“BACK TO THE BEGINNING” OZZY’S Final Live Performance with​ BLACK SABBATH in Villa Park, Birminngham UK, July 5, 2025

BY: Kathi Gullage

This is a review of the “live” stream that was broadcasted on a two hour delay. The overall
performance was worth more than the thirty dollar fee to view it.

Mastodon was the official opener and they were spot on. Perfect choice to set the pace. They
played “Black Tongue” from The Hunter and “Blood And Thunder” off of Leviathan. Their set
had quality sound and included a nice axe duet. Their Black Sabbath cover was decent, Vol. 4’s
“Supernaut”.

Jason Momoa, actor, hottie and heavy metal fan, was the master of ceremonies. “Metal is in all
of our DNA and we’re here to celebrate heavy metal!”

Rival Sons also had exceptional sound quality, I absolutely love Jay Buchanan’s voice! The
band performed “Do Your Worst” off of Feral Roots and sandwiched their Black Sabbath cover
in the middle of the set, a nice rendition of Paranoid’s “Electric Funeral”. They wrapped with
“Secret” (Just Bring Me a Jar Full of Shine) from Great Western Valkyrie. As much as I dig their
bluesy rock sound and enjoyed the set, I wouldn’t classify them as metal.

Anthrax fucking killed it as I knew they would! I have always loved these New York Hardcore
bangers. They fed us Among The Living’s “Indians” while they jumped around and really had fun
out there. Joey Belladonna still hittin those notes. Their Sabbath cover was “Into The Void” from
Master of Reality. The crowd responded to the kick ass set with multiple pits. This is what Back
To The Beginning is all about. Yet we only got the two songs.
​
Halestorm was a breath of fresh air with a dose of desperately needed female bad assery in the
form of the fabulous singer and guitarist Lzzy Hale. Halestorm cranked out “Love Bites (So Do
I)” from The Strange Case Of.... Lzzy addressed the crowd, “Where are my women of heavy
metal?!? I see you! I feel you! Here’s one for you! It’s new!” and segued into “Rain Your Blood
On Me” off their new album Everest. Halestorm’s tribute song was a nod to Ozzy’s solo career
with “Perry Mason” from Ozzmosis, and was a fitting song choice.
​
Lamb Of God was hardcore thrash metal in your face from beginning to end. Randy Blythe
delivered neck vein popping screaming growls into our veins. They slapped us with “Laid To
Rest” from Ashes Of The Wake and Sacrament’s “Redneck”. Lamb Of God delivered one of the
more powerful Sabbath covers with another cut from Master Of Reality, “Children Of The
Grave”. The earth was still shaking when they exited the stage, and not just from the mosh pits
and head bangers.

The menagerie of talented musicians and icons known as “Supergroup A” was next up,
orchestrated by acting maestro, the talented Tom Morello. First up was a decent rendition of
OZZY’s title track, “The Ultimate Sin” featuring Lzzy Hale, Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Jake E.
Lee (OZZY/Badlands), Dave Ellefson (Megadeth), Mike Bordin (Faith No More) and Adam

Wakeman (OZZY). Nuno and Lzzy exited and were replaced by David Draiman (Disturbed) who
was disturbingly greeted with a resounding number of boos from the crowd. It didn’t deter
Draiman from belting out solid covers of OZZY’s “Shot In The Dark” off The Ultimate Sin (Jake
E. Lee fumbled the beginning but quickly recovered) and Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf”, another
Master Of Reality track. For the latter Jake E. Lee was swapped out for Nuno and Scott Ian
(Anthrax). For the beloved cut off of OZZY’s Diary Of A Madman, “Believer”, Draiman, Ellefson
and Bordin are replaced with Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe), Frank Bello (Anthrax) and II (Sleep
Token). For the final song, Ian and Crane are out and Yungblud is in to cover Sabbath’s ballad
“Changes” from Vol. 4. The song was dedicated to the late footballer Diogo Jota. I saw some
fans crying during this, overwhelmed with emotion. I appreciate Yungblud’s talents, that he took
a risk and chose a ballad, and certainly his activism. However, I wasn't a big fan of this one. I
didn’t think I could hear the chorus one more time. It’s rumored that Yungblud gifted OZZY a
cross necklace backstage, similar to one the Prince of Darkness bestowed upon him during the
shooting of “The Funeral” video.

