Ozzy Osbourne bids farewell to live performances

At least 40,000 fans gathered in Birmingham over the weekend, as the hard-rock legend, Ozzy Osbourne, bid farewell to live shows, with his final performance in his hometown.

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As reported by foreign media, tens of thousands of loyal heavy metal fans swamped the Villa Park soccer stadium in the Central England city on Saturday, to witness the last-ever live performance by Black Sabbath star, Ozzy Osbourne, as he reunited with the rock band after 20 years.

Osbourne, 76, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, sang from a black throne that rose up from under the stage.

“Let the madness begin!” he urged as he took the stage, and later paid tribute to fans.

“I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel — thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Osbourne said. “You’re all … special. Let’s go crazy, come on.”

Osbourne performed several songs solo before being joined onstage, for the first time in 20 years, by Black Sabbath bandmates, including Tony Iommi, Terence ‘Geezer’ Butler and Bill Ward.

The band ended a short set with ‘Paranoid’, one of its most famous songs.

It capped a day-long metal festival that included performances from the likes of Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N’Roses. Artists who sent plaudits and well-wishes included Jack Black, Dolly Parton and Elton John.

“You are one of the most remarkable singers of our time,” John said. “You are the king, you are the legend.”

Notably, Osbourne formed Black Sabbath in 1968 in Birmingham, a city then known for its heavy industry that became the crucible of the British metal scene.

Black Sabbath’s devil imagery and thunderous sound made them one of the era’s most influential metal acts. Both the band and Osbourne as a solo artist have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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