Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath to Reunite for Final Performance in Birmingham

After years of anticipation, Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath are officially reuniting for one final performance. Set to take place on July 5th, 2025, at Villa Park in Birmingham, the concert marks the first time in 20 years that the band’s original lineup—Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—will play together on stage. The concert, dubbed “Back to the Beginning,” promises to be an unforgettable event, not just for Black Sabbath fans, but for the entire metal community.

Black Sabbath, which formed in 1968 in Birmingham, has been one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time. The band’s last full tour ended in 2017, and though rumors of a reunion show had been circulating for years, the official announcement was made on February 5, 2025. Iommi and Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife and manager, made the announcement at Villa Park, much to the excitement of fans.

The lineup for the show includes legendary acts such as Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice In Chains, and Mastodon, to name just a few. A “supergroup” of musicians including the likes of Billy Corgan, Slash, Fred Durst, and Tom Morello will also perform during the event, making it a truly star-studded affair. Osbourne, who has faced significant health challenges in recent years, including Parkinson's disease and spinal injuries, will perform a solo set before joining his bandmates for their final bow.

The reunion concert will also feature a variety of other iconic performances, with bands like Gojira, Halestorm, and Lamb Of God taking the stage. The event's music director, Tom Morello, known for his work with Rage Against The Machine, expressed his excitement for the gig, calling it "the greatest heavy metal show ever."

Profits from the concert will be donated to Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. "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 in a statement. "How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love? Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever."

This performance follows a series of health setbacks for Osbourne. After a fall at home in 2019, he underwent extensive spinal surgery, and his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease made touring nearly impossible. Despite this, he has occasionally made appearances, such as at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a halftime show during an NFL game. In a candid moment, Osbourne shared that he was "taking it one day at a time" and would only perform again if he was able to do so wholeheartedly. "I’m not going up there in a [expletive] wheelchair," he added.

The show is expected to be a massive event, not just for the history of Black Sabbath but for the entire heavy metal genre. Fans from all over the world will gather in Birmingham to witness this monumental moment in music history.

Tickets for the event will go on sale on February 14th, 2025, with all profits benefiting the aforementioned charities. With the return of Black Sabbath’s original lineup and an all-star cast of supporting acts, this concert is set to be one of the most significant moments in heavy metal history.

Image credit: Anthony Catalano, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons