Black Sabbath reunited this past weekend for Ozzy Osbourne’s final show, “Back To The Beginning,” and fans helped raise nearly $200 million for Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
The gig took place on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, U.K., featuring performances from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Tool, and more. Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine coordinated the performances of the supergroups in attendance and was dubbed the musical director of the entire show. Morello shared news of the fundraising total this week, writing that more than $190 million will be donated to houses and hospitals for children.
“Thank you @ozzyosbourne for trusting me to be the Musical Director of the “Back To The Beginning” show,” Morello wrote in an Instagram post. “It was over a year of hard work but heavy metal was the music that made me love music and it was a labor of love. We raised a ton of money for a great cause and so many great musicians & bands & fans all over the world paid tribute to the ALL TIME greats.”
More than 5 million people reportedly tuned-in to the paid livestream. None of the performers were paid, so all of the proceeds from each $30 virtual ticket went to charity.
During the show, Osbourne sang four Black Sabbath songs and five of his own solo songs, including a ballad of “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” The intense, heart-wrenching performance showcased the Prince of Darkness’s isolated vocals, proving that he will go down as one of the most memorable vocalists in history.
