BREAKING: Black Sabbath GUITARIST Tony Iommi C…read more.
The lights dimmed in Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. Then came the sound thick, dark, unmistakable. Tony Iommi struck the first notes of “War Pigs,” and the crowd didn’t just cheer they sang. Every bend, every riff of the solo echoed from the mouths of thousands. It was loud. It was beautiful. It gave people goosebumps.
Back to the Beginning was meant to be Ozzy Osbourne’s night his long-awaited return to the stage in the city where it all started. And yes, Ozzy was front and center, raw and fearless, even fragile at times. But what unfolded was bigger than one man. It became a celebration of the whole Sabbath legacy especially the man behind the guitar that started it all.
Tony Iommi didn’t speak much. He didn’t need to. His guitar did all the talking. From the heavy stomp of “Iron Man” to the eerie crawl of “Children of the Grave,” Iommi reminded everyone why he’s one of the most influential guitarists of all time. His riffs didn’t just fill the room they filled hearts.
“It gave me chills,” one fan said, wiping tears from their eyes. “When everyone sang the solo I can’t describe it. You had to be there.”
Ozzy, ever the showman, brought his signature mix of humor and heart. His voice, though weathered by time, carried all the weight of the music’s history. Every verse felt like a thank-you to the fans, to his bandmates, to the city that raised him. He was joined onstage by longtime collaborator Geezer Butler in a moment that felt both epic and intimate.
The show wasn’t flashy. It didn’t need to be. It was about coming home to the music, to each other, to the roots of something that changed music forever.
As the final chord rang out and the crowd erupted, it was clear that this was more than a concert. It was a farewell, a tribute, and a celebration all wrapped into one. And though it was billed as Ozzy’s night, the soul of the evening belonged just as much to Tony Iommi quietly standing in the shadows, still shaping the sound of generations.
