Black Sabbath have officially played their final show, returning to their hometown of Birmingham for a massive farewell dubbed ‘Back to the Beginning’. The performance at Villa Park brought together the band’s original lineup, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for one last, thunderous goodbye.
Billed as Ozzy’s final live appearance as well, the night held extra weight. At 76 and visibly frail, Osbourne delivered a solo set from a gothic throne, opening with ‘Crazy Train’ and closing with ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’. Despite age and illness, his voice cut through with unmistakable grit, cheered on by a sold out crowd who knew exactly what they were witnessing: the end of an era.
Then came Sabbath. The band roared through four classics in ‘War Pigs’, ‘N.I.B.’, ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Paranoid’, bringing the stadium to its feet. Their chemistry, even after years apart, was undeniable. The riffs were sharp, the low end thundered and Ozzy, seated but electric, fronted it all with raw energy.
Black Sabbath Perform ‘Paranoid’ One Final Time
The night wasn’t just a send-off for Sabbath, it was a gathering of heavy music royalty. Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Alice in Chainsvand Halestorm were among the many acts who paid tribute throughout the 11 hour mega event. Jason Momoa hosted. Supergroups formed. Confetti flew, but nothing stole the moment like Sabbath’s final bow.
More than 4.6 million people streamed the event globally, with proceeds going to Parkinson’s and children’s charities. It wasn’t self-indulgent or overblown. It was simply a farewell worthy of the band that laid the foundation for everything that came after.
If this really is the end and all signs point to yes, then Sabbath went out not with a whimper, but with the kind of fire only they could summon. What a way to end a truly remarkable career, with a night we will never forget.
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