Black Sabbath reunite for Villa Park gig as Ozzy Osbourne announces 'greatest heavy metal show ever'

Ozzy with Black Sabbath the last time he performed in Birmingham, at the Commonwealth Games Closing ceremony on August 8, 2022
-Credit:Getty Images


Ozzy Osbourne has announced that the original Black Sabbath will reunite to headline 'the greatest heavy metal show ever' in Birmingham. Ozzy will join Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the first time in 20 years to take his final bow at Villa Park Stadium on Saturday, July 5 2025 alongside a star-studded line-up of heavy metal greats.

The all-day event, called Back To The Beginning, will be directed by Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello and will feature sets from Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Anthrax and Mastodon. It was announced at Villa Park by Sharon Osbourne and Tony Iommi today (Wednesday, February 5), who said all profits from the special gig would go to good causes in Birmingham and beyond.

Other musicians scheduled to appear in a 'supergroup' to mark the special occasion include Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan and Slash (Guns 'N Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), KK Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) and Mike Bordin (Faith No More).

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Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token ii (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Wolfgang Van Halen and Zakk Wylde are also confirmed to appear, with more names to be announced 'shortly'.

Ozzy said he felt 'blessed' to be saying goodbye in Birmingham, more than 50 years after Black Sabbath formed in Aston. He said: "It's my time to go Back to the Beginning… time for me to give back to the place where I was born.

"How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever."

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Tom Morello added: "This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever."

Black Sabbath formed back in 1968 and their sound had an enduring legacy on the music industry with many current artists and bands heavily influenced by the four-piece.

Tickets for the event go on sale at 10am Birmingham time on Friday, February 14 at LiveNation.co.uk. All profits will go to Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice, a charity supported by Aston Villa.