Black Sabbath Countdown: Anticipation Grows for Ozzy Osbourne’s Final Show at Villa Park!

Excited Black Sabbath fans crammed into Villa Park in Birmingham on Saturday afternoon as anticipation rose for Ozzy Osbourne’s final ever show.

The rocker, 76, is set to take to stage around 8.30pm for his last live performance alongside his bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward.

Their final showdown comes amid concerns for Ozzy’s health after he has undergone seven surgeries in the past five years, including a fourth spinal operation in 2023.

Ozzy, who has also been battling Parkinson’s disease since 2003, plans to keep recording music but is saying farewell to live performing in what is sure to be an emotional night.

And the anticipation was palpable in Ozzy’s hometown just hours before his epic show as a string of legendary rock bands took to the stage for the Back to The Beginning concert.

Anthrax, Guns N’ Roses and Metallica are all slated to perform during the rocking speculator, while there were also surprise video messages from the likes of Dolly Parton and Jack Black.

Excited Black Sabbath fans crammed into Villa Park in Birmingham on Saturday afternoon as anticipation rose for Ozzy Osbourne’s final ever show

The rocker, 76, (pictured in 2022) is set to take to stage around 8.30pm for his last live performance alongside his bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward 

The anticipation was palpable in Ozzy’s hometown just hours before his epic show as a string of legendary rock bands took to the stage for the Back to The Beginning concert

Since their last gig together in 2005, Black Sabbath has played in partial reunions but never in their original line-up.

Ahead of his final performance with his band, Ozzy emotionally discussed what the milestone occasion means to him. 

‘It’s my final encore; it’s my chance to say thank you to my fans for always supporting me and being there for me,’ he shared.

‘It means everything, I am forever in their debt for showing up for me and the fans. I can’t quite put it into words, but I feel very emotional and blessed.’

‘It’s a goodbye as far as my live performances go, and what a way to go out,’ he added.

Ozzy said he wants his fans to ‘feel appreciated for how much they mean to me’ and discussed why the band decided to host their final ever show in Birmingham.

Ozzy grew up in Aston, Birmingham, and Black Sabbath – though they were known as Earth at the time – had their first ever gig at The Crown pub in Birmingham in 1968.

Aptly titled Back To The Beginning, the concert will see Ozzy and his bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward go back to their roots for their big reunion.

Huge crowds were seen packing into Villa Park for the Back to the Beginning show – taking place in Ozzy’s hometown 

Anthrax helped kick off the rocking action on Saturday afternoon with frontman Scott Ian bringing the house down 

Fans looked delighted as they eagerly waited up front for their chance to watch Black Sabbath one last time 

Of the poignant moment, Ozzy gushed: ‘I couldn’t have done my final show anywhere else. I had to go back to the beginning.’

He went on: ‘My memories of Villa Park when I was growing up were: Every Saturday when there was a match, I would go out with my friends and stand outside the Villa asking people for a shilling to watch their car.’

The concert is being streamed two hours after the in-arena start time, kicking off at 3pm BST, giving Black Sabbath fans around the globe a chance to watch.

However, Ozzy said they never actually planned to stream the show but decided to include it as an extra addition due to the overwhelming demand for tickets. 

‘We never meant to have a livestream; it wasn’t in our plan,’ he shared.

‘I was just surprised how many people we were contacted by to do one, and so it seemed a great chance for people who didn’t have the opportunity to get a ticket to be able to see the show.’

Amid his ailing health, Ozzy recently admitted he is unsure whether to perform standing up or sitting down following a series of spinal operations.

The singer is currently in strict training, which even sees his blood pressure being taken 15 times a day.

He explained: ‘I have got this trainer guy who helps people get back to normal. It’s hard going, but he’s convinced that he can pull it off for me. I’m giving it everything I’ve got.

‘It’s endurance. The first thing that goes when you’re laid up is your stamina.

‘I am having my blood pressure taken 15 times a day.. I’ve got this f***ing device on my finger. It’s a monitor to say how my heart rate is.’

Ozzy vowed to do the ‘best he can’ during his final show after his string of health concerns in recent years.

Ozzy (pictured in 2024) has undergone seven surgeries in the past five years, including a fourth spinal operation in September 2023, and has been battling Parkinson’s disease

Though he is stepping back from the stage, Ozzy will keep recording music after his goodbye gig. 

He told Metal Hammer magazine: ‘I still enjoy doing my own work, I also enjoy singing on other people’s work. 

‘For the foreseeable future, I will keep on recording if the projects interest me, it’s very important.’

Ozzy’s last solo album, 2022’s Patient Number 9, featured a long list of guest artists, including hid Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Zakk Wylde, and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, among others. 

Black Sabbath pioneered heavy metal music in the early 1970s with hits such as War Pigs, Paranoid and Iron Man.