More than 50 years after first forming in Birmingham, England, Ozzy Osbourne and his pioneering metal band Black Sabbath are finally ready to retire from playing and making music.
Osbourne and his manager wife Sharon planned a grand culmination of sorts, gathering the biggest names in rock and metal to pay homage to the band’s influence during an all-day celebration and livestreamed event. Other seminal groups have been guilty of going back on their word after calling it quits, but Saturday’s show felt like both the band and the music community put (a very heavy) lid on the band’s legacy, and it was filled with love.
Titled “Back to the Beginning,” the 10 hour concert was held at Villa Park, just miles from where Osbourne and his mates grew up. It featured a stellar announced line-up and plenty of surprises courtesy of musical director Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), who assembled two supergroups for the occasion.
The extravaganza kicked off in the U.K. at 3 p.m., and the livestream aired two hours later in the U.S. (10 a.m. on the East Coast; and 7 a.m. on the West Coast) via a vociferous set from Mastodon, followed by a bluesy turn from Rival Sons and then, Anthrax with a short but spirited two song set.
Overall, the streaming experience was a success, though fans lucky to be there surely had an immersive stadium show experience they’ll never forget. Everyone who took the stage shared a Sabbath or Ozzy cover (or two), but some throaty wails and thrashing riffs were more suited to the material than others.
Here are some of the biggest highlights and most masterful moments from the historic event celebrating the band who made heavy metal a cultural force and the frontman who’ll forever be known as the crowned Prince of Darkness.
Jason Momoa is the host with the most – on stage and in the pit
Early in the show, Momoa proclaimed the event “the most epic day in the history of heavy metal,” and he was clearly enjoying every second. Snapping cellphone photos and videos of his favorite bands from the side stage, he even threatened to get in the mosh pit when he introduced Pantera, one of the most aggressive groups on the bill. Cameras caught him doing just that, giddily bashing and bouncing about with fans and proving that when it comes to music, this superstar truly does walk the “Walk.”
Jack Black and rockstar offspring kill it on “Mr Crowley”
Momoa’s Minecraft co-star is no stranger to the rock stage – he’s one half of the music duo Tenacious D with Kyle Gass. But he made his madman mark with a pre-taped music video featuring Roman Morello (Tom Morello’s son) and Revel Ian (Scott Ian of Anthrax’s son). Black’s rendition of Ozzy’s “Mr. Crowley” might have been the wackiest of the day, but it was also the most faithful vocally, capturing Osbourne’s wistful, whine-like croon on the tune and his sinister delivery, too.
Lizzy Hale sings up a storm
The only woman on the bill, the singer for Halestorm served up two raw and raucous originals as well as a potent take on the Osbourne classic “Perry Mason.” Later, she tackled another ‘80s solo-era Oz number, “Ultimate Sin,” backed by a powerhouse line-up including Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt and original Ozzy bandmates, axe man Jake E. Lee and drummer Mike Bordin.
Nuno Bettencourt saves the day
Bettencourt might have offered the most impressive guitar playing on the bill, and that’s saying something with such a formidable group of fretmasters. His playing for the all star jam portions of the show was intricate, soulful and simply fun to watch every time he had a part, especially backing Disturbed’s Dave Draiman on the groovy Sabbath gem, “Sweet Leaf.” Draiman was booed for some reason when he first took the stage, but by the time he tore into the cannabis-inspired cut with Bettencourt backing, the jeers turned into cheers.
Legends line-up to jam: Ronnie Wood, Steven Tyler and so much more
The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and Black Sabbath are arguably all on the rock n’ roll “GOAT” shortlist. So it felt both righteous and revelatory to watch Stones guitarist Wood and Aerosmith singer Tyler pay respects during a head-spinning superjam that also featured Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Ghost’s Papa V Perpetua, Travis Barker, Sammy Hagar and Living Colour’s Vernon Reid, to name a few. This one featured eight numbers, half of which were Sabbath or Ozzy tributes. Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law” and Aerosmith hits including a climactic “Walk This Way” into Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” punctuated the star-studded session.
Yungblud makes “Changes”
Known mostly as a pop-punk artist, British singer Yungblud has a way of defying expectations, especially with his cover song choices. Fred Durst offered a recorded version of “Changes” accompanied by a cellist for the show, but Yungblud’s take during Morello’s jam was more heartfelt, with an emotive feel that shined similarly to his cover of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” a few years ago.
Celebrity Drum Circle: Travis Barker, Chad Smith & Danny Carey
Pound for pound, one of the most exciting moments of the show featured Tool’s Danny Carey, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith and Blink-182’s Travis Barker, who played off of, with, and against each other all within the same song, a bodacious cover of Sabbath’s “Symptom of the Universe.”
Tool yields its own “Hand of Doom”
In terms of intensity and precision, the L.A. band hit it out of Villa Park with their own sonically seductive songs, “Forty Six & 2” and “Aenema.” They also made Sabbath’s “Hand of Doom” off of Paranoid their own thanks to singer Maynard James Keenan’s visceral vocals and the band’s brutal rhythm section. It might have been the best cover of the day.
Guns n’ Roses and Metallica Bow Down
The two final performers before the man and band of the hour, each brought surprising song choices and covers to the metal mix, but it was the chemistry on stage that was fascinating to observe and absorb. Guns n’ Roses and Metallica both have long and tumultuous histories, which play into the vibe they put out. While we might have expected Metallica to “kill ‘em all” Saturday with signature sonic fury, their set was a bit more relaxed and fun than expected. GnR, and namely singer Axl Rose, was less ego-driven than we’ve seen him in concert and very much focused on the task at hand — honoring the band that pioneered heavy metal and broke open the floodgates for bad boys just like him. They played four Sabbath covers and two of their own songs (“Welcome to the Jungle” and “Paradise City”) while Metallica did the reverse, four originals including “For Whom the Bells Tolls” and “Master of Puppets,” and two deepcut covers.
Video Shout-outs, from Dolly Parton to Elton John
Dolly Parton, Elton John, Billy Idol, Jonathan Davis, and more recorded messages to Ozzy and the band, sharing how Sabbath inspired and impacted their music. (Also giving a tribute was Marilyn Manson, whose appearance was one of the only controversial moments of the event as fans quickly voiced their disappointment of his inclusion online.) That aside, it was a nice touch in between the bands, adoring fan videos and packages promoting the show’s charity partners. Proceeds from the concert will be shared equally among Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
The Prince on his throne
Though he’s battled health problems for years including Parkinson’s and spinal issues, Osbourne’s vocals still have vigor. Yes, he sat on a bat-embellished throne for his two closing sets, first with his band (including a mesmerizing Zakk Wylde on guitar), and finally, with his legendary mates guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and returning drummer Bill Ward.
For the solo set, “Crazy Train” was a highpoint, but it was the ballad “Mama I’m Coming Home” that brought the crowd to tears and seemed to affect the singer most in the moment. From biting heads off of bats to reality TV family man, Osbourne is a pop culture caricature to some, but his musicianship is what made him a legend. This truth was punctuated by his last ever performance with Black Sabbath, which featured just four songs (“War Pigs,” “NIB,” “Iron Man” and “Paranoid”). For all the band’s menacing mystique and the satanic panic it wrought in the past, the end of Osbourne’s musical journey wasn’t dark, debauched or dangerous. It was simply joyful, filled with fans, family and friends.
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