BREAKING: Black Sabbath Drummer Bill Ward W…read more.
For many in the audience, it felt like witnessing a ghost walk through fire and come out smiling. Bill Ward the original drummer and founding heartbeat of Black Sabbath returned to the stage for the first time in over a decade, offering a deeply emotional, powerful, and raw performance that reminded everyone why he’s one of rock’s most influential and beloved drummers.
Ward, now 77, has largely stayed away from live performance following health struggles and his widely publicized absence from Sabbath’s 2013 reunion and farewell tours. But on this night, he wasn’t just returning to the drums he was reclaiming something deeply personal.
And he didn’t come back with a Sabbath greatest-hits show. Instead, Ward delivered a unique and intimate concert filled with covers of songs that influenced Sabbath but were never played by them a kind of love letter to the music that shaped his soul.
“This isn’t about going back,” Ward said softly during a break between songs, wiping sweat from his brow. “It’s about honoring the sounds that made me want to pick up the sticks in the first place.”
The show opened with a thunderous, pulse-raising version of Rainbow’s “Stargazer,” with Ward commanding the kit like he’d never left. His signature blend of jazz-inflected rhythms and primal power was on full display. The crowd made up of lifelong Sabbath fans, musicians, and friends responded with awe and gratitude.
Joined by a sharp, soulful group of musicians dubbed Ward One Revival (a nod to his 1990 solo album Ward One: Along the Way), the set included Deep Purple’s “Burn,” UFO’s “Lights Out,” and a soul-stirring rendition of “Child in Time.” That last one especially hit hard Ward played it with a grace and emotion that silenced the entire venue.
“I always wanted to play this one with the band,” he said quietly. “But it never fit. Tonight, it finally does.”
And then came the moment fans never expected: fellow Sabbath co-founder Geezer Butler walked onstage, bass in hand, to join Ward for a surprise encore. Together, they launched into a bluesy, reworked version of “War Pigs,” the crowd chanting every word like a hymn. It was a moment of reunion not just of musicians, but of old friends and shared history.
Ward ended the night with a quiet thank you. “For years, I didn’t think I’d ever sit at a drum kit in front of people again,” he said. “But tonight… you made me feel alive.”
It wasn’t about flawless timing or arena pyrotechnics. It was about truth, redemption, rhythm, and legacy. Bill Ward didn’t just return he reminded the world what it means to feel the beat.
Setlist Highlights:
- Stargazer (Rainbow)
- Burn (Deep Purple)
- Lights Out (UFO)
- Child in Time (Deep Purple)
- War Pigs (bluesy encore with Geezer Butler)
A legendary drummer, a healing rhythm, and a night for the ages.
