Ozzy Osbourne performed a goodbye show in Birmingham.
In a historic moment for the music industry, rock legend Ozzy Osbourne bid farewell to his touring career with a memorable concert at Villa Park football stadium in Birmingham. The event, which took place as part of the Back To The Beginning festival, attracted over 300,000 visitors and generated an estimated £20 million for the local economy [1].
The concert, streamed for £25 ($34) per viewer, excluding service fees, saw over 250,000 people tuning in within the first couple of hours [2]. Osbourne, one of the pioneers of heavy metal and a commercially successful and iconic artist of this genre, has released over ten studio albums and singles, several live albums, and compilations throughout his career [4].
The concert, which lasted over ten hours, was a significant milestone for the 76-year-old musician, who announced the end of his touring career in February 2023 due to health issues [1]. Despite this, Osbourne delivered a powerful performance, joined on stage by musicians from the original Black Sabbath lineup [9].
The Back To The Beginning festival featured a star-studded lineup, including Metallica, Slayer, Tool, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, Slash and Duff McKagan from Guns N'Roses, Korn's Jonathan Davis, Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), and other artists [10].
Osbourne's music career began after leaving school, when he tried to build a musical career and ended up in a band with Geezer Butler, the future bassist and songwriter of Black Sabbath [5]. The same name was given to a song from Black Sabbath's first album, released in 1970 [6]. After leaving Black Sabbath, Osbourne began a solo career, releasing several live albums and one studio album titled "13" in 2013 [7].
Osbourne's relationship with Tony Iommi, the guitarist of Black Sabbath, deteriorated over time, and in 1979, the musician left the group [8]. Despite this, Osbourne has won numerous awards, including five Grammy Awards, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [11].
Profits from the concert went to charity, underscoring the event's philanthropic aspect as well [3]. This farewell concert marked the end of an era for Ozzy Osbourne, but his impact on the music industry and the local economy will be felt for years to come.
[1] https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/ozzy-osbournes-farewell-concert-brings-20-25469569 [2] https://www.nme.com/news/music/ozzy-osbourne-farewell-concert-stream-reaches-250000-fans-2744327 [3] https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/ozzy-osbournes-farewell-concert-brings-20-25469569 [4] https://www.biography.com/musician/ozzy-osbourne [5] https://www.biography.com/musician/ozzy-osbourne [6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath_(band) [7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy_Osbourne_discography [8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy_Osbourne_discography [9] https://www.nme.com/news/music/ozzy-osbourne-farewell-concert-stream-reaches-250000-fans-2744327 [10] https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/ozzy-osbournes-farewell-concert-brings-20-25469569 [11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy_Osbourne#Awards_and_honours
The Back To The Beginning festival, a star-studded event, featured not only Ozzy Osbourne but also celebrities such as Metallica, Slash, and Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, showcasing a blend of music genres in pop-culture. Despite his retirement from touring due to health issues, Ozzy Osbourne, a pioneer of heavy metal music, captivated his fans with a powerful performance at this concert, which not only marked the end of an era for him but also contributed significantly to the local entertainment scene and economy.
