Ozzy Osbourne has confirmed that Black Sabbath will reunite for a farewell concert in Birmingham this summer. This will be the first time in 20 years that the original members of the band—Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—perform together.
In a post on X, Osbourne announced that the legendary lineup will take the stage one last time at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on July 5. “It’s my time to go Back to the Beginning… time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” said Osbourne. “How blessed am I to do it with the people I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”
Before joining Black Sabbath for the final performance, Osbourne will kick off the event with a brief solo set. The multi-artist show will also feature performances by Metallica, Slayer, Lamb of God, Alice in Chains, and Anthrax.
Tom Morello, the concert’s music director, expressed his excitement, stating, “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.”
Black Sabbath, formed in 1968 in Birmingham, went on to become one of the most influential metal bands in history, selling over 75 million albums worldwide. In 2022, Osbourne gave fans a surprise mini reunion at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, performing alongside Iommi.
Although Osbourne had planned a farewell tour in 2023, health issues forced him to cancel the shows. “My singing voice is fine, but after three surgeries, stem cell treatments, countless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak,” he explained at the time.
Now 76, Osbourne shared with Rolling Stone that he would “die a happy man” if he could perform one final show to thank his fans. His wife, Sharon Osbourne, had hinted at the upcoming concert in an interview last year, revealing that he was ready to say goodbye to his fans in his hometown.
Tickets for the farewell concert will go on sale February 14, with proceeds benefiting various charities.
Story by Obaapa Janee
