Back To The Beginning, Villa Park, Birmingham review • DIY Magazine

The excitement, anticipation and shared feeling of privilege to simply be here amongst the 30,000 or so fans around Villa Park at 11am has manifested into something physical, something you could almost reach out and touch, something like… a giant, inflatable Ozzy outside the stadium’s main Holte End concourse.

Aston Villa is where it all began for Black Sabbath, so for their swan song to be played out here 55 years later is not only sentimental; it feels vital, and adds a sense of gravity to an already emotionally - and musically - heavy day. Everyone here knows that today’s lineup - which is a who’s-who of rock and heavy metal history - is going to be something to behold, but no one could quite comprehend how today would play out.

How on earth would Axl Rose - or anyone for that matter - get onstage with just a seven minute changeover time? Who would be in the two(!) supergroups billed? And what about the ‘drum off’? There were myriad names publicised as making an appearance in addition to the ‘official bill’, so speculation is rife before proceedings even begin; what comes to pass in the hours that follow beggars belief. Expectations are not only surpassed but catapulted into orbit, and the first hint of the surprises that are in store arrive before the opening band, Mastodon, even take to the stage: the pre-show and between-band soundtrack comes DJ’d by Slipknot’s Sid Wilson (who’s not on the poster). This isn’t just another show: this is an 11 hour celebration, and everyone has shown up.

Mastodon’s thunderous three song, 15 minute set sees two of their biggest, fan favourite songs - ‘Blood Tongue’ and ‘Blood And Thunder’ - get followed up with a huge cover of Sabbath’s ‘Supernaut’ and a few heartfelt words of gratitude (the first of many to come today) to Black Sabbath and Ozzy. As they leave the stage, the military grade logistics and production machine - which is a spectacle in its own right, and of mind-blowing scale - kicks in and sets the pace for the rest of the day. The backdrop raises, a custom-built stage rotates 180º, the backdrop lowers, a few final checks are made, and an entirely new backline is ready for the next band in under seven minutes. And we’re off again.

The day unveils itself to be a rapid fire, all-killer, no-filler series of sets from many of the biggest heavy metal bands still going; and if that’s all that happened, we’d still probably all leave very happy. This isn’t a gig, though, it’s a celebration, so after ferocious performances from Lamb of God, Halestorm - notably the only band on the bill with a female member - and Rival Sons, things ramp up a few gears with the first of two supergroups taking to the stage.

Halestorm’s Lizzy Hale leads a group comprising Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Jake E Lee and Adam Wakeman (Ozzy Osbourne) in a cover of Ozzy’s ‘The Ultimate Sin’. She then introduces and hands the mic over to the day’s first obviously questionable booking, David Draimen, who’s booed by the crowd after his recent support of the IDF. Two covers later, Anthrax’s Frank Bello is now on bass, Sleep Token’s ii is on drums, and the mic is handed over to Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe) for ‘Believer’, before YUNGBLUD - a surprising and divisive booking, given the heritage and prestige of everyone else on the bill - delivers a particularly impressive rendition of ‘Changes’.

Throughout the day, changeovers are often punctuated with big screen video messages to Ozzy and Sabbath from the likes of Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Elton John, Marilyn Manson - a second questionable decision - and even Dolly Parton (to huge applause), which drive home the breath of influence Black Sabbath have had and the magnitude of today’s event. Later, Alice In Chains’ set - including ‘Would?’ - is phenomenal; Gojira power through ‘Mea culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)’ with opera singer Marina Vlotti; and Tom Morello’s son Roman introduces a pre-recorded video of him and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian’s son Revel performing Ozzy’s ‘Mr Crowley’, with Jack Black on vocals.

A three-way 'drum off' segment pulls off the biggest surprise so far as blink-182’s Travis Barker and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith - neither of whom were advertised in advance - take their positions on stage next to Tool’s Danny Carey, each trying to out-do one another: the dizzying pace and array of surprises continues. Seeing Judas Priest’s guitarist KK Downing and Tom Morello performing ‘Breaking The Law’ with Billy Corgan on vocals provides a truly special moment, before Ronnie Wood and Stephen Tyler appear, and 30,000 jaws are on the floor in disbelief as they and Tom Morello perform ‘The Train Kept A-Rollin’’ with Travis Barker, then ‘Walk This Way’ and Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’ with Chad Smith and a host of others.

Somehow, it’s only 5pm. It’s difficult to believe what’s been witnessed already. There’s just enough time to get to the bar and back before Pantera are introduced by the day’s compère Jason Momoa, who is so excited he clambers down off the front of the stage, over the barrier, and into the pit for the duration of their set which, incidentally, is a feat of perfection. The job of following a force of nature like Pantera falls to Tool - the only band of the day not to thank Sabbath or engage in any audience interaction. Slayer’s ferocious six-song performance sandwiches ‘South Of Heaven’ in the middle of their cover of Sabbath’s ‘Wicked World’, and with the closing feedback wails of ‘Angel Of Death’ still ringing in our ears, Guns N’ Roses take to the stage, unbelievably on time. The fact that Axl’s often desperately out of time during ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ & ‘Paradise City’ only adds colour to the memory of a set that has everyone on their feet singing along - except, unlike him, the crowd is in time.

Metallica - with the longest set of the day, at 30 minutes - are in the form of their lives. Even amongst a day of legendary bands playing their greatest hits, the biggest metal band of all time stand out from the crowd by putting in a performance worthy of the moniker. A dream setlist of ‘Creeping Death’, ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’, ‘Battery’ and ‘Master Of Puppets’ is interspersed with the final two Sabbath covers of the day.

If the level of respect and adoration for Black Sabbath and Ozzy wasn’t clear enough from everything so far, it’s absolutely rammed home when the man himself appears centre stage, on a grand black throne, to endless rapturous applause. Throughout the five song set of hits from his solo career, Ozzy Osbourne is clearly ecstatic to be performing; at times overwhelmed by the occasion and with adrenaline pumping in the crescendos of ‘Crazy Train’ and ‘Mr. Crowley’, he often considers overcoming his own physical limitations to stand, before resorting to rallying his audience, who need no further encouragement. It’s a wonderful rollercoaster of emotions - one that leaves very few dry eyes in the house, and which paves that way for the grand finale.

In the hours leading up to this point, we’ve heard most of the very best songs from Black Sabbath’s half-century-plus career performed by the very best artists in heavy metal history - but there are four of their greatest hits that have been reserved for the band themselves. With the wailing air raid sirens of ‘War Pigs’ as way of introduction, the four original members take to the stage - for the first time in 20 years - and launch into the 1970 classic.

In truth, there are five members of Black Sabbath tonight; the crowd acting as one, willing the wheels of the sometimes runaway (crazy) train to stay on track, when drum fills are mis-timed. Tonight, it works. Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler are still astonishing musicians, treating us to perfect renditions of ‘Iron Man’ and ‘N.I.B.’ before ‘Paranoid’ draws the curtains - for the final time - on a remarkable career.

An opulent, mind-blowing and life-affirming celebration, Villa Park’s Back To The Beginning is utterly befitting of a band who didn’t simply change the face of rock and heavy metal music; they created it.