Ozzy Osbourne returned to Birmingham earlier this month to hold a monumental final performance with Black Sabbath at the band’s hometown of Villa Park. The concert, entitled “Back to the Beginned,” marked a perfect moment for the legendary frontman, with over 40,000 fans in attendance and nearly 6 million people watching online, returning to where it all began and possibly finished.
Numbers? It’s absolutely huge. According to the team at Osbourne on Instagram, the show raised an incredible $190 million for the charity. The funding benefits organizations close to Osborne’s hearts, such as Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorns Children’s Hospice.
The show, directed by Rage with Tom Morello of the Machine, was more than just a reunion. It was a cultural moment packed with performances from rock and metal’s heaviest batsmen, including Metallica, Guns N’ Rose, and Slayer. And Osborne delivered goods from the throne (nod to his recent health battle), but he didn’t miss the beat.
If this was really Osborne’s final bow with Black Sabbath, it was not mere legendary, it was historical. Metal icon signed off with power, purpose and lots of hearts.
