On Saturday (July 5th), Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne took the stage for the final time, performing at Villa Park in Birmingham as part of the massive, star-studded, event “Back to the Beginning.”
The event’s lineup also included other big named acts, including The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan – who covered Judas Priest’s song “Breaking the Law” and Black Sabbath’s “Snowblind” alongside Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), K.K. Downing (Judas Priest), Adam Jones (Tool), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake), and Danny Carey (Tool).
After the show, Corgan shared a few thoughts to Twitter/X about the experience, writing:
“A few reflections on a beautiful and bittersweet day: I first heard Black Sabbath on my uncle’s stereo some 50 years ago. So it was surreal to stand on a football pitch with 45,000 strong to witness the end of this grand, institutional group who has touched me personally, professionally, and at times even intimately in stolen moments of work and camaraderie. Thank you Tony [Iommi], Bill [Ward], Geezer [Butler], and Ozzy [Osbourne] for all you’ve done for so many.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to Sharon [Osbourne] for asking me to take part. It was truly an honor on more levels that I could count. And to witness the passionate performances of so many in rehearsal: those I admire from afar, those I know, too, and see the translation into the near 10-hour affair of music and fellowship was something to behold. Music is of course the soundtrack to our lives, but yesterday in my estimation was something truly special. As a 3-dimensional soundtrack was being crafted in real time. All to celebrate this coming home for the band once known as Earth.
“Every great journey has trials and tribulations, tragedies and surprise. Therein lies the magic, therein lie the tears. I both whooped yesterday in sheer exultation to be in the right spot at the right moment, and I wept silently as my heroes fell on their wizardly, mythic sword to bid us farewell. We have the music, and we have them in our hearts. You don’t have to be a musician to understand. But it does help, at least if you’re trying to decode that which is elusive in the cosmos.
“Now the band is both here and not here; with us, and yet gone. As it should be.”
