Ozzy Osbourne has revealed that he won’t be playing a full set with Black Sabbath at their farewell show on July 5th at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. Instead, he only plans to perform “little bits and pieces” with his legendary band.
The once-in-a-lifetime concert, dubbed “Back to the Beginning,” will not only feature Sabbath and Ozzy, but also a full-day lineup including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and many more acts.
On his SiriusXM radio show Ozzy Speaks, the singer explained that his ongoing health issues, including his battle with Parkinson’s disease, will prevent him from playing a full set with Sabbath.
“I’m not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath but I am doing little bits and pieces with them,” disclosed Ozzy. “I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.”
He added, “I am trying to get back on my feet. When you get up in the morning, you just jump out of bed. I have to balance myself, but I’m not dead. I’m still actively doing things.”
It appears that Ozzy will perform a number of solo songs with his own backing band before Sabbath join him for a finale of the metal band’s classics.
A couple days after the concert was announced, Ozzy discussed his current health condition, saying on SiriusXM, “I have made it to 2025. I can’t walk, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all my complaining, I’m still alive.”
His wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, also offered an update on Ozzy’s health to The Sun, explaining, “Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”
The concert sold out in only 16 minutes when tickets went on sale this past Friday (February 14th). See the lineup poster below.