BIRMINGHAM, UK — Heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne brought down the curtain on his stellar career with Black Sabbath on Saturday, rattling through the band’s most iconic songs in front of an
Heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne brought down the curtain on his stellar career with Black Sabbath on Saturday, rattling through the band’s most iconic songs in front of an adoring hometown crowd.
The “Prince of Darkness” held court from a giant leather throne, topped with a bat, at Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, firstly in a five-song solo set and then with his original bandmates for the first time in 20 years, and last time.
“It’s the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle.thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” the 76-year-old singer told the crowd after finishing the set with “Paranoid” — the band’s most famous song.
The stadium in Birmingham, central England, is a stone’s throw from where the band formed 57 years ago, pioneering the hard-rock style that gave rise to heavy metal.
And the genre’s big hitters were in town to pay tribute to the band that started it all.
Anthrax were one of the first acts on stage, with early arrivers giving the US rockers a rapturous welcome and getting the mosh pit into full swing.
They were later followed by a rock royalty collaboration, as Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood performed Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”.
Guns N’Roses sent the 40,000 fans wild with the first chords to “Welcome to the Jungle”, and there were other sets from Pantera, Tool, Slayer and Metallica.
