Ozzy Osbourne set for swansong at Black Sabbath hometown gig
Osbourne, 76, who revealed in 2020 that he has Parkinson's disease, will join Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the all-day "Back To The Beginning" show in Birmingham, central England, where the heavy metal giants formed in 1968.
The gig at Aston Villa Football Club's Villa Park stadium will also feature sets by US rockers Metallica, Guns N'Roses, Tool and Slayer among others, as well as a short solo set by Osbourne.
Around 40,000 fans are expected to watch the original line-up's first show together in 20 years and Osbourne's swansong.
The show comes as 1990s Britpop band Oasis play in Cardiff in the second of two concerts as part of another highly anticipated reunion.
"Birmingham is a city which means so much to Ozzy. When it comes to heavy metal music, Black Sabbath forming and his love of Aston Villa -– it all started here," his wife Sharon said in comments released by West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), the region's investment and promotion body.
Black Sabbath have sold over 75 million albums worldwide and are widely recognised as one of the pioneers of heavy metal.
All profits from the show will go to charities including Cure Parkinson's and Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Osbourne's diagnosis led to him pausing touring. But Sharon told the BBC the Villa Park gig would be his last. "This is his full stop," she was quoted as saying.
'Greatest day'
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, musical director for the concert, said he plans "to make it the greatest day, the most important day in the history of heavy metal music".
The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who will also perform, added that "this might be the greatest one-day lineup in the history of rock 'n' roll".
The show is expected to deliver the area a multi-million pound boost, with hotel occupancy in Birmingham city centre expected to surge close to 90 percent, according to WMGC.
"The eyes of the world will be on Birmingham," said John Cotton, leader of the city council. "There is always such a special atmosphere in the city on major event days."
Osbourne's live performances at the height of his hedonism have gone down in rock folklore, particularly a 1982 gig in Des Moines, Iowa, when he bit the head of a bat on stage.
Osbourne says he thought a fan had thrown a fake rubber bat onstage, and it wasn't until he took a bite that he realised it was real.
"I can assure you the rabies shots I went through afterwards aren't fun," he told US TV host David Letterman in 1982.
But there are unlikely to be any repeat performances on Saturday, with the rocker mellowing in his old age.
To coincide with the concert, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition in honour of the city's famous son, displaying his awards, memorabilia and photographs.
The local police force also got in the mood, naming a litter of new puppies Ozzy, Toni, Geezer and Billie.
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LeMonde
a day ago
- LeMonde
Ozzy Osbourne set for swansong at Black Sabbath hometown gig
Birmingham braced on Saturday, July 5, for wildman rocker Ozzy Osbourne's final ever gig as Black Sabbath's frontman, with thousands flocking to his UK hometown for a celebration of the heavy metal genre he helped to create. Millions are also expected to follow online after fans snapped up tickets for the show, starring the original line-up, in just 16 minutes. Osbourne, 76, who revealed in 2020 that he has Parkinson's disease, will join Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the all-day "Back To The Beginning" show in Birmingham, central England, where the heavy metal giants formed in 1968. The gig at Aston Villa Football Club's Villa Park stadium will also feature sets by US rockers Metallica, Guns N'Roses, Tool and Slayer among others, as well as a short solo set by Osbourne. Around 40,000 fans are expected to watch the original line-up's first show together in 20 years and Osbourne's swansong. The show comes as 1990s Britpop band Oasis play in Cardiff in the second of two concerts as part of another highly anticipated reunion. "Birmingham is a city which means so much to Ozzy. When it comes to heavy metal music, Black Sabbath forming and his love of Aston Villa − it all started here," his wife Sharon said in comments released by West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), the region's investment and promotion body. Black Sabbath have sold over 75 million albums worldwide and are widely recognized as one of the pioneers of heavy metal. All profits from the show will go to charities including Cure Parkinson's and Birmingham Children's Hospital. Osbourne's diagnosis led to him pausing touring. But Sharon told the BBC the Villa Park gig would be his last. "This is his full stop," she was quoted as saying. 'Greatest day' Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, the musical director for the concert, said he plans "to make it the greatest day, the most important day in the history of heavy metal music." The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who will also perform, added that "this might be the greatest one-day lineup in the history of rock 'n' roll." The show is expected to deliver the area a multi-million pound boost, with hotel occupancy in Birmingham city center expected to surge close to 90%, according to WMGC. "The eyes of the world will be on Birmingham," said John Cotton, leader of the city council. "There is always such a special atmosphere in the city on major event days." Osbourne's live performances at the height of his hedonism have gone down in rock folklore, particularly a 1982 gig in Des Moines, Iowa, when he bit the head of a bat on stage. Osbourne says he thought a fan had thrown a fake rubber bat onstage, and it wasn't until he took a bite that he realized it was real. "I can assure you the rabies shots I went through afterwards aren't fun," he told US TV host David Letterman in 1982. But there are unlikely to be any repeat performances on Saturday, with the rocker mellowing in his old age. To coincide with the concert, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition in honor of the city's famous son, displaying his awards, memorabilia and photographs. The local police force also got in the mood, naming a litter of new puppies Ozzy, Toni, Geezer and Billie.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Ozzy Osbourne set for swansong at Black Sabbath hometown gig
