For the final bow in Birmingham, Ozzy Osbourne's final onstage performance was expected to be historic. What resulted was a watershed moment in heavy music culture that will forever be remembered as a celebration - a living testament to the life, legacy and lasting impact of metal's founding fathers - Black Sabbath and in particular, Ozzy.
Brought to life by the production's musical director, Tom Morello, Back to the Beginning proved a poignant homecoming and a fond farewell - marking Ozzy Osbourne's final-ever onstage performance. That was further underscored by the reunion of the original line-up of Sabbath, as Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward revisited the metal mastery that began in Birmingham generations prior.
The completely sold out event transformed Villa Park into a heavy music pilgrimage - with fans from across the globe making the trek to pay homage to Sabbath and worship at the altar of Ozzy one last time. In addition to the final sets from Ozzy as well as a reunited Sabbath, the day was completed by a coalition of heavy music's most respected, venerated names - all tipping their hats and offering their tribute to the Prince of Darkness.
From Mastodon to Halestorm, Lamb of God to Gojira, Tool, Pantera, Guns N Roses, Slayer and Metallica - the assembly of metal's elite was staggering and indicative of the legions of artists that all spawn from Sabbath's pioneering sound. In addition to the band sets, supergroup sets brought together names like Billy Corgan, Tom Morello, K.K. Downing, Chad Smith, Vernon Reid, Travis Barker, Steven Tyler, Ron Wood, Nuno Bettencourt, Jack Black, Mike Bordin, Papa V Perpetua, Yungblud and many more - all to give homage on what could and should be heavy metal's only annual holiday moving forward.
A day beyond superlative, Back to the Beginning offered a full circle moment for metal and brought together generations of fans to do what few genres have ever successfully done - acknowledge and celebrate where it all started with a living tribute rather than somber eulogy.
See the complete setlist below.
Black Sabbath: Back To The Beginning setlist
Mastodon
Black Tongue
Blood and Thunder
Supernaut (with Mario Duplantier, Danny Carey and Eloy Casagrande)
Rival Sons
Do Your Worst
Electric Funeral
Secret
Anthrax
Indians
Into the Void
Halestorm
Love Bites (So Do I)
Rain Your Blood on Me
Perry Mason
Lamb of God
Laid to Rest
Redneck
Children of the Grave
Supergroup First Set
The Ultimate Sin (with Lzzy Hale, Nuno Bettencourt, Jake E Lee, David Ellefson, Mike Bordin and Adam Wakeman)
Shot in the Dark (with David Draiman, Jake E Lee, David Ellefson, Mike Bordin and Adam Wakeman)
Sweet Leaf (with David Draiman, Nuno Bettencourt, Scott Ian, David Ellefson, Mike Bordin and Adam Wakeman)
Believer (with Whitfield Crane, Nuno Bettencourt, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, II [Sleep Token] and Adam Wakeman)
Changes (with Yungblud, Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, II and Adam Wakeman)
Mr. Crowley (with Jack Black, plus Revel Ian and Roman Morello)
Alice In Chains
Man in the Box
Would?
Fairies Wear Boots
Gojira
Stranded
Silvera
Mea culpa (Ah! Ça ira!) (with Marina Viotti)
Under the Sun
Supergroup Second Set
Symptom Of The Universe (with Chad Smith, Travis Barker and Danny Carey, plus Tom Morello, Nuno Bettencourt and Rudy Sarzo)
Breaking the Law (with Billy Corgan, Tom Morello, K.K. Downing, Adam Jones, Rudy Sarzo and Danny Carey)
Snowblind (with Billy Corgan, Tom Morello, K.K. Downing, Adam Jones, Rudy Sarzo and Danny Carey)
Flying High Again (with Sammy Hagar, Nuno Bettencourt, Adam Wakeman, Rudy Sarzo, Chad Smith and Vernon Reid)
Rock Candy (with Sammy Hagar, Nuno Bettencourt, Adam Wakeman, Rudy Sarzo, Chad Smith and Tom Morello)
Bark at the Moon (with Papa V Perpetua, Vernon Reid, Nuno Bettencourt, Adam Wakeman, Rudy Sarzo and Travis Barker)
The Train Kept A-Rollin' (with Steven Tyler, Ron Wood, Nuno Bettencourt, Tom Morello, Andrew Watt, Rudy Sarzo and Travis Barker)
Walk This Way / Whole Lotta Love (with Steven Tyler, Nuno Bettencourt, Tom Morello, Andrew Watt, Rudy Sarzo and Chad Smith)
Pantera
Cowboys From Hell
Walk
Planet Caravan
Electric Funeral
Tool
Forty Six & 2
Hand of Doom
Ænema
Slayer
Disciple
War Ensemble
Wicked World
South of Heaven
Raining Blood
Angel of Death
Guns N' Roses
Never Say Die
Junior's Eyes
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Welcome to the Jungle
Paradise City
Metallica
Hole in the Sky
Creeping Death
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Johnny Blade
Battery
Master of Puppets
Ozzy Osbourne
I Don't Know
Mr. Crowley
Suicide Solution
Mama, I'm Coming Home
Crazy Train
Black Sabbath
War Pigs
N.I.B.
Iron Man
Paranoid
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Globally, Back to the Beginning is now available for worldwide streaming audience. The broadcast will be available for replay until July 7th 3pm BST. Jack Black's rendition of "Mr. Crowley" can be found below.
Get complete info on the livestream - HERE
