I’ve loved alternative music for as long as I can remember. My parents had pretty varied music tastes growing up, and somewhere along the way I became the alternative kid at school (turns out it wasn’t just a phase!).
Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath have always been a big part of that world. Whatever corner of alternative music you’re into, it’s hard to escape their influence.
I’ve always particularly admired Ozzy himself. A working-class lad from Birmingham with a huge personality, who made a career out of doing what he loved without ever toning himself down. He was unapologetically himself, and I think that’s something a lot of us connected with.
The Show
When Back to the Beginning was announced, I was determined to get tickets. The lineup was absolutely ridiculous: Metallica, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Tool, Pantera, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, and even Jason Momoa making an appearance! Some of my all-time favourite bands, all in one place.
But I also remember being a bit concerned. Announcing a show of that scale with such a short lead time was unusual, and I couldn’t help wondering whether Ozzy was more unwell than we knew.
I had five people helping me try to get tickets across five different sales dates, and somehow, we all failed. Gutted doesn’t even cover it.
Back to the Beginning took place on 5 July 2025, just 17 days before Ozzy passed away, and though I did get to see Ozzy at Download Festival in 2018, missing his final performance still stung a little.
The Film
I finally got to see the show when the concert film arrived at Pictureville on 28 October. I watched it with my manager, and we had a good time chatting about the bands we both love and the music we’d grown up with, despite being from different generations.
The film is definitely more concert than documentary, with performances taking up most of the runtime. But there are some lovely behind-the-scenes moments with the musicians, alongside archival footage of Ozzy performing throughout his career.
It was brilliant seeing so many bands come together to perform songs by the musicians who had helped inspire their own careers.
Yungblud was a particular highlight for me. He hadn’t really been on my radar before Back to the Beginning, but I loved hearing him talk about why Ozzy meant so much to him. I could relate to that idea of admiring someone who was a bit of a wild child, who proved you could make something of yourself by being passionate about what you do and bringing your personality into it.
And the performances themselves were fantastic. Although I’ll admit I struggled not to sing along at the top of my lungs or start a mosh pit in the cinema.
I also loved the archival footage. Seeing Ozzy on stage across the decades alongside footage from his final performance was a lovely way of looking back at just how much he’d achieved and the connection he had with his crowds.
Knowing Ozzy passed away so soon after the show made watching it even more emotional. You could see how much he loved his fans, and just how much the musicians and audience loved him back. I managed not to cry for most of the film, but the final song and closing moments might have made me tear up a little.
My verdict
I might not have managed to get to Villa Park, but I’m glad I got to experience the show on the big screen.
For Ozzy and Black Sabbath fans, it’s absolutely worth watching. There’s plenty of brilliant music, some great behind-the-scenes footage and a chance to see one of metal’s biggest legends perform for the final time.
Ozzy & Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning is screening at Pictureville Cinema on 29 and 31 October 2026.
Find out more and book tickets.