Sharon Osbourne has offered a glimpse at the running order for this summer’s Black Sabbath farewell show.
Talking to NME, the wife and manager of Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne says the one-day event at Birmingham’s Villa Park will feature numerous once-in-a-lifetime crossovers. It will then end with an Ozzy solo set and the reunion of his pioneering metal band’s founding lineup.
The show, scheduled for July 5, will mark the last performances from both Ozzy and the original Sabbath. The Prince Of Darkness retired from touring in 2023 due to the physical effects of multiple surgeries and Parkinson’s disease.
Metallica, Slayer, Gojira, Anthrax, Halestorm and more have been announced for the lineup, as has a “supergroup” featuring The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello, Guns N’ Roses members Slash and Duff Mckagan, Korn’s Jonathan Davis and many others. Morello will also serve as musical director.
Sharon says of the day, “It starts at noon, then you’re going to see one icon playing with another icon, doing a Sabbath song and one or two of their own songs, and people playing with each other that you never you’d see. Tom Morello is going to play with the drummer from Tool [Danny Carey] and they’re going to have Billy Corgan with them – they’re all from Chicago so they’re all doing their bit.”
She continues, “Then you’ll see Slash and Duff and whoever they choose to play with. [Disturbed singer] David Draiman is going to come up and sing, Jonathan from Korn is going to be here and he could be playing with [Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer] Chad Smith or whoever! Alice In Chains are coming and they’re playing as the band.”
Talking to The Sun on Wednesday (February 5), Sharon offered an update on Ozzy’s health, saying her husband’s Parkinson’s has advanced to the point he’s struggling to walk. She also confirmed to the BBC that the gig will definitively be Ozzy’s last.
“Ozzy didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there’s no been no full stop,” she said. “This is his full stop.”
Tickets to Black Sabbath and Ozzy’s final show will go on general sale on February 14 at 10am UK time. An artist presale starts at 10am UK time on February 11.
