Machine Head paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne by playing two impromptu Black Sabbath covers onstage on Tuesday (July 22).
The American groove metal band learned about Osbourne’s death at the age of 76 shortly after it was announced on Tuesday evening, right before they were due to take the stage at the Posthof venue in Linz, Austria, for a headline concert.
The four-piece quickly decided to alter their setlist, opening their concert with renditions of Sabbath’s War Pigs and Children Of The Grave before playing their traditional opening track, Imperium.
Footage of the two covers has made its way online. Watch below.
On Wednesday, (July 23), Robb Flynn, Machine Head’s founding singer/guitarist and sole constant member, wrote about Osbourne and his band’s Linz concert on Instagram.
He put: “We found out that Ozzy had passed away from Sky News 20 minutes before we walked onstage to the opening night of our European tour.
“In a state of sadness and shock we made the decision to forgo our usual opening setlist. Following our intro of Ozzy’s [1981 solo song] Diary Of A Madman (that we’ve opened every Machine Head show with for the last 30-plus years) we started the show with two Black Sabbath songs, War Pigs and Children Of The Grave.
“Everyone sang, everyone knew tonight meant something, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house
“There’s so much more to say about the power of the Ozzy’s songs, but for now, we’ll let his music do the talking.
“Our deepest condolences to Black Sabbath, Ozzy’s band, and the Osbournes.”
Osbourne’s family confirmed his passing in a statement on Tuesday evening. His cause of death remains unclear. The Prince Of Darkness played his retirement show a little over two weeks before he died, where he performed both a solo set and a set with the other founding members of Sabbath at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham.
The show was a charity concert that raised more than $190 million for local causes, making it the highest-grossing charity gig of all time. A concert film compiling the best bits of the day – where the likes of Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer and Gojira also performed – will hit cinema screens next year.
Machine Head’s European tour continues tonight (July 24) at Red Stage @ Barba Negra Csepel in Budapest, Hungary. The band will headline Bloodstock Open Air in the UK in August, alongside Trivium and Gojira.
