Black Sabbath’s original lineup—Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—reunited for a monumental farewell concert titled “Back to the Beginning” at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. This event marked the first time the quartet performed together in 20 years, drawing a crowd of over 40,000 fans and a peak livestream audience of 5.8 million.
The concert was a star-studded affair, featuring performances by Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Tool, and other hard rock luminaries. Each act paid tribute to Black Sabbath’s influence, with Metallica covering “Hole in the Sky” and Guns N’ Roses performing renditions of “It’s Alright” and “Never Say Die!”
Ozzy Osbourne, 76, performed seated on a bat-themed throne due to his battle with Parkinson’s disease. He delivered a powerful solo set, including hits like “Crazy Train” and “Suicide Solution,” before joining Black Sabbath for classics such as “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid.”
The event was streamed globally, with a peak audience of 5.8 million fans watching the livestream. (effinghamradio.com) Proceeds from the concert, totaling £140 million, were donated equally to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice.
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