Black Sabbath's final show receives major blow as iconic singer forced to pull out
BLACK Sabbath's highly-anticipated final show has been hit with a big blow after one of the iconic singers set to perform cancelled.
Wolfgang Van Halen has been forced to pull out of the upcoming all-day farewell gig due to a clash with his schedule.
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The 34-year-old US musician realised he has to be back in America the following day for rehearsals ahead of supporting Creed on tour.
Speaking to Detroit's Meltdown on 101 WRIF, Wolfgang said: "I, unfortunately, had to back out because the Creed tour starts the day after, and I wouldn't be able to pull it off - unfortunately.
"I'm very excited to watch it, but I unfortunately had to back out."
Wolfgang and his band Mammonth are the support band for Creed's 2025 tour, which kicks off in Kentucky on July 9.
Black Sabbath 's final one-off gig is taking place on July 5 in Birmingham.
Called Back To The Beginning, it will be frontman and rock veteran Ozzy Osbourne's last time performing on stage amid his worsening diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.
The gig is already being touted as "the greatest heavy metal show ever" and will see Ozzy play a short set before reuniting with his bandmates Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward.
It will be the first time in 20 years that the original Black Sabbath line-up will have performed together.
Ozzy, 76, has vowed it will be his final performance due to his deteriorating health. He went public with his Parkinson's diagnosis in 2020.
Back To The Beginning will also feature a mega line-up of fellow rock stars, performing their own sets and as a super-group, and all the profits made will be going to charity.
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The money will be shared equally between Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.
Metallica and Slayer are on the line-up for main sets as they celebrate Ozzy's remarkable legacy.
Pantera, Gojira, Alice In Chains, Halestorm, Lamb Of God, Anthrax, and Mastodon will also play at the show.
Other stars who will perform include Duff McKagan and Frank Bello from Anthrax, Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit and The Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan.
Musicians including Disturbed's David Draiman, Jake E Lee and Jonathan Davis from Korn, Mike Bordin from Faith No More will be there too.
Back To The Beginning: The line-up
Black Sabbath will take to the stage with Ozzy Osbourne for one final time on July 5, 2025. Here's who else will be performing...
Fans can enjoy sets from Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Tool Lamb Of God, Anthrax and Mastodon.
The ultimate event will also feature a super-group of heavy metal musicians made up of:
Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan & Slash (Guns 'n Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), KK Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token ii (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) and Zakk Wylde.
Music Director, Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, said: 'This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.'
The concert is being held at Birmingham's Villa Park, which is a stone's throw from where Ozzy grew up in Aston.
Speaking ahead of his final show, Ozzy said: 'It's my time to go Back to the Beginning….time for me to give back to the place where I was born.
'How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.'
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