69 h. ago ’I’m crying just remembering it!’: readers on Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s goodbye gig

On Saturday night the Brummie rockers bade farewell to a stunning career, and Guardian readers were united in awe and respect• Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne: Back to the Beginning review – all-star farewell to the gods of metal is epic and emotionalI tried to get tickets when they first went on sale, but there were only £500+ options left, which felt too steep. However, the day before the show, I watched an interview with Tony Iommi and just couldn’t bear the thought of not being there for their final goodbye. I’ve seen them a handful of times before, including their one-off show at the O2 Academy, but as a Brummie and a metal fan, it felt like a pilgrimage I just had to take. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Ozzy Osbourne meets his own personal legend as he sends touching message

Black Sabbath icon Ozzy Osbourne performed his final show over the weekend as the world's biggest rock and metal stars got together for the Back to the Beginning super show

Politics

5 d. ago Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne: Back to the Beginning review – epic all

Villa Park, Birmingham The biggest names in rock, from Metallica to Slayer, came to pay tribute to the men who created their entire genre – and even in old age, Sabbath’s sound has bludgeoning forceFireworks burst over Villa Park’s pitch, Black Sabbath wave goodbye, and the inventors of metal leave the stage for the final time. It has not been an epic show – just War Pigs, NIB, Iron Man and Paranoid – but is the farewell this extraordinary band deserve, with an undercard of stadium-fillers and festival headliners come to pay tribute.The returning Bill Ward adds the swing other Sabbath drummers have never managed, Tony Iommi churns out those monstrous riffs, Geezer Butler flits around them on bass, and Ozzy Osbourne is Ozzy Osbourne, a baffled and discomfited force of nature. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne: Back to the Beginning review – all

Villa Park, Birmingham The biggest names in rock, from Metallica to Slayer, came to pay tribute to the men who created their entire genre – and even in old age, Sabbath’s sound has bludgeoning forceThe big farewell in pictures: Metallica, Jason Momoa and Ozzy’s middle fingerFireworks burst over Villa Park’s pitch, Black Sabbath wave goodbye, and the inventors of metal leave the stage for the final time. It has not been an epic show – just War Pigs, NIB, Iron Man and Paranoid – but is the farewell this extraordinary band deserve, with an undercard of stadium-fillers and festival headliners come to pay tribute.The returning Bill Ward adds the swing other Sabbath drummers have never managed, Tony Iommi churns out those monstrous riffs, Geezer Butler flits around them on bass, and Ozzy Osbourne is Ozzy Osbourne, a baffled and discomfited force of nature. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s final gig – follow it live!

The Birmingham band are back together for one last concert at Villa Park, entitled Back to the Beginning – joined by the cream of heavy metal. Follow every song hereYou’ll be thinking: show me photos of all these starry metal shenanigans! I’m really sorry but Live Nation have told me there won’t be any photos available until the end of the gig, and the livestream doesn’t allow screengrabs. Use the power of your mind, I guess.There are a notable number of empty seats there, but remember this was all going on two hours ago which is quite an early start for a massive stadium show. “Stadium really pretty full from the beginning – testament to the depth of the line up,” Michael says. “Maiden a fortnight ago had a higher proportion of battle jackets though.” Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Marilyn Manson Brighton concert cancelled after pressure from campaigners

Venue drops gig under pressure from campaigners and local MP, who said show was against ‘city’s values’Heavy metal star Marilyn Manson, has had the first UK concert of his One Assassination Under God Tour cancelled after pressure from campaign groups and an MP.The first leg of the tour was due to kick off at the Brighton Centre on Wednesday, 29 October. Ticketmaster have since informed customers that the event will no longer go ahead as planned and they will be refunded. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Calls for crackdown on 'industrial scale' online 'megabrothels' and sex trafficking

MP Tonia Antoniazzi has called for a crackdown on 'online megabrothels' as she urged legislators to 'confront the adult sexual exploitation being perpetrated on an industrial scale'

Politics

3 w. ago ‘People recycle the same old racism’: Sheffield metal stars Malevolence on their big break – and how to confront online hate

They’ve broken crowdsurfing records – 901 in a single gig – but their music confronts deep, difficult subjects from mental health to toxic family membersMalevolence insist they aren’t psychic. In late February 2020, days before Covid-19 lockdowns started being implemented around the world, the Yorkshire metalcore band released their breakthrough single, Keep Your Distance. It was a melee of growls and beatdowns that propelled them to new heights – in part thanks to a title that foresaw the next year of government messaging.“It was completely by coincidence,” guitarist and vocalist Konan Hall tells me on a video call from his home in Sheffield. “But everyone started tagging us in signs saying ‘Keep your distance because of Covid’.” Lead singer Alex Taylor can’t help but laugh, joining the call from his place just up the road. “It was free marketing!” Continue reading...

Events