Guns N’ Roses, Tool and Rival Sons have joined the mammoth bill for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s farewell show.

Tickets for heavy metal celebration Back to the Beginning, which will be hosted and compered by American actor Jason Momoa, sold out in less than 10 minutes of going on general sale on Friday (14 February).

More than 150,000 fans reportedly joined the online queue at 10am, with the cheapest tickets available at £197.50 (€237.40), while general admission standing started at £262.50 (€315.50).

The all-day charity event will take place at Villa Park, Birmingham, on Saturday 5 July. Black Sabbath’s original lineup – Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will top the star-laden bill, marking Osbourne’s final performance and the first time the quartet have played together in 20 years. Osbourne will play his own short set before joining with Black Sabbath for his final live bow.

The concert will also feature sets from Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Anthrax and Mastodon.

Post Malone has announced the European leg of his biggest international headline tour to date

In addition, it will include a supergroup of musicians, as Andrew Watt, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Dave Ellefson, Vernon Reid (Living Colour) and Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe) will join Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), KK Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token ii (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) and Wolfgang Van Halen.

Morello, who is also serving as music director for the concert, previously declared: “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.”

In other new tour news, Post Malone has announced the European leg of his biggest international headline tour to date. Post Malone Presents: The BIG ASS World Tour will arrive at 11 venues across the continent this August and September.

Beginning 12 August in Prague, Czech Republic at Airport Letnany, the Live Nation-produced trek – which includes support from special guest Jelly Roll on select dates – will stop at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, UK and GelreDome in Arnhem, the Netherlands, among others, before concluding at Estadio do Restelo in Lisbon, Portugal, on 14 September.

Malone’s full list of European tour and festival dates is as follows:

8 August: Untold Festival, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

10 August: Sziget, Budapest, Hungary

12 August: Airport Letnany, Prague, Czech Republic

13 August: Frequency Festival, St. Pӧlten, Austria

15 August: Bittersweet Festival, Poznań, Poland

16 August: Lovestream Festival, Bratislava, Slovakia

18 August: Parkbühne Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany

21 August: Darius and Girenas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania

23 August: Horsens & Friends at Nordstern Arena, Horsens, Denmark

27 August: IDays Milano, Milan, Italy

29 August: Zürich Openair, Zürich, Switzerland |

30 August: Superbloom, Munich, Germany

3 September: Paris La Défense Arena, Paris, France

5 September: Heinz von Heiden Arena, Hanover, Germany

7 September: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London UK

9 September: GelreDome, Arnhem, Netherlands

12 September: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain

14 September: Estadio do Restelo, Lisbon, Portugal

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Ozzy Osbourne is reuniting with Black Sabbath to headline an all-star UK stadium concert Back to the Beginning, celebrating the creators of heavy metal.

Billed as “the greatest heavy metal show ever”, the charity event will take place at Villa Park in the band’s native Birmingham on Saturday 5 July. It will also feature sets from Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Anthrax and Mastodon.

Black Sabbath’s original lineup – Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will top the bill, marking Osbourne’s final performance and the first time the quartet have played together in 20 years.

Formed in Birmingham in 1968, the metal legends have sold more than 75 million albums worldwide. The group called it a day following their 2016/17 The End Tour, which featured Osbourne, Iommi and Butler and grossed $US85 million at the box office from 81 concerts across North America, Europe, Oceania and Latin America.

“It’s my time to go Back to the Beginning….time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” says Osbourne, who announced his retirement from touring in 2023. “How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”

“This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever”

The all-day Back to the Beginning will also feature a supergroup of musicians, with acts so far including Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan & Slash (Guns ‘n Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), KK Downing and Lzzy Hale (Halestorm).

Also confirmed are Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token ii (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Wolfgang Van Halen and Zakk Wylde, with more names to be announced shortly.

“This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever,” says music director Tom Morello.

Tickets go on sale on Friday 14 February. All profits will go to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Ozzy Osbourne has cancelled his long-delayed farewell tour and retired from touring, saying he is “not physically capable” of going out on the road.

The 74-year-old Black Sabbath vocalist’s No More Tours II run launched in North America back in the spring of 2018, with a European leg scheduled for 2019 pushed back due to medical reasons.

The arena shows were finally set for May/June 2023 after further postponements, but have now been pulled entirely.

In a letter posted on his social media channels, Osbourne says his retirement announcement is “probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans”.

“I have now come to the realisation that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required”

“As you may all know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine,” says the metal legend. “My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.

“I am honestly humbled by the way you’ve all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realisation that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required.

“Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way. My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.”

Osbourne brought the curtain down on his touring days with Black Sabbath six years ago in his native Birmingham, UK. The 2016/17 The End Tour featured founding members Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler and grossed $US85 million at the box office from 81 concerts across North America, Europe, Oceania and Latin America.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Universal Music Group-owned merchandising company Bravado has launched a range of face masks to raise money for charity partners including MusiCares and Help Musicians UK.

As reported by IQ earlier this week, face masks are becoming must-have merchandise for music fans, with bands including My Chemical Romance and Korn added branded face coverings to their merch offerings.

Now, UMG’s merchandising arm, Bravado, has unveiled its own range of reusable, washable cloth face masks. Available on the new We’ve Got You Covered e-commerce site, Bravado’s masks feature designs for artists including the Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Blackpink, Billie Eilish and the Weeknd.

