By now it's a recognised fact that Black Sabbath’s final gig – the Back To The Beginning metal mega-gig from Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5 featuring a host of huge names – was an unprecedented success.
What perhaps isn’t as well known (until now) is that the event also raised an incredible £140 million for local charities. That announcement comes courtesy of the event's musical director, Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine guitarist, Tom Morello.
“We set out to not just create the greatest day in the history of heavy metal… THANKYOU @ozzyosbourne for trusting me to be the Musical Director of the “Back To The Beginning” show,” he wrote on Instagram.
“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.”
All profits from the gig are to be equally split between Birmingham Children's Hospital, Cure Parkinson's, and Midlands-based Acorns Children's Hospice.
Birmingham Children's Hospital told the BBC that it was a "lovely delight" to be one of the beneficiaries of the gig.
The funds will be used to improve emergency departments, entertainment activities for children, a new cinema and equipment.
Crazy Train
The gig itself was an all-out winner, with Osbourne himself on fine (if frail) form appearing seated in a black bat-themed throne, leading Black Sabbath through four songs for their final gig (War Pigs, Iron Man, N.I.B. and Paranoid) and and five further hits alongside his own solo band (I Don't Know, Mr. Crowley, Suicide Solution, Crazy Train,” and Mama, I'm Coming Home).
However, in addition to those final momentous Osbourne and Sabbath live appearances were sets from Pantera, Slayer and Tool, Guns ‘N Roses, and Metallica (with everybody adding Black Sabbath covers to their sets) and various mash-up slick supergroups featuring members of Rage Against The Machine, Smashing Pumpkins, Van Halen, Judas Priest, Living Colour, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Aerosmith and even a guest appearance by Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones,
“I’ve been laid up for like f_____g six years, and you’ve no idea how I feel,” Osbourne told the crowd during his performance. Doubtless raising such a considerable sum for such esteemed local charities will only make him feel even better.
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