Gojira Announce Ozzy Osbourne’s Death Mid-Show Before Dedicating Set

Gojira announced the death of Ozzy Osbourne during their July 22 performance in Istanbul.

They subsequently stopped their set to inform the crowd and dedicate the night to the late Black Sabbath front man.

Midway through the show, front man Joe Duplantier paused before the band’s performance of Flying Whales to tell the crowd he had just learned of Osbourne’s passing. “I just heard that… and I don’t know if this is confirmed… Ozzy just died,” Duplantier said. “Ozzy Osbourne just died. So I’m sorry, this is crazy. This one is for Ozzy. It’s called Flying-fucking-Whales.”

Later in the set, Gojira performed Black Sabbath’s Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes, a cover they had debuted at the Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham earlier this month. At that event, Osbourne performed live for the final time. Introducing the Sabbath track in Istanbul, Duplantier said, “Of course this one goes to Ozzy Osbourne. We will remember Ozzy. He might have died, but he will live forever… and we all know that.”

The Istanbul show came just hours after Osbourne’s family confirmed he had died at the age of 76. The cause was not disclosed, but the singer had been dealing with major health issues for several years, including Parkinson’s disease and multiple surgeries.

Gojira had appeared on the same bill as Osbourne at Back to the Beginning in Birmingham, where he reunited with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for one final Sabbath set. Reflecting on the show, Gojira posted a statement calling it a “stellar culmination” and a “demonstration of respect and solidarity,” noting the significance of playing Sabbath’s hometown alongside the genre’s most influential figures.

The band’s tribute in Istanbul was one of several that took place in the hours following Osbourne’s death, including Ghost’s dedication at Madison Square Garden the same night.