Five months after Black Sabbath’s historic final performance at the “Back to the Beginning” concert in Birmingham, Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale continues to share her profound memories of the event. The July 5, 2025, show at Villa Park marked the last time the original Sabbath lineup played together and raised millions for charity — just weeks before Ozzy Osbourne’s tragic passing.
Halestorm delivered a powerful rendition of Ozzy’s solo classic “Perry Mason,” while Hale later joined a star-studded supergroup — including Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt and former Ozzy guitarist Jake E. Lee — to perform “The Ultimate Sin.”f96385,e9ca41
In a recent interview, Hale described the atmosphere in Birmingham as one of pure joy and unity: “The whole city was celebrating. Backstage, everyone was just relaxing and connecting — even Axl Rose was there, chatting casually.”
She recalled a lighthearted moment with the Guns N’ Roses frontman, who joked about the swarm of photographers: “He turned to me and said, ‘Girl, you come with a lot of cameras!’ I replied, ‘I don’t think they’re here for me!'”
Hale praised Sharon Osbourne’s apt description of the day as “rock ‘n’ roll summer camp.” She shared stories of chatting with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler about his 1970s adventures in Pennsylvania, adding to the nostalgic vibe.
Yet beneath the camaraderie ran deep emotion. “Everyone was nervous, even Metallica,” Hale said. “We all wanted to honor these icons properly, knowing it was the final time.”
Her performance of “The Ultimate Sin” stood out as a highlight: “Sharing the stage with legends like Nuno Bettencourt and Jake E. Lee felt surreal — truly an out-of-body experience.”5210eb,3e9f11
Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt recently echoed the intensity, revealing he rehearsed for weeks under immense pressure: “Failing on that stage in front of Ozzy and your peers could end your career.”
The “Back to the Beginning” concert reunited Sabbath’s original members for the first time in 20 years and featured tributes from metal giants like Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, and more. It remains a touching milestone in heavy metal history, especially in light of Osbourne’s death shortly after.