Millions are also expected to follow online after fans snapped up tickets for the show, starring the original line-up, in just 16 minutes. Osbourne, 76, who revealed in 2020 that he has Parkinson's disease, will join Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the all-day "Back To The Beginning" show in Birmingham, central England, where the heavy metal giants formed in 1968. The gig at Aston Villa Football Club's Villa Park stadium will also feature sets by US rockers Metallica, Guns N'Roses, Tool and Slayer among others, as well as a short solo set by Osbourne. Around 40,000 fans are expected to watch the original line-up's first show together in 20 years and Osbourne's swansong. The show comes as 1990s Britpop band Oasis play in Cardiff in the second of two concerts as part of another highly anticipated reunion. "Birmingham is a city which means so much to Ozzy. When it comes to heavy metal music, Black Sabbath forming and his love of Aston Villa -– it all started here," his wife Sharon said in comments released by West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), the region's investment and promotion body. Black Sabbath have sold over 75 million albums worldwide and are widely recognised as one of the pioneers of heavy metal. All profits from the show will go to charities including Cure Parkinson's and Birmingham Children's Hospital. Osbourne's diagnosis led to him pausing touring. But Sharon told the BBC the Villa Park gig would be his last. "This is his full stop," she was quoted as saying. 'Greatest day' Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, musical director for the concert, said he plans "to make it the greatest day, the most important day in the history of heavy metal music". The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who will also perform, added that "this might be the greatest one-day lineup in the history of rock 'n' roll". The show is expected to deliver the area a multi-million pound boost, with hotel occupancy in Birmingham city centre expected to surge close to 90 percent, according to WMGC. "The eyes of the world will be on Birmingham," said John Cotton, leader of the city council. "There is always such a special atmosphere in the city on major event days." Osbourne's live performances at the height of his hedonism have gone down in rock folklore, particularly a 1982 gig in Des Moines, Iowa, when he bit the head of a bat on stage. Osbourne says he thought a fan had thrown a fake rubber bat onstage, and it wasn't until he took a bite that he realised it was real. "I can assure you the rabies shots I went through afterwards aren't fun," he told US TV host David Letterman in 1982. But there are unlikely to be any repeat performances on Saturday, with the rocker mellowing in his old age. To coincide with the concert, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition in honour of the city's famous son, displaying his awards, memorabilia and photographs. The local police force also got in the mood, naming a litter of new puppies Ozzy, Toni, Geezer and Billie.
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Oasis fans count down the hours until mega-tour kicks off in UK
Two consecutive nights of concerts at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital mark the start of a 41-date run of gigs spanning the world, including in the United States, Japan, Australia and Brazil. "I know I'm about to have one of the best moments of my life," Charlotte Abisset, 37, a customer service manager at a French winery, told AFP after arriving in Cardiff. "I've been a fan of Oasis for 25 years and I've never seen them. So I'm in a very emotional state... I'm so happy to have gotten a ticket to the first concert." Once-warring brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have put aside their differences for the Oasis Live '25 tour, which will see them next play five hometown gigs in Manchester starting July 11. Further sold-out British and Irish concerts will follow at London's Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh's Murrayfield and Dublin's Croke Park, before the tour's international leg. The band's 1990s gigs are the stuff of legend but the chance to see them perform again was long seen as a remote prospect, following one of music's bitterest break-ups. 'Excited' Fan thronging the Welsh capital had travelled from far and wide -- including the United States, South America and various European countries -- to see what many were calling a "historic moment". "We've come just for this," said American Mark Cassidy, 31, who flew to Britain with a friend from New York for the opening concert. "We're super excited -- it's a perfect day for it," he added as they basked in summer sunshine. "We'll have a couple of pints, hang out, and then get in there!" Central Cardiff became a sea of fans decked out in Oasis t-shirts, as the sound of the band's various beloved hits drifted through the air. Crowds packing pubs and outdoor terraces also bellowed out the band's anthems, while merchandise stands did a brisk trade. The tour is expected to be a boon for the struggling UK economy, with fans spending on tickets, transport and accommodation. "I literally can't wait -- I'm so excited!" Kira, 25, an operations manager from Dundee in Scotland, said after splashing out £130 (150 euros) at the official merch shop on an Oasis hoodie, poster and t-shirt. She recounted snagging her two opening night tickets in the frenzied online scramble last summer. "We were so chuffed" friend Kayla added. "We also thought hopefully there was less chance of them splitting up by the first night!" Oasis, famous for hits like "Live Forever" and "Wonderwall", announced their comeback tour last August, days before the 30th anniversary of debut album, "Definitely Maybe". The Manchester rockers split acrimoniously in 2009. The brothers maintained a war of words about each other for more than a decade, performing individually over those years but never together. The chaotic clamour for tickets after their surprise reunion announcement devolved into outrage over sudden price hikes that saw Britain's competition watchdog threaten legal action. Resale tickets costing thousands of pounds have surfaced, while fans have also been targeted by online scams. 'Rough and ready' "All that matters is how the people in that stadium feel," Liam Gallagher, 52, said on social media last week, as months of anticipation reach a climax. Oasis will be supported in the UK by Richard Ashcroft, frontman of British rock band The Verve, as well as 1990s indie band Cast. The stadium, which has a capacity of 74,500 for concerts, is set to have its roof closed for both nights, with an incredible atmosphere expected. Oasis reportedly began jamming together months ago, before rehearsing in London more recently. The band has reportedly welcomed several new members for the tour, including a keyboard player and drummer. Writing in the tour programme, Noel, 58, reflected on the band's enduring popularity, saying "a new generation recognises how Oasis wasn't manufactured". © 2025 AFP
