Anticipation is building for “Back to the Beginning” the upcoming concert on Saturday, July 5th, at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK. This event marks a major milestone: Ozzy Osbourne‘s last live performance. It will also see the original members of Black Sabbath—Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—share a stage in their hometown for the first time in over two decades, truly bringing things back to where the legendary band began.
Confirmation of rehearsals recently came directly from Black Sabbath‘s official channels, with a new photo showing Butler, Ward, and Osbourne together, simply captioned: “Rehearsals are underway for Back To The Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow.”
The event is more than just a farewell; it is shaping up to be a full-day metal celebration. Andy Copping, the booker for Download Festival, spoke with Planet Rock, hinting at a massive bill. “There’s a couple of acts that have confirmed but not been announced yet,” Copping revealed. “They’re going to be part of the proceedings… we don’t want to miss out on opportunities of people we think will give us a second enhancement of how great the bill is.”
The already confirmed lineup includes major names from across rock and metal: Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Pantera, Tool, Alice In Chains, Halestorm, Anthrax, Sammy Hagar, Lamb Of God, and Papa V Perpetua. Rumors suggest two or three more surprise acts are yet to be announced, adding to the excitement.
To ensure continuous music, organizers plan to use a revolving stage system. This setup will allow only 10–12 minutes between bands. Copping emphasized the non-stop action: “It’s going to be act after act after act. It’s almost like blink and you’ll miss it.”
Adding to the tribute, actor and lifelong metal fan Jason Momoa will host the event, which will also feature a special supergroup segment dedicated to Black Sabbath‘s monumental legacy.
While in-person tickets have been sold out for some time, fans globally can still witness the historic concert. A worldwide livestream, produced by Mercury Studios and Kiswe, will begin at 3:00 p.m. BST on July 5th. Livestream tickets are available now at www.backtothebeginning.com, and purchasers will have a 48-hour window to rewatch the full concert.
