Today, **Saturday, July 5, 2025**, marks a monumental day in heavy metal history as members of Black Sabbath’s classic lineup are set to take the stage together for what is widely anticipated to be their final concert. The event, titled “Back To The Beginning,” is happening at **Villa Park in Birmingham, England**, the very home city where the legendary band was forged.
This historic performance will feature the original lineup of **Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums)**, marking their first full performance together in nearly two decades. The all-day festival is an emotional farewell from the pioneers of heavy metal in their hometown, with a massive lineup of supporting acts including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Halestorm, Lamb of God, and Anthrax. Even former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing is listed among the many guest musicians expected to pay tribute.
Unfortunately, as you noted, their buddies in Judas Priest, who share a deep history and hometown roots with Black Sabbath, will indeed **not be able to make it** to this iconic farewell. This is due to a direct scheduling conflict.
On this very same day, **July 5, 2025**, Judas Priest is performing as a special guest at the **Scorpions’ 60th-anniversary concert in Hannover, Germany**, at the Heinz von Heiden Arena. This prior commitment means that while their hearts are undoubtedly in Birmingham, their stage presence must be in Germany.
However, Judas Priest made sure to pay their respects in another powerful way. Just days ago, on **July 2, 2025**, they released a studio cover of Black Sabbath’s iconic “War Pigs,” accompanied by a heartfelt statement expressing their immense honor and love for Ozzy and Black Sabbath. This tribute, a song they use as their walk-on music at their own shows, ensures their sound reverberates in solidarity with their fellow metal gods, even if they can’t be physically present for the historic farewell.
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