Ozzy Osbourne performed live for the final time on Saturday night as he joined his Black Sabbath bandmates for the Back to the Beginning farewell concert, and he had one final message for his fans
Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary rocker, ended his live performance career with a bang on Saturday evening, sharing a saucy farewell message to fans after his final gig.
At 76 years old, the Black Sabbath frontman returned to the stage in Birmingham for the first time in two decades as part of the Back to the Beginning farewell concert.
Devoted fans from all corners of the globe gathered to watch Ozzy perform alongside original bandmates Bill Ward, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler, possibly for the last time, although some were visibly moved by Ozzy’s need to sit upon a throne during the show due to his health struggles.
READ MORE: Kelly Osbourne shares support for dad Ozzy as she watches him reunite with Black Sabbath
Clad in black attire and eye makeup, the prince of darkness, who is battling the effects of Parkinson’s disease and has disclosed his inability to walk, sang iconic songs I Don’t Know, Mr. Crowley, Suicide Solution, Mama I’m Coming Home, and Crazy Train.
Finishing up his iconic stint, Ozzy, visibly touched and seated as he left the stage amidst a backdrop of fireworks, expressed his gratitude with a heartfelt “thank you,” sending kisses and lifting his hands skyward to the sound of adulation, reports the Mirror US.
Ozzy’s send-off was as defiant as his career, with an unapologetically bold banner unfurling at Villa Park—home to football clashes—stating, “Thank you for everything, you guys are f***ing amazing. Birmingham Forever.”
The night also featured some stellar performances from other music legends, including Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Limp Bizkit sensation Fred Durst, and Guns ‘n Roses icons Duff McKagan along with Slash.
In a heart-to-heart with Rolling Stone UK before the concert, Sharon Osbourne disclosed that they had been planning the show for two years and confessed to feeling “so emotional” about the experience, calling it “magic”.
“It was just amazing how everybody said, ‘yes, we wanna do it, we’re there, we wanna support Sabbath and Ozzy and be there for the charity’. And so it’s just been a pleasure dealing with everyone, and they’ve just been so generous with their time.
“Every single artist has just been fantastic,” expressed the former X Factor UK judge. Sharon also conveyed Ozzy’s gratitude for his fans’ longstanding support.
“Ozzy has finally got a chance to thank people for all their years of support and encouragement to him and really giving us the life that we have together. We appreciate everything that these fans have given us around the world,” Sharon stated.
The announcement of the goodbye gig sent fans into a frenzy when it was released back in February. An Instagram upload from Ozzy earlier this year saw Tom Morello, the music director of the event, declare, “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.”
As the legendary guitarist of Rage Against The Machine, Tom’s words carried considerable weight.
Accompanying the social media snapshot was Ozzy’s reflection: “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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