Metallica and Guns N’ Roses Pay Tribute to Black Sabbath at Ozzy Osbourne’s Final Hometown Concert

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND — Metal icons Metallica and Guns N’ Roses delivered powerful tributes to Black Sabbath during Back to the Beginning, the highly anticipated farewell concert for Ozzy Osbourne, held Saturday at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham.

Billed as Osbourne’s final live performance and a symbolic return to his roots, the charity event featured a star-studded lineup honoring the Prince of Darkness and the original Black Sabbath lineup — Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.

Metallica, serving as the penultimate act of the evening, opened their set with a thunderous rendition of Sabbath’s “Hole in the Sky” from the Sabotage album, followed by a cover of “Johnny Blade” from Never Say Die! — paying homage to Sabbath’s later-era catalog.

Guns N’ Roses also joined in the celebration with a four-song Black Sabbath tribute set. They kicked things off with “It’s Alright” from Technical Ecstasy, then powered through “Never Say Die,” “Junior’s Eyes,” and the title track from 1973’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, showcasing both reverence and raw energy.

The evening featured additional performances from hard rock and metal luminaries, including Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, and Gojira. Guitarist and activist Tom Morello served as the show’s musical director, coordinating several all-star collaborations. Notable appearances included Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, and Sammy Hagar, who all joined forces onstage for a rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.”

Osbourne, 75, has faced numerous health battles in recent years, including a Parkinson’s diagnosis and multiple spinal surgeries. In a heartfelt statement ahead of the concert, he reflected on the importance of ending his touring journey where it all began.

“It’s my time to go back to the beginning… time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” Osbourne said in February. “How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham forever.”

Back to the Beginning was more than just a farewell — it was also a charity event. Proceeds from the concert will benefit Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice, all organizations close to Osbourne’s heart.