Fans snap up tickets for Black Sabbath reunion and Ozzy Osbourne's farewell gig / Photo: KEVORK DJANSEZIAN - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Fans snap up tickets for Black Sabbath reunion and Ozzy Osbourne's farewell gig
Fans of Black Sabbath on Tuesday snapped up the first tickets for the UK heavy-rock giants' one-off hometown gig, where the original line-up will perform for the first time in 20 years and frontman Ozzy Osbourne's will bow out.
Osbourne, who revealed in 2020 that he has Parkinson's disease, will join Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the all-day "Back To The Beginning" show in Birmingham, central England, where the band formed in 1968.
The July 5 gig at Aston Villa Football Club's Villa Park stadium will also feature sets by US rockers Metallica and Slayer, as well as a short solo set by Osbourne.
It is being billed as the "final bow" for the 76-year-old singer turned reality TV star.
Osbourne posted a link to Tuesday's presale event page on Facebook late Monday.
The limited number of tickets sold out within half an hour with some fans complaining that the website had frozen, but Ticketmaster said "there were no issues".
More presales events will take place for special groups, such as season ticket holders at Aston Villa, before the bulk of the 40,000 tickets go on sale on Friday.
"It's time for me to give back to the place where I was born," Osbourne said.
"How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever."
Black Sabbath have sold over 75 million albums worldwide and are widely recognised as one of the pioneers of heavy metal music.
All profits from the show will go to charities including Cure Parkinson's and Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Osbourne's diagnosis led to him pausing touring. But his wife, Sharon, told the BBC last week the Villa Park gig would be his last. "This is his full stop," she was quoted as saying.
S.Gregor--AMWN
