Key events
Ben Beaumont-Thomas
Today’s livestream is on a two-hour delay, so us at home will experience everything later than Michael does in the stadium. Here’s the timings for how it will go down there, as leaked by Disturbed frontman David Draiman yesterday – all times BST.
Mastodon – 1.30-1.45 pm
Rival Sons – 1.52-2.07 pm
Anthrax – 2.15-2.29 pm
Halestorm – 2.37pm [not sure why this doesn’t have an end time, but am assuming 2.53pm]
Lamb of God – 3.00-3.15 pm
Supergroup A – 3.25-4.00pm
Alice in Chains – 4.07-4.22 pm
Gojira – 4.29-4.44pm
Drum-off – 4.51-5.01pm
Supergroup B – 5.08-5.48pm
Pantera – 5.55-6.10pm
Tool – 6.17-6.37pm
Slayer – 6.44-7.12pm
Guns ‘N Roses – 7.21-7.46pm
Metallica – 7.53-8.23pm
Ozzy Osbourne – 8.38-8.58pm
Black Sabbath – 9.13-9.48pm
Someone with a head mic and clipboard is going to be stressed keep that all on track. And I suppose that’s just the one Tool song, then.
Welcome to Back to the Beginning!
Ben Beaumont-Thomas
You wait ages for the reunion of a much-loved, era-defining British rock band and then two come along at once. After last night’s return of Oasis, now we have Black Sabbath, ultra-poignantly getting back together to give the big man up front the send off he deserves.
Ozzy Osbourne’s touring career had petered out in a frustrating series of knocks – illness, Covid-cancelled tours, more illness – and it looked like he might have been forced into retirement with unfinished business. But thanks to the sterling efforts of wife Sharon Osbourne, musical director Tom Morello and an eye-popping network of greats, we’re about to have what could reasonably be described as the biggest event in heavy metal history.
I’ll be following along with the livestream at home which starts at 3pm, while Michael Hann is in Villa Park itself and will be sending back his observations plus a big review at the end of the night.