Black Sabbath Bids Farewell in Historic Final Show at Villa Park, Birmingham

The momentous event, titled ‘Back To The Beginning’, took place at Villa Park in Birmingham on Saturday night (July 5). This marked the last goodbye for the legendary heavy metal band, with founding members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward reuniting on stage for the first time since 2005.

The crowd welcomed Sabbath to the stage shortly after 10 PM, with air raid sirens and flashing red lights heralding their arrival. The opening notes of ‘War Pigs’ soon filled the venue, setting the atmosphere for an unforgettable night.

Sabbath played a tight four-song set featuring classics from their first two albums, including ‘Iron Man’ and ‘N.I.B.’ The massive crowd cheered and raised their devil horns, singing along to every lyric.

As they wrapped up the evening with ‘Paranoid,’ Osbourne addressed the audience, saying, “This is the last song ever. Your support has allowed us to lead an incredible life, and we thank you from the depths of our hearts.”

Check out the highlights from this final show:

BLACK SABBATH#BackToTheBeginning #BlackSabbath pic.twitter.com/WfkVUyVGRQ

— Duke TV (@OfficialDukeTV) July 5, 2025

Witness Black Sabbath’s reunion as Ozzy Osbourne performs for the last time at the Back To The Beginning event in Birminghamhttps://t.co/CghAKTD8E5 pic.twitter.com/QxWrA3n9ni

– Stereogum (@stereogum) July 5, 2025

Black Sabbath Setlist:

‘War Pigs’
‘N.I.B.’
‘Iron Man’
‘Paranoid’

The ‘Back To The Beginning’ event featured a star-studded lineup, with artists from The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Blink-182 joining together for a Led Zeppelin cover. Yungblud also led a supergroup performance of ‘Changes’ in tribute to the late football player Diogo Jota.

The Prince of Darkness hasn’t played a full concert since 2018 and has faced several health challenges, including multiple surgeries and struggles with Parkinson’s disease.

Earlier this year, in an interview with The Guardian, Osbourne expressed optimism about his health leading up to this monumental show, stating, “I’ll be there, and I’ll do my best. All I can do is show up.” He also mentioned that he might be “sitting down” for the performance, fueling speculation that he could even perform from a “throne that flies over the stadium.”

In preparation for the farewell concert, he revealed to fans that he was “in heavy training” and returned to the gym. Osbourne also clarified he would only participate in “little bits and pieces” of the performance, saying: “I’m doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.”

Sharon Osbourne, his wife and manager, told NME that despite his health struggles, which include not being able to walk, his illness “doesn’t affect his voice.” She added, “He wants to thank everyone. He didn’t have the chance earlier, but now he finally has it.”