By Faye James
The Prince of Darkness is set to take his final bow on July 5. Ozzy Osbourne, 76, will perform his last-ever live show at Birmingham鈥檚 Villa Park, a poignant farewell titled Back to the Beginning, marking the end of an era for both the rock legend and the original Black Sabbath lineup.
The sold-out event, which will be livestreamed globally, reunites Ozzy with his bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for the first time in two decades. It鈥檚 a full-circle moment in the city where heavy metal was born, and where four young men from Aston changed music history forever.
“It鈥檚 my final encore; it鈥檚 my chance to say thank you to my fans for always supporting me and being there for me,” Ozzy shared ahead of the show. “It means everything. I am forever in their debt for showing up for me and the fans. I can鈥檛 quite put it into words, but I feel very emotional and blessed.”
A farewell years in the making
Ozzy鈥檚 decision to retire from live performances comes after a series of serious health battles. Diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚 disease in 2003, he has undergone multiple surgeries, including a fourth spinal operation in September 2023 following a fall in 2019 that exacerbated injuries from a 2003 quad bike accident. These procedures have significantly impacted his mobility, with Ozzy admitting earlier this year that he can no longer walk unaided.
Despite these challenges, Ozzy has been undergoing rigorous training in preparation for the concert. “I鈥檝e got this trainer guy who helps people get back to normal. It鈥檚 hard going, but he鈥檚 convinced that he can pull it off for me. I鈥檓 giving it everything I鈥檝e got,鈥 he revealed. “It鈥檚 endurance. The first thing that goes when you鈥檙e laid up is your stamina.”
The singer is currently in strict training, which even sees his blood pressure being taken 15 times a day. He explained: “I am having my blood pressure taken 15 times a day. I鈥檝e got this device on my finger. It鈥檚 a monitor to say how my heart rate is.”
Back to where it all began
The choice of venue for this historic concert is deeply personal. Villa Park, home to Aston Villa Football Club, is just a stone鈥檚 throw from Ozzy鈥檚 childhood home in Aston. “I couldn鈥檛 have done my final show anywhere else. I had to go back to the beginning,” he said. “My memories of Villa Park when I was growing up were: Every Saturday when there was a match, I would go out with my friends and stand outside the Villa asking people for a shilling to watch their car.”
The event鈥檚 title, Back to the Beginning, reflects not only the band鈥檚 roots but also their first gig in 1968 at The Crown pub in Birmingham, when they were still known as Earth. It鈥檚 a nod to the city that shaped them and the genre they pioneered.
A star-studded send-off
The concert promises to be one of the most significant events in rock history. Alongside Black Sabbath鈥檚 reunion, the lineup features an array of heavy metal and rock legends, including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and Rival Sons.
Additionally, a supergroup of musicians will perform, comprising Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan and Slash (Guns N鈥 Roses), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jonathan Davis (Korn), and many more. Rage Against the Machine鈥檚 Tom Morello serves as the event鈥檚 musical director, with actor Jason Momoa hosting the all-day affair.
All proceeds from the concert will be shared equally among Cure Parkinson鈥檚, Birmingham Children鈥檚 Hospital, and Acorns Children鈥檚 Hospice, reflecting Ozzy鈥檚 commitment to giving back to the community that raised him.
A global audience
For fans unable to attend in person, the concert will be livestreamed globally, ensuring that Ozzy鈥檚 farewell reaches audiences worldwide. The livestream will begin at 3:00 PM BST, two hours after the in-person event starts, and will be available for 48 hours. Tickets for the livestream are available at backtothebeginning.com.
Ozzy admitted that a livestream wasn鈥檛 initially part of the plan. “We never meant to have a livestream; it wasn鈥檛 in our plan,” he shared. 鈥淚 was just surprised how many people we were contacted by to do one, and so it seemed a great chance for people who didn鈥檛 have the opportunity to get a ticket to be able to see the show.”
Looking ahead
While this concert marks the end of Ozzy鈥檚 live performances, he has no plans to retire from music entirely. “I still enjoy doing my own work. I also enjoy singing on other people鈥檚 work” he told Metal Hammer magazine. “For the foreseeable future, I will keep on recording if the projects interest me. It鈥檚 very important.”
His last solo album, Patient Number 9, released in 2022, featured collaborations with a host of renowned artists, including his Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Zakk Wylde, and Pearl Jam鈥檚 Mike McCready.
As Ozzy prepares to take the stage one final time, fans around the world are gearing up to celebrate the legacy of a man who has been at the forefront of heavy metal for over five decades. “It鈥檚 a goodbye as far as my live performances go, and what a way to go out,” he reflected.