Starting today (24 April), fans can purchase Bravado’s face masks for US$15. All net proceeds – no less than $8 per product sold – go towards charities supporting the music industry through the coronavirus crisis.

“This initiative will continue to grow and evolve thanks to the hard work from everyone here at Bravado and UMG along with our artists across the globe”

“I’m humbled and grateful to work with artists and partners who are passionate and driven to deliver a program that supports those that need it most during this unprecedented time,” comments Bravado CEO, Mat Vlasic.

“This initiative will continue to grow and evolve thanks to the hard work from everyone here at Bravado and UMG along with our artists across the globe.”

All UMG employees have been offered free face masks through the We’ve Got You Covered programme.

The company will also contribute 50,000 masks to those serving communities across the US including workers in food banks, school lunch programmes, homeless shelters and other community service providers.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath capped off their 49-year career with a final, hometown show at Genting Arena in Birmingham, UK, on Saturday night.

Their farewell tour, aptly titled The End, saw the band – comprising founder members vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, with only original drummer Bill Ward opting not to take part – play 81 shows in Europe, Australasia and North and South America, beginning last January. The health of Iommi, who has lymphoma, was cited as the reason for quitting touring, although Osbourne will continue to play as a solo artist.

At the final show, Osbourne bowed out with a simple “Good night, thank you so much” following the last song, ‘Paranoid’.

“For Black Sabbath to perform their final show back in the city where it all began is a very apt end”

The Genting, which welcomed 14,500 fans (among them deputy Labour party leader Tom Watson) to the concert on Saturday night, says it was a “great honour” to be the venue for the Sabs’ final show.

Guy Dunstan, general manager of the NEC Group’s Arenas, said before the show: “This is a monumental evening that will go down in history, and I am very thankful that the Genting Arena has had the opportunity to be a part of it. For Black Sabbath to perform their final show back in the city where it all began is a very apt end to what has been an outstanding career for the band.”

Sabbath are represented in the UK by Rod MacSween of ITB.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Glenn Hughes – he of ex-Deep Purple/Black Sabbath fame – has cancelled his entire upcoming tour of the UK and Europe after management for co-headliners Living Colour “knowingly booked them” into a conflicting support slot on a rival tour, his reps have have said.

According to the Hughes camp, “new management for Living Colour knowingly booked them onto the Alter Bridge tour although they were already confirmed for the Glenn Hughes co-headline tour, which had been on sale since April. Alter Bridge and Glenn Hughes have been long-time friends, and neither Alter Bridge, their management and agents or even Living Colour’s agent, TKO, were aware that this was taking place.”

According to their website, Living Colour are managed by Texas-based Bevis Griffin of Deux Voix Ltd, who has yet to respond to a request for comment from IQ.

“I thought we would be able to make something special happen … Unfortunately, an undermining manager ruined what would have been an amazing tour”

“I am saddened and disappointed that I will not be able to perform for my UK and European fans as I had originally intended,” explains Hughes, whose tour – in support of new album Resonate – was due to kick off at the Assembly (1,000-cap.) in Leamington Spa, UK, on 8 November. “When I partnered with Living Colour to do this tour, I thought we would be able to make something special happen at these shows.

“Unfortunately, an undermining manager got involved and in turn ruined what would have been an amazing tour. I can’t wait to get back to the UK and Europe to bring the new songs of Resonate to my fans overseas.”

All ticketholders will be offered refunds at the point of purchase.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Signing opportunity of the week?

Meet guitarist Fingers, bassist Bones and drummers Stickboy and Junior. Together they are Compressorhead: four robots who can play a pretty competent, if slightly out of time, cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’ and (if the Terminator franchise is anything to go by) could well be the death of us all.

Built from scrap metal by Berlin-based artists Frank Barnes, Markus Kolb and Stock Plum, Compressorhead move using electro-pneumatic motors and are controlled using MIDI sequencers.

Barnes, Kolb and Plum launched a Kickstarter campaign late last year to try and recruit the band a robotic lead singer, but fell short of their €290,000 funding goal.

Watch them in action in Moscow in the video above.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

The late Ronnie James Dio made a surprise appearance at Wacken Open Air on Saturday, following in the footsteps of deceased contemporaries 2Pac, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley to perform in hologram form with his former bandmates.

The likeness of Dio, who died from stomach cancer in 2010, was created by Eyellusion, a Los Angeles-based developer of holograms for the live music market which officially launched last weekend after “operating in stealth mode” for the past two years.

The Dio-gram joined Dio Disciples, comprising ex-members of his band, to close the German metal festival, which was attended by over 75,000 people and also featured performances from Iron Maiden, Bullet for My Valentine and Testament.

“When I first experienced Ronnie performing with his band as a hologram, I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears”

“When I first experienced the full production of Ronnie performing with his band as a hologram, I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears,” says Dio’s widow, Wendy, who manages Dio Disciples and also works in an industry relations role with Eyellusion. “With Eyellusion, we have been able to get Ronnie back up on stage where he belongs, ensuring that his music and memory live on. I want Ronnie’s fans around the world to share this experience.”

See a pic of ‘Dio’ in action below: