Black Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne hold their Birmingham farewell concert

Summary

Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning farewell gig rocked out Birmingham on Saturday
Frontman Ozzy Osbourne took to the stage on throne to perform five songs
Then the band played their final ever show with the frontman saying "thank you from the bottom of our hearts"
"Without Sabbath there would be no Metallica" - James Hetfield told the crowd earlier in the day
Steven Tyler, of Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood were among the guests at Villa Park

Live Reporting

Written by Andrew Dawkins, Chloe Hughes & Rebecca Woods, curated by David Schaffer, Sarah Portlock & Allen Cook

The music continues...published at 22:45 British Summer Time 5 July

That's all from this special page this evening. Thanks for joining us!
But the programmes continue now on BBC Radio WM on 95.6FM, DAB digital radio and BBC Sounds.
- 22:00–23:00 – Metal In The Midlands: Highlights from BBC Radio WM's heavy metal night at Birmingham Town Hall.
- 23:00–00:00 – Forging Metal: The story of heavy metal’s origins, presented by Bev Bevan.
- 00:00–01:00 – Jim Simpson’s Playlist: A musical journey through the decades with Sabbath’s first manager.
Plus you can hear Forging Metal - BBC Radio WM's documentary - on BBC Sounds.
Bev Bevan explores the origins of heavy metal music and Black Sabbath's homecoming gig, with interviews and music from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Slipknot.
An emotional end for us allpublished at 22:45 British Summer Time 5 July

As the music stops, fireworks go off above Villa Park as the founders of heavy metal bow out of their unbelievable career.
It’s been an incredible day, shared with people from all over the world who made the pilgrimage to Aston, Birmingham, to see their heroes one last time.
The team here at BBC Birmingham have thoroughly enjoyed bringing this live coverage to you today - it’s been emotional!
Thank you for sharing it with us.
The last Black Sabbath gigpublished at 22:41 British Summer Time 5 July

A couple of photos from inside Villa Park as it all ended:
'It’s the last song ever'published at 22:37 British Summer Time 5 July
Ed James
BBC Radio WM

Ozzy is screaming "louder" at the crowd and they are responding
Bill slams the drums, a confetti cannon goes off, fireworks are now going off.
"It’s the last song ever . Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle..thank you from the bottom of our hearts" - Ozzy is out.
Go crazy - it's Paranoid to endpublished at 22:33 British Summer Time 5 July
Ed James
BBC Radio WM

The energy is insane tonight.
Bill has taken his top off and is drumming topless, Ozzy is holding court from his throne in the middle of the stage whilst his band sound incredible behind him.
The crowd are lapping this up.
Ozzy tells the crowd to go crazy as it’s the last one.
And they go straight into Paranoid. What else?
Joe Lycett in tears at Ozzy's setpublished at 22:28 British Summer Time 5 July
Ed James
BBC Radio WM

Comedian Joe Lycett is here at the gig, right at the front and cried through Ozzy's set.
He told me: "Ozzy just did his set and I cried pretty much the entire way through it.
"The fact that he's come back here and that we have been gifted this thing.
"It's so beautiful, I can't tell you, I'm so proud to be Brummie tonight."
Devil horns in the airpublished at 22:24 British Summer Time 5 July
Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

War Pigs to open the set, then N.I.B. followed by devil horns in the air everywhere for Iron Man.
The crowd are singing, shouting, screaming every word.
A lifetime of waiting for thispublished at 22:21 British Summer Time 5 July
Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

For many Sabbath fans I’ve spoken to, this is the moment they’ve waited all their life for.
To see Sabbath back home in Aston where it all began and where the heavy metal music they all adore was created.
Black Sabbath on stagepublished at 22:15 British Summer Time 5 July
Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

War Pigs booms out as the band lead off their farewell.
Just a stone’s throw from where these four men grew up, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward performed on stage together for the first time in two decades:
The final gig beginspublished at 22:12 British Summer Time 5 July
Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

Fifty-seven years after they created heavy metal, Black Sabbath are back home for one final time:
It's Sabbath o'clockpublished at 22:09 British Summer Time 5 July
Leona Smart
Broadcast Journalist, BBC WM

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here - and what a moment it is.
Air raid sirens sound as Villa Park is bathed in red light.
Every single arm is in the air.
Something very, very specialpublished at 22:04 British Summer Time 5 July
Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

I’ve been lucky enough to be at many gigs in my life, but this is something very, very special.
The band that created heavy metal, back home in Aston for one final show.
This is a concert anyone lucky enough to be here will never, ever forget.
'They’re all metal heads'published at 21:55 British Summer Time 5 July
David Lumb
BBC Midlands Today, Villa Park

While we await the headline appearance of Black Sabbath, it's not hard to notice the global reach this concert has had.
Fans have travelled thousands of miles to be here and I would imagine some have spent thousands of pounds.
Birmingham has always been seen as the home of metal but this really has put it on the map.
Image caption,
Dulce and Jhon travelled from Mexico and Columbia
Dulce Morales travelled from Mexico and Jhon Jimenez travelled from Colombia for today’s gig.
They arrived in the UK two days ago.
Dulce, 48, said: “This is the show of a lifetime. There will never be another like today’s.
"This is the best day of my life, he [Ozzy] is the creator of metal.
"I love Birmingham everyone is so sweet and welcoming, and they’re all metal heads."
Image caption,
From Chile to Birmingham - this mother and daughter say they are huge metalheads
Mother and daughter Joseline Leiva and Amanda Merino from Chile arrived in the UK on Thursday, and said they were huge metal heads.
"When we got our tickets it was crazy crazy," said Amanda.
"Every day we were trying to get presale tickets.
"We got them on the last day from Aston Villa and it was amazing, we were crying."
Image caption,
Donna and Roger McCarthy from Canada booked flights and hotels before snagging tickets
Donna and Roger McCartney have travelled from Toronto, Canada.
They booked their hotels and flights before they had tickets.
"We knew we were going to be here no matter what - we would not miss it," said Amanda.
"When the tickets went on sale in April they were sold out within minutes. Every day i looked 24/7 and couldn't get them.
"Then in the middle of the night one night i managed to get them, I was like 'no way!'. We did a happy dance."
Five songs - now for Sabbath!published at 21:48 British Summer Time 5 July

Five songs from Ozzy there, finishing with Crazy Train which has become a huge anthem here at Villa Park with Aston Villa fans.
Next up….Sabbath!
'Ozzy, Ozzy'published at 21:43 British Summer Time 5 July
Leona Smart
Broadcast Journalist, BBC WM

Ozzy looks completely overwhelmed at the sound of the crowd as he finishes.
Confetti blasted into the air, the music stops and all you can hear is “Ozzy, Ozzy”.
A big picture of Diogo Jota comes on the big screen as ozzy leaves the stage, after the footballer's death in a car crash on Thursday.
Listening outside anywaypublished at 21:38 British Summer Time 5 July
David Lumb
BBC Midlands Today

Louise Weir, from Walsall, couldn't get a ticket so she’s listening on the grass outside Villa Park.
"You cannot be in Birmingham and not be at Villa for Ozzy’s last gig," she told me.
Biggest smile on his facepublished at 21:35 British Summer Time 5 July
Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

There’s just pure love and adulation from the crowd and you can just see Ozzy is having the time of his life.
He’s got the biggest smile on his face.
Ozzy rolls back the yearspublished at 21:31 British Summer Time 5 July
Ian Youngs
Culture reporter

Ozzy may be seated on his black throne (complete with skulls and a bat with jewels for eyes) but he is in his element - clapping, waving his arms, and pulling wild-eyed looks. Just like old times.
He rose from below the stage in his throne to a huge roar from the crowd.
He says: "Are you ready? Let the madness begin!"
"It's so good to be on this stage. You have no idea." It shows.
He's playing solo material before being joined by his Sabbath bandmates shortly. His voice is wavering a bit but better than I feared it might be - it still packs a fair punch.
"You have no idea how I feel," he says after Suicide Solution. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
'He's having the time of his life'published at 21:26 British Summer Time 5 July

Presenter Ed James told listeners on BBC Radio WM that Ozzy is on a black leather throne.
"He looks incredible. He's got the long black hair, thick black eye make-up. He's staring at the crowd like a man incensed," he said.
"Pretty much every single pair of hands is in the air..
"We've had so many amazing bands on stage. He's alone. There's a guitar player to the left of him and he's in the middle of the stage by himself.
"He's wearing what looks like a velvet suit with a golden armband saying Ozzy on it.
"He's looking like he's having the time of his life."
Life's a beach(ball) as thousands go wildpublished at 21:21 British Summer Time 5 July

It can't be a concert without a huge beach-ball being tossed around and given this is Villa Park and Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler is a massive Villa fan, in their claret and blue colours:
Image source, Getty Images
Villa Park has been packed for the occasion:
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images