In a heartfelt and impromptu tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, Wolfgang Van Halen’s band, Mammoth (formerly Mammoth WVH), honored the “Prince of Darkness” during their concert at the XFINITY Theatre on Tuesday night, July 22. The news of the heavy metal icon’s death at 76 had broken just hours earlier, sending shockwaves through the music world.
Moments before their soundcheck, Wolfgang, the son of rock legend Eddie Van Halen, and his bandmates learned of Osbourne‘s passing. This prompted a swift and deeply emotional decision to alter their setlist to pay homage to the influential singer.
Addressing the crowd with raw emotion before launching into the tribute, Wolfgang stated: “That f**king sucks that we are in a world that doesn’t have Ozzy Osbourne anymore. And it was right before we went on soundcheck that we found out. And I thought, ‘Well, we have to do something. Just mentioning it isn’t enough.’ We’ve played through this maybe three times, so please bear with us and sing the f**k along with us.”
Mammoth then performed a poignant rendition of Ozzy’s classic 1991 ballad, “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” marking its live debut for the band. The choice of song resonated deeply with the audience, reflecting a collective sorrow for the metal icon.
It was a particularly poignant moment for Wolfgang, who had originally been slated to participate in Black Sabbath‘s “Back To The Beginning” farewell concert on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. However, he had to withdraw from that historic event due to scheduling conflicts with Mammoth’s ongoing tour alongside Creed and Daughtry. The Birmingham concert ultimately became Ozzy Osbourne’s final live performance, reuniting him with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for one last iconic set.
Osbourne’s family confirmed his death, stating that he passed away surrounded by loved ones. While no official cause of death has been publicly disclosed, Ozzy had bravely battled Parkinson’s disease and faced lingering complications from a severe fall in 2019, which had ultimately led to his retirement from regular touring.
Mammoth’s full setlist from the Hartford concert included:
- “Another Celebration at the End of the World“
- “The Spell“
- “Like a Pastime“
- “Take a Bow“
- “Don’t Back Down“
- “Mama, I’m Coming Home” (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
- “The End“
