Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi just reunited to play Black Sabbath classics in Birmingham

Ozzy onstage
(Image credit: BBC)

Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi have reunited to play an unannounced, brief set at the closing ceremony of this year's Commonwealth Games. The performance took place at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, Black Sabbath's home town.

With Adam Wakeman on bass and Tommy Clufetos on drums, the Sabbath pair played an extremely truncated version of Iron Man and a complete Paranoid, the song climaxing as fireworks lit up the sky. The performance, witnessed in the stadium by Prince Edward, caused a delay to the start of the following show, the BBC's flagship 10 O'Clock news broadcast. 

Other Brummie acts to play at the closing ceremony included Apache Indian, Musical Youth, UB40, The Selecter, Duran Duran and Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Watch the performance of Paranoid below.  

Iommi also performed at the opening ceremony of The Games, playing what was described as a 'dream sequence', titled Hear My Voice, alongside saxophonist Soweto Kