This weekend one my all time favourite bands other than Queen, Black Sabbath, will play their last ever gig “Back to the Beginning” at Villa Park in Birmingham. As much as I would LOVE to go, I think it will be too hot for me and too many people, and I’ve seen Black Sabbath with and without Ozzy Osbourne many times over the years anyway.

What with England v India playing cricket this week at Edgbaston, and Jeff Lynne’s ELO playing a final gig in Birmingham as well as Black Sabbath, it is going to give a much needed tourism boost to the Midlands. I’m looking forward to arranging a day one weekend to do the Black Sabbath trail in Birmingham and visit the exhibition at the City Museum and Art Gallery, thus doing my bit for tourism in the Midlands 😎 😎

However, I just want to say in advance that if I see or hear ANY negative things about Ozzy’s voice and how he’s not as he was at this weekend’s gig, I will NOT be impressed.

Before anyone casts any judgement about Ozzy’s forthcoming performance on Saturday, let me remind you all of this:

✅ Ozzy was well known for his severe alcohol and drug abuse, and has survived all the abuse has done to him and his body.

✅ He is 76 years old, he is not immortal.

✅ He is not at all a well man.

✅ He has Parkinson’s Disease.

✅ He has had multiple spinal surgeries following a quad bike accident a few years ago.

So if his voice isn’t great this weekend, if he is reading the lyrics via an autocue (he did this at the last gig I saw him at), or if he isn’t as he was on stage, please give him a break! Ozzy Osbourne might be as mad as a box of frogs (that’s what I love about him) but he’s doing this because he wants to perform and sing with Black Sabbath for his fans for a final time before he potters off this mortal coil. And why not, I doubt many of us will be able to do what he’s doing when we reach the age of 76 🥰 🥰

I’m sure it is going to take a lot out of Ozzy to do this final performance on Saturday, and I for one will be cheering him on even if I can’t be there in person, although I will be treating myself to a ticket for the live stream of the gig here  as well as rocking out to Black Sabbath over the next few days in solidarity for my Birmingham hero Ozzy Osbourne🤘 🤘 🎸 🎸