Geezer Butler Reveals How Black Sabbath’s Farewell Show Really Ended—”Sorry If It Seemed That Way”
via Metal Addicts / YouTube
A Massive Audience for a Historic Night
More than 40,000 fans filled Villa Park in Birmingham, England, to see Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell concert, “Back to the Beginning.” Held on July 5, the event marked the final performance for Black Sabbath. Over 5 million people around the world watched the show via livestream, according to The Guardian.
But the ending left many viewers confused. After Black Sabbath played their final song, the livestream suddenly cut off. Those watching at home didn’t get to see what happened next. Some thought the band walked off and left Ozzy sitting alone onstage in his bat-winged throne as confetti rained down.
Geezer Butler Clears Up the Ending
Soon after, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler addressed the confusion. In a social media post, he shared a fan photo that showed him standing beside Ozzy, holding a cake. Butler explained that the ending wasn’t as abrupt as it seemed online.
“I keep hearing that people watching the stream thought that our set ended abruptly… with us just walking off,” Butler wrote. “Sorry if it seemed that way. I went off to get this cake for Ozzy. Cheers to the fan that captured the proper ending.”
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According to Metal Hammer, the livestream cut out right as Butler and guitarist Tony Iommi walked over to Ozzy’s throne. They spoke with him, shook hands, and celebrated with the cake, which featured Ozzy’s face. Fans at the venue saw it all, but those watching at home missed the final farewell.
Fans React and Reflect
Many fans appreciated Butler’s explanation. One wrote, “We know you guys would never leave Ozzy alone there.” Another added, “How could they just cut off the transmission without the proper ending and the farewell???… I hope on a further release of the film we’ll be able to watch how it really ended.”
Black Sabbath’s last set included four of their most iconic tracks: “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid.” Before playing the final song, Ozzy addressed the crowd with emotion. “Unfortunately, we’ve come to our final song… ever,” he said. “Your support over the years has made it all possible for us to live the lifestyle that we do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you; we love you.”
