As tributes continue to pour in for Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, known to millions as the “godfather of heavy metal”, many are reflecting on his farewell show, which took place weeks before his death, aged 76.
Osbourne and the three other founding members of Sabbath – Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – played their final show at Villa Park in their hometown of Birmingham on Saturday 5 July, where they were joined by fellow rock and metal veterans including Metallica, Tom Morello, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Lamb of God, and Alice in Chains.
The wildman of rock’n’roll had insisted years earlier that he would get back onstage “if it f***ing kills me”, after what was supposed to be his final tour was derailed due to the pandemic. He had also suffered from a string of health issues, and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019.
It was unsurprising, then, that his final gig was hailed as “the greatest heavy metal show ever” by concert curator Morello, and then as a triumph by critics and the thousands of fans who attended.
“Loud Aid? Well, if you were to pit the last few decades of Download festival against each other in one almighty Wall of Death, it might look something like this,” The Independent’s critic Mark Beaumont wrote in his five-star review of the performance.
“With merging and collaborating metal acts swapping over on a revolving stage, it’s a fast-spinning Lazy Susan of metal history. Yet there’s precious little ego and plenty of heartfelt humility among the huge names on display.
“Everyone handles their Sabbath covers like sacred texts, to be splattered with their own brands of vivifying savagery but never completely chewed up and spat in the fire.”
In a four-star review for The Guardian, Michael Hann called the show “epic and emotional”, commenting: “It’s affecting to see how united the crowd are behind Ozzy, with plenty of wiped tears during his solo set. But in the end, the night, rightly, belongs not just to him, but to four Brummies who changed rock music forever.”
On social media, fans hailed the gig as the “most moving moment in metal history”.
“Ozzy knew he was only days from passing away, and still pulled through with the most legendary concert in recent history,” one viewer said in the wake of his death.
“Ozzy’s final performance of Mama I'm Coming Home on 5 July is possibly the most emotional performance in the history of metal and everyone who watched it felt something powerful together, something so rare,” another fan said. “This will truly live on forever.”
Someone else added: “Ozzy just passed away, a few weeks after throwing the highest-grossing charity concert ever, generating $190m for Parkinson's research & fans one last show even when he knew he was terminally ill.
“That's the most badass way to go out, ever. RIP Prince Of Darkness.”
It was announced before the event, which was live-streamed around the world to an audience of 5.8 million, that proceeds from the concert would be split between Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
Morello later announced that it had raised a record-breaking $190m (£140m) for the charities.
