Back To The Beginning

Birmingham Villa Park. Stars turned out in force for this celebration of Ozzy Osbourne, a true legend. No one knew that it would turn out to also be a final goodbye.

- Stephen Dalton

There is a harrowing Shakespearean moment at the climax of this historic all-star charity benefit mega-show to mark Ozzy Osbourne's retirement. As Black Sabbath finish their brief headline set and fireworks erupt over Villa Park, the 76-year-old living legend sits alone on an empty stage, sinking into his black leather throne, a heavy metal King Lear gazing into the abyss of his mortality. At least that's what viewers of the abruptly edited livestream of Back To The Beginning see. For the 40,000 fans squeezed inside the sold-out stadium, the drama is more tragicomic than tragic. Soon after the final notes fade away, Ozzy is rejoined on stage by guests and band members, sharing cake and congratulations. His air of isolated terror is short-lived, but it taps into a deeper truth. Stricken with Parkinson's, barely able to stand up, the artist formerly known as Prince Of Darkness is a painfully diminished figure. Even so, he is not going down without a fight, mustering a defiantly gutsy farewell performance across two short sets.

But there's much more to Back To The Beginning than just Ozzy. Long before the headliners, this all-day headbanger banquet assembles arguably the most starry monsters of rock lineup ever like a heavy metal Live Aid. From Anthrax to Tool, Slayer to Pantera, Guns N' Roses to Metallica, each band plays a quick-change set of around 20 to 30 minutes, including at least one Sabbath or Ozzy song. Amazingly, there is no sign of Dave Grohl, surely a first in the history of rock benefit shows. Did anyone tell him?