Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne is preparing for what may be his final on-stage appearance — and it’s a reunion 20 years in the making. Despite ongoing health struggles, the Prince of Darkness is set to perform on July 5, 2025, for Back to the Beginning, a monumental show at Villa Park in Birmingham that reunites the original Black Sabbath lineup.
“I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can,” the 76-year-old frontman told The Guardian. “All I can do is turn up.” The performance will mark the first time Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward have played together in two decades — and could very well be their last.
Osbourne, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020, has undergone multiple surgeries and battles ongoing spinal and circulation issues. “I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down,” he admitted. Nevertheless, the rocker has been training with weights, riding a bike, and working daily with a vocal coach to prepare.
The event, conceived by his wife Sharon as “something to give me a reason to get up in the morning,” will feature short sets from Ozzy and Sabbath, as well as performances from a who’s-who of metal royalty. The day-long festival includes Metallica, Slayer, KoRn, Gojira, Anthrax, and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins.
While fans are hyped, even fellow performers are cautiously hopeful. Tool’s Maynard James Keenan, also on the bill, said, “I don’t know what kind of modern miracles we’ll come up with to get him on stage… I’m preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best.”
Black Sabbath’s story began in Birmingham in 1968, and they’ve since sold over 75 million records, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and helped define an entire genre. Their 2017 farewell concert did not include Ward — making this the first true full-circle reunion since the early 2000s.
With the stakes high and emotions even higher, Back to the Beginning is shaping up to be a historic send-off for one of the most influential bands in rock history.