July 5th turned out to be an emotional day for metalheads as the legendary Ozzy Osbourne reunited with the original lineup of the band, Black Sabbath, for the first time in 20 years. The performance was a farewell to his fans as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician retires from performing live due to his worsening Parkinson’s symptoms—the singer had to perform sitting down. This, by no means, was a problem for his fans, as 40,000 of them gathered for the 10-hour farewell show aptly called Back to the Beginning.
Long Live the Legend: Osbourne’s Last Performance
The show was held at Aston Villa football stadium near Osbourne’s childhood home, adding further to the feeling of nostalgia and circling back to the beginning vibe of the whole event. While the 76-year-old rockstar may have been suffering from the worsening symptoms of Parkinson’s and other age-related issues, Ozzy Osbourne performed with the same vigor and energy of his youth. He opened his solo performance with, “Are you ready? Let the madness begin.” He shared his sentiments on performing, saying, “It’s so good to be on this stage. You have no idea.”
King of Hearts: Osbourne’s Impact on Metallica
The impact of Ozzy Osborne and Black Sabbath on Metallica cannot be denied. “Black Sabbath really kind of started all this, the metal era,” former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar said of the legendary band. “Everyone looks at them like the kings, and if the kings are going to go out, then we’re going to go honor them.” The show had a veritable lineup of heavy metal legends, including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Tool, and Pantera, all gathered to pay homage to the beginning of heavy metal itself.
Momoa’s Moment: Jason Momoa Steals the Show
In an unexpected and crazy moment in the show, Jason Momoa, who hosted the event allegedly single-handedly, started a mosh pit in the crowd, contributing to the crazy energy and endearing himself to fans on social media, with one person saying, “Moshing with Jason Momoa was not on my bingo card!”
Read Next: Diddy Trial Reveals a Disturbing Man and the Full Extent of Celebrity Power Abuse