A prerecorded “School Of Rock” skit was played on the giant screens at the venue. Jack Black
appeared in a fringed suit, a nod to OZZY circa 1981. He was flanked by Roman Morello (Tom’s
son) on guitar, bassist Revel Ian (Scott’s son), drummer Yoyoka Soma and Hugo Weiss on
synth. They served up “Mr. Crowley” from Blizzard Of Ozz and it was great, I was entertained.
One of the main reasons I wanted to watch Back To The Beginning was to see Alice In Chains.
And the moment was upon me. This was the first time drummer Sean Kinney performed since
his medical scare back in May. It was opening night of a handful of AIC dates and just as I was
walking into the venue, Mohegan Sun Arena, they announced the show was cancelled. Sean
apparently was taken from the casino via ambulance for a “non life threatening medical
emergency”. The band ended up cancelling all of their dates. The four members took the stage
for their too early, too short, fifteen minute set. The crowd was already cheering. They
immediately belted out “Man In The Box” from Facelift. Sean looked and played great! I was so
relieved! Duvall’s vocals were on point, heard him loud and clear, he had a cool vibe with his
fringed jacket and he worked the whole stage. Bass player Mike Inez was OZZY’s bass player
from 1989-1993, an appropriate connection to the event. Jerry Cantrell was lookin fine as hell
with his black shades and black leather jacket and black leather pants and long blonde locks.
His powerful precise riffs poked everyone in the soul. But, as I have encountered at previous
Jerry gigs, I. Could. Not. Hear. Him. Sing. Next up was “Would” off Dirt. The fans went nuts.
Duvall addressed them, praised the members of Black Sabbath and then stated “We are all
head banging, riff loving freaks! We are one tribe! One people!” Their Sabbath cover was one of
the best, with Cantrell flawless on his iconic axe, “Fairies Wear Boots”, a cut from Paranoid.
And. Then. The. Fukin. Audio. Cut. Out. Right in the middle of the song. I lost my mind and
immediately hit the chat to complain with a million other people. We would be redeemed, but we
were pretty pissed off in that moment.

I was excited to see Gojira’s set with their signature technical metal sound. The French band put
on a helluva show at the 2024 Summer Olympics and holds the record for the loudest
concert/sound ever recorded at the Stade de France venue. They opened with two from

Magma, “Stranded” and “Silvera”. The music thundered through the Gojira loving crowd.
However, I couldn’t hear Joe Duplantier’s vocals. The booming sound coming off the
instruments overpowered his voice. They brought out mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti to assist in
recreating the infamous performance of “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ca ira!)”. Thankfully Marina’s vocals
shone through. Their Black Sabbath cover was Vol. 4’s “Under The Sun/Every Day Comes And
Goes”. It was a powerful set, but better sound quality could’ve leveled it up.

It was time for the obligatory drum solo. This one was cool though. A drum off between Travis
Barker (Blink 182), Chad Smith (RHCP), and Danny Carey (Tool) whose kit dwarfed the others.
Their accompaniment were Tom Morello (RATM), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) and Rudy Sarzo
(Quiet Riot/OZZY/Whitesnake). They covered Black Sabbath’s “Symptom Of The Universe” off
Sabotage. Barker was the clear winner, he’s a bad ass drummer.

