Ozzy Osbourne Clarifies Limited Role in Black Sabbath’s Farewell Show Amid Star-Studded Lineup

Ozzy Osbourne has tempered expectations for his highly anticipated farewell performance with Black Sabbath, confirming that his role will be more limited than fans may have hoped. The 76-year-old metal legend is set to return to the stage on July 5th at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK, marking his first full-scale live appearance since suffering a serious fall in 2019.

Despite speculation that he would perform a full set with Black Sabbath, Osbourne clarified on his SiriusXM show Ozzy Speaks that he will only be doing “bits and pieces” with the band.

“I’m not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath, but I am doing little bits and pieces with them. I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.”

This final sendoff will see Bill Ward, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Osbourne reunite for the first time in years. The event is a charity-driven, all-star celebration, featuring an all-star jam session led by Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), honoring Osbourne’s legacy.

With a 42,640-seat capacity, tickets for the event sold out in minutes, which isn’t surprising given the stacked lineup. Alongside Black Sabbath’s farewell set, the show will also feature performances from:

• Metallica
• Slayer
• Pantera
• Gojira
• Halestorm
• Alice In Chains
• Lamb Of God
• Anthrax
• Mastodon

In addition to the already massive bill, Morello will lead a one-of-a-kind jam session, bringing together legendary artists to pay tribute to Osbourne and Sabbath. The initial confirmed participants include:

• Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins)
• Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
• Danny Carey (Tool)
• David Draiman (Disturbed)
• Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses)
• Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit)
• Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)
• Jake E. Lee (ex-Ozzy Osbourne, Red Dragon Cartel)
• Jonathan Davis (Korn)
• KK Downing (ex-Judas Priest)
• Mike Bordin (Faith No More, ex-Ozzy Osbourne)
• Papa V Perpetua (Ghost)
• Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot)
• Sammy Hagar (ex-Van Halen)
• Slash (Guns N’ Roses)
• II (Sleep Token)
• Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth WVH, ex-Van Halen)

With Osbourne’s health challenges, including Parkinson’s Disease and spinal damage, it remains unclear exactly how much he will participate. However, this event will undoubtedly be a historic and emotional farewell, marking the end of an era for heavy metal.

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