Black Sabbath’s original lineup—Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—has officially reunited for one final, historic performance: **Back to the Beginning**, scheduled for **July 5, 2025**, at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham. This marks the first time all four members have shared a stage since 2005
Curated by Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, who calls it “the greatest heavy metal show ever,” the concert will celebrate Sabbath’s legacy and Ozzy’s farewell to live performance ([ft.com][1]). Ozzy, now 76 and battling Parkinson’s and previous spinal injuries, is expected to perform a short solo set—possibly seated, perhaps even on a throne—before rejoining his bandmates for their final bow .
The lineup reads like a who’s who of heavy and hard rock royalty: Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and more. Additionally, a “supergroup” featuring artists from Guns N’ Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, Limp Bizkit, and others will add to the spectacle
Beyond nostalgia and spectacle, the event is a charitable endeavour: proceeds benefit Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice .
BBC and Rolling Stone report that tickets—a brief public sale on February 14—sold out within minutes, despite fierce demand and soaring local hotels rates ([reddit.com][5]). For those without tickets, the entire 10½‑hour show will be livestreamed internationally
Tony Iommi, the band’s guitarist, admitted he’s “a bit nervous” about the unknowns of this final gathering, especially with Ozzy’s health in mind—but expressed excitement about returning to the stage with his old brothers ([ft.com][1]). Ozzy himself summed it up: “It’s my time to go back to the beginning…time to give back to the place where I was born. Birmingham is the true home of metal”
This is more than a concert—it’s a once‑in‑a‑lifetime closure, a tribute to heavy metal’s birthplace, and a final unifying gesture from a band that shaped generations.
