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San Francisco Chronicle
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
After decades of tension, Axl Rose and James Hetfield meet again at Black Sabbath's final show
Metallica's James Hetfield and Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose shared a quiet reunion backstage at Black Sabbath's farewell concert over the weekend — a rare moment for two metal giants whose infamous 1992 tour ended in conflict and chaos. 'Back to the Beginning' at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on Saturday, July 5, marked the final performance of Black Sabbath and its frontman, Ozzy Osbourne. The sold-out show, hosted by 'Aquaman' star Jason Momoa, drew more than 40,000 fans and a jaw-dropping lineup of rock royalty, including Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Steven Tyler, Ronnie Wood, Billy Corgan, Sammy Hagar, Fred Durst and others. — Axl Rose (@axlrose) July 6, 2025 The two hadn't been known to share much common ground since their tumultuous co-headlining tour in 1992, which famously derailed in Montreal when Hetfield was injured by pyrotechnics and Rose cut Guns N' Roses' set short, triggering a riot. Reflecting on the debacle in a 2013 interview with Howard Stern, Hetfield didn't mince words. 'Guns N' Roses stood for everything we didn't like,' he said. But on Saturday, old grievances seemed to melt away. Metallica delivered a blistering six-song set, including Black Sabbath covers like 'Hole in the Sky' and 'Johnny Blade.' Guns N' Roses followed with a punchy 25-minute tribute, performing four Black Sabbath tracks as a five-piece — the band's first time playing without keyboardist Dizzy Reed and multi-instrumentalist Melissa Reese in 35 years. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ozzy Osbourne (@ozzyosbourne) Then came the night's emotional climax: Osbourne, 76, took the stage solo for five songs. 'Are you ready?' Osbourne shouted. 'Let the madness begin!' Seated in a black leather throne, the 'Crazy Train' singer, who has been living with Parkinson's disease, rallied the audience with trademark charm. He was later joined by original Black Sabbath bandmates — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward — for a final four-song farewell. It was the first time in 20 years the original lineup had performed together. As the last notes rang out, a cake was brought on stage and fireworks erupted above Villa Park, signaling the end of a historic night. 'This is the last song ever,' Osbourne told the crowd. 'Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle — thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I love you.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ozzy Osbourne (@ozzyosbourne) 'Wow!! What an EVENT!! Extremely overwhelming!! … MET OZZY!! (Crazy we'd never met b4!!),' he said after the concert. 'Was hard as I imagine for anyone to watch his struggles while at the same time everyone was rooting for him n' massively respecting the challenges he took head on n' HE DID IT!!!!' Osbourne responded in kind. 'My first time meeting Axl Rose,' he wrote on Instagram, 'at my age you don't get to meet many legends, seriously an utter gentleman.'
Pink Villa
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Ozzy Osbourne's Final Bow: 5 Big Moments From Black Sabbath's Farewell Show at Villa Park
Black Sabbath brought their iconic story full circle on Saturday, July 5, with a massive one-day concert called Back to the Beginning at Birmingham's Villa Park. The show, featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, marked the legendary band's final performance in their hometown, where heavy metal was born. Over 45,000 fans filled the home ground of Aston Villa F.C. to celebrate Black Sabbath's last stand. According to Billboard, the event, which donated all proceeds to charities like Birmingham Children's Hospital, honored the band's influence and gave fans one final chance to see the original lineup together. Below are five standout moments from Black Sabbath's farewell show: Mastodon set the tone with 'Supernaut' American heavyweights Mastodon opened the show with a powerful cover of Black Sabbath's Supernaut. Drummer Brann Dailor stepped up for lead vocals and delivered a performance that stayed true to Ozzy's raw energy. The finale featured members of Gojira and Tool adding extra percussion, setting the mood for a day full of collaborations and tributes. Lamb of God light up Villa Park Lamb of God brought intense energy with their groove metal hits. Frontman Randy Blythe worked the crowd into a frenzy, creating huge mosh pits. 'Thank you to the four Sabbath members for inventing metal,' Blythe told the crowd before throwing his shoes into the audience, leaving fans roaring. Nuno Bettencourt's moving moment with Yungblud Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt spent more time on stage than any other performer, appearing in various supergroup sets. He teamed up with Sleep Token's drummer II and Yungblud for a heartfelt cover of Sabbath's Changes. Sharon Osbourne was seen in tears during the song, which felt deeply personal due to its connection to Ozzy and Kelly Osbourne's version. Metallica deliver heavy hits Metallica kept the energy high with their set, opening with Hole in the Sky before moving into classics like Creeping Death and Master of Puppets. The band showed no signs of slowing down, with Robert Trujillo's signature moves and Lars Ulrich's powerful drumming giving Villa Park an electrifying jolt. Ozzy's final words and Sabbath's last songs Sitting on an ornate chair with a giant bat above him, Ozzy Osbourne told fans, 'I've been laid up for six f—ing years, you have no idea how much this means to me.' He powered through five solo hits, with his voice as strong as ever. The show closed with Sabbath's original four playing War Pigs, N.I.B., Iron Man, and ending on Paranoid. Geezer Butler's bass lines stood out, reminding everyone why Sabbath remains the backbone of heavy metal.