“Supergroup B” got their turn at the helm. First up was Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Tom
Morello (RATM), Rudy Sarzo, Adam Jones and Danny Carey (Tool), and fittingly KK Downing of
Judas Priest - since they covered “Breaking The Law” off British Steel. With Billy on vocals,
some parts worked, some parts didn’t, but he was very passionate about the assignment. They
brought Adam Wakeman in on the keys for their rendition of Sabbath’s “Snowblind” from
Sabotage. Morello played with his mouth and “Sabbath Rules” was in big letters on the
underside of his axe. An ode to OZZY’s solo career was next with Diary Of A Madman’s “Flying
High Again” performed by Sammy Hagar backed by Bettencourt, the tragically underrated
Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Sarzo, Chad Smith (RHCP) and Wakeman. The band killed but it
wasn’t the best song choice for the Red Rocker. They swap out Reid for Morello to perform the
throwback Sammy hit, Montrose’s “Rock Candy”. Sammy is out and Tobias Jens Forge, aka
Papa Perpetua (Ghost), is in, Morello is swapped for Reid and Barker replaces Smith for
OZZY’s title track “Bark At The Moon”. Again, the band was tight but it wasn’t the right song
choice for the vocalist. It’s rumored that it wasn’t one of his top choices. The set was saved with
the final surprise guests. We knew one was Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) cuz we heard him yelling
“I got no mike! I got no mike!” off stage in his distinct voice. He was backed by Morello,
Bettencourt, Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones), Andrew Watt (producer/musician), Sarzo and
Barker. They killed it with a cover of “Train Kept A-Rollin”, an excellent song choice from Get
Your Wings. Morello attempted to one-up Wood, but the veteran was ready for him and proved
a worthy adversary. Wood exits and Barker is replaced by Smith for “Walk This Way” off Toys In
The Attic. Tyler’s voice and the sound quality were on point. They wrapped with a shortened
version of “Whole Lotta Love”, Led Zeppelin II.

Us livestreamers got little vignettes when the bands changed on the rotating stage. One was a
video shot documentary style, “Sounds of Birmingham”. It showcased local business owners
and Black Sabbath fans. There were also short vids sent in by fans. I didn’t mind it at first but
then they looped the same footage over and over. It got old. Thankfully they had another
segment, “Earlier in the Day”, and we finally got to see Jerry Cantrell in all his glory with Alice In
Chains perform “Fairies Wear Boots” without the sound being interrupted. Redemption.

Pantera was on deck. They dedicated their first song to the lost founding members, Dimebag
Darrell and Vinnie Paul. Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante (Anthrax) are now touring with original band members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown. They played title track “Cowboys From Hell” and the fans went nuts. Zakk Wylde is a guitar legend and fukin madman on stage. In a kilt.
Anselmo’s vocals were washed out, couldn’t hear him at all but they played such bangers it
didn’t matter. “Walk” from Vulgar DIsplay Of Power found even Momoa in the pit! Although I
couldn’t decipher Phil even when he talked, he somehow got a Black Sabbath chant going back
and forth with the crowd. Their Sabbath covers were two from Paranoid, “Planet Caravan” and
“Electric Funeral”. Pantera is on tour through the end of September and then Zakk will tour with
Zakk Sabbath. It’s him and two other guys doing Black Sabbath songs, dates run November
through December. I’m already holding a pit ticket to that gig.

The fans were excited to see Tool. People seem to love singer Maynard James Keenan and his
crew. I’m not a huge fan but I watched the set objectively. The band, who puts out an album
every five to thirteen years, played two of their hits from AEnema with a Sabbath cover in
between. The band was tight, sounded great but I could only hear Maynard when he sang the
chorus or hit the high notes. Tool performed “Forty Six & 2”, Sabbath’s “Hand of Doom” from
Paranoid, and title track “AEnema”. It was a pretty solid set.

The godfathers of thrash metal, Slayer, took their respective spots and unleashed a
powerhouse six song set. They set it off with “Disciple” from God Hates Us All and “War

Ensemble” off Seasons In The Abyss. Multiple pits broke out. Their cover, a song from the self-
titled Black Sabbath album, was “Wicked World” and it suited them. They wrapped their set with

three of their biggest hits, title track “South Of Heaven”, and two from Reign In Blood, “Raining
Blood” and “Angel Of Death”. Their sound came through clear. Nothin fancy here, just pure
metal muscle continuously punching you in the face.

Another band that was allowed a six song set was up next, Guns N’ Roses. They opened with
Axl Rose on the piano for a cover of Sabbath’s “It’s Alright” from Technical Ecstasy. It was a
total buzz kill. This is how they followed up from that savage Slayer set? They tried two off of
Black Sabbath’s Never Say Die! with the title track followed by “Junior’s Eyes” before attempting
another title track, “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”. They finished their set with two of their greatest
hits, Appetite For Destruction’s “Welcome To The Jungle” and “Paradise City”. We all know
these songs. I had to really focus to understand what Axl was singing. I could hear everything
but the band just didn’t sound great. I’m always happy to see Slash, but I would’ve preferred a
bigger helping of Alice in Chains or Anthrax and a shorter GNR set.

One more stop before the main event, the thrash metal band everyone knows, Metallica. I’ve
seen them live fifteen times and I’ve never seen a bad Metallica show. I’ve seen em in a bar and
in a football stadium and they are consistently good. They opened with a Sabbath cover,
Sabotage’s “Hole In The Sky”. I’m not usually a fan of covers in general, but they pulled it off.
The band then threw down their classic hits that the fans were salivating for, two from Ride The
Lightning with “Creeping Death” and “For Whom The Bell Tolls”. Back to Sabbath with “Johnny
Blade” from Never Say Die!. They hit the fans with two from Master Of Puppets to close the set,

“Battery” which was an excellent song choice and they closed with the title track that put em on
the map. Quality sound and performance and I expected nothing less.

The Prince of Darkness, OZZY Osbourne himself, emerged in his black leather throne adorned
with a giant bat at the top, while a prerecorded version of O Fortuna played in the background.
He was met with a stadium full of adoring fans. His formidable five song set included four cuts
from Blizzard Of Ozz. He hadn’t performed the first three since 2018: “I Don’t Know”, “Mr.
Crowley” and the once controversial “Suicide Solution”. I’ve seen OZZY live a handful of times
and I have seen both poor and great performances from him. During this gig, he never got up
from the chair, one of his legs continued to bounce uncontrollably the entire time and he kept
spraying something in his mouth. Yet it was one of the best OZZY productions I’ve ever
experienced. He did “Mama, I’m Coming Home” from No More Tears. At first I kinda eye-rolled
cuz I like the heavier stuff but it got emotional. The Prince himself seemed to get choked up and
it hit me that this could be the last time I see him perform these songs. Reality check. His final
song choice was one of his most notable hits, “Crazy Train”. You were left with all the feels.
The other original members of Black Sabbath took their marks, drummer Bill Ward, bassist
Geezer Butler, and iconic lead guitarist Tony Iommi. As they emerged a video played on the big
screens, the history of Black Sabbath, as “Sabbra Cadabra” from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
played in the background. We only got a four song set, with three from Paranoid, but those four
songs were performed flawlessly. “War Pigs”, followed by Black Sabbath’s “N.I.B.”. We lost our
shit at the unmistakable opening notes of “Iron Man” and too quickly the set closed with
“Paranoid”. The band got a standing ovation. The members exited but left OZZY out there in his
throne that he never rose from. I think they did it so the fans could have one on one praise for
the Prince of Darkness, but he seemed squirming and uncomfortable. He finally got off stage
and then fireworks went off behind the venue.

The show was worth the price, with more highs than lows. The event raised over $190 million
for charity and allowed people worldwide to see the original members of Black Sabbath perform
live for maybe the last time. If/When it’s released to the public, I encourage you to see it.