KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

The beginning of July marked the end of an era for music as heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath and front man Ozzy Osbourne gave their final live performance in front of 45,000 people in Birmingham, England and over 5 million people streaming online at their “Back to the Beginning” concert.

Sure, Ozzy and Black Sabbath, like many other bands before them, have done their fair share of farewell tours in the past, but this one looks to be the final one for Ozzy Osbourne, Toni Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward.

Why is that you ask? Well, it’s because of Ozzy’s health, as the Prince of Darkness revealed in 2020 that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and by the time of the farewell concert’s announcement, he lost the ability to walk and stand on his own. Like many others, I was skeptical and concern about Ozzy’s ability to perform in any capacity, so much so that it was accepted online that Ozzy was going to die on stage, which would be fitting for a man with Ozzy’s history and legacy of antics.

Regardless, a lineup was announced for the one-day show on July 5 in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England. Tickets sold out in 16 minutes and the concert was available to stream as an online pay-per-view with a two-hour delay.

Honestly, I wasn’t planning on watching the show, as the price tag of $30 for a livestream not on an established platform caused hesitation, but I got on board the crazy train and purchased it because I had to know what was going to happen. The show, which started over here in the U.S. at around 9 a.m., was an 8-hour heavy metal extravaganza as bands and musicians of the rock and metal genres took to the rotating stage to perform a small set consisting of their hits and covers from Black Sabbath and Ozzy’s catalog. Those who played throughout the day included Mastodon, Rival Sons, Anthrax, Halestorm, Lamb of God, Alice in Chains, Gojira, Pantera, Tool, Slayer, Guns ‘N Roses and Metallica. Also on hand were two super group sets that featured special guests like Tom Morello, Nuno Bettencourt, David Draiman, Sammy Hagar, K.K. Downing, Jake E. Lee, Chad Smith, Travis Barker, and more. One of the standout performances that was none other than Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler, who has spent the last few years recovering from a vocal injury, who sounded like he had not missed a day as he belted out “The Train Kept A-Rollin’,” “Walk This Way” and “Whole Lotta Love.”

Then, Carl Orff’s rendition of “O Fortuna” filled the venue as everyone in attendance and the millions watching from home saw the Prince of Darkness rise from the stage, confined to his throne, and began performing classics from his solo career like “I Don’t Know,” “Mr. Crowley,” and of course “Crazy Train.” However, the moment that will live on was “Mama I’m Coming Home.” There wasn’t a dry eye in sight as reality began to set in. Yes, time had caught up with Ozzy and he wasn’t hitting the notes like he used to, but that didn’t stop him as the love and passion to perform carried him to the finish line.

Oh, but it wasn’t time for the curtain call as Ozzy returned to the stage one more time, but this time with the band who laid down the foundation of what would become heavy metal: Black Sabbath.

For the band’s final set, they played “War Pigs,” N.I.B.,” “Iron Man,” and then finishing off with the final song they will perform together as a band: “Paranoid.” It was truly a special moment.

When it was all said and done, the concert served as a benefit show and it raised about £140 million (or $190 million) and peaked with 5.8 million concurrent streams. But most of all, it was a day of celebration to the godfathers of heavy metal as some of the biggest names in rock and heavy metal and the fans joined together to say: Thank you, Ozzy. Thank you, Black Sabbath.

While it would have been a fantastic experience to be there, I do not regret joining the millions in streaming the show. Sure, it had its share of small issues, but it didn’t take away anything from the unforgettable experience.