Ozzy addressed the crowd between songs, saying,
As the lights dimmed between songs at his emotional farewell show in Birmingham on July 5, 2025, the Prince of Darkness stood center stage, soaking in the electric atmosphere. The roar of thousands echoed through the venue — a mix of raw energy, nostalgia, and love. Then, with a solemn smile, Ozzy Osbourne raised the mic and spoke from the heart.
“This city gave birth to heavy metal,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion. “Right here in Birmingham. This is where it all began.”
The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, many holding back tears. For Ozzy, it wasn’t just a concert — it was a homecoming, a full-circle moment in the very place where the genre that changed the world was forged in the fires of factory smoke and working-class grit.
“Me, Tony, Geezer, and Bill — we were just kids with no clue what the hell we were doing,” Ozzy continued. “But we had riffs, we had attitude… and we had this city behind us.”
He looked out over the audience, many of whom had traveled from across the globe to witness what could be Ozzy’s last live appearance. “Without Birmingham, there would be no Sabbath. No metal. No madness. I owe everything to this place. And to all of you.”
Fans chanted his name — “Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!” — as he wiped away a tear. It was a moment of reverence, of tribute to a city that not only shaped a band, but birthed a movement.
Ozzy’s words were more than just sentiment. They were a declaration of legacy — a reminder that the sounds of steel mills and thunderous guitar riffs once collided in perfect harmony here. He honored not just Black Sabbath’s origins, but the people, pain, and pride of Birmingham.
As the band kicked into the next song — a thunderous rendition of “Iron Man” — Ozzy gave one last nod to the crowd: “Let’s make some f***ing noise for heavy metal — and for Birmingham!”
And they did. The entire venue shook with sound, passion, and one shared truth: heavy metal was born here — and its godfather just reminded the world.