air. You are the best, each and every one of you. God bless you all". In an emotional moment, Osbourne said: “I don't know what to say, man, I've been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart. You're all f*** special. Let's go crazy, come on".
Before reuniting with Black Sabbath, Osbourne performed a solo set that included five songs, with fans lighting up Villa Park with phone torches during "Mama, I'm Coming Home". He concluded his solo performance with "Crazy Train," as confetti rained down. Following his set, Osbourne was joined by Iommi, Butler, and Ward for a special Black Sabbath reunion. This marked their first performance together in two decades and is now their last.
The "Back to the Beginning" concert featured performances from other rock and metal giants, including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, and Mastodon. Guns N' Roses, Tool, and Rival Sons were also added to the bill. Celebrities such as Jack Black, Ricky Gervais, and Dolly Parton sent messages of thanks, which were displayed on screen. Jason Momoa, the Hollywood actor, hosted the event.
Ozzy Osbourne plans to continue recording music despite retiring from live performances. Sharon Osbourne, his wife, organized the farewell show so that he could thank his fans, which he regretted not being able to do after having to cancel shows in 2023 due to health concerns.
The reunion was more than just a concert; it was a celebration of Black Sabbath's legacy and Ozzy Osbourne's impact on the music world. James Hetfield of Metallica noted that "Without Sabbath, there would be no Metallica". Scott Ian of Anthrax stated, "We're not here to say goodbye. We're just here to say thank you". Sammy Hagar, former Van Halen singer, acknowledged Ozzy Osbourne as "the most respected guy in metal".
