Ozzy Osbourne will reunite with all original members of Black Sabbath for the first time in 20 years in what is being hailed as the “greatest” heavy metal concert ever, promoters announced Wednesday.
The legendary band will headline “The Back to the Beginning” show on July 5 at Villa Park, home of the Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham, England.
“It’s my time to go back to the beginning … time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” Osbourne said. “How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham forever.”
Osbourne, known as the “Prince of Darkness” and Black Sabbath’s frontman during its peak in the 1970s, will perform a solo set before being joined by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for the first time in two decades.
The all-day festival will also feature performances by major metal acts, including Metallica, Slayer, and Alice in Chains, with more bands to be announced.
“This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever,” said music director Tom Morello.
Osbourne, who revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2020, paused touring in 2023 following extensive spinal surgery. His health struggles date back to a near-fatal quad bike accident in 2003, with injuries worsened by a fall in 2019.
Black Sabbath’s origins trace back to Birmingham in 1968 when the four original members sought an escape from factory work. Their 1970 debut album catapulted them to fame, leading to a string of classic records, including 1971’s Master of Reality and Vol. 4 in 1972. They remain one of the most influential and successful metal bands, with over 75 million albums sold worldwide.
Osbourne gained mainstream recognition in the early 2000s with the hit MTV reality show The Osbournes, alongside his wife Sharon and their children.
All proceeds from the July 5 concert will support charities, including Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice, backed by Aston Villa.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 14.
Source: Swifteradio.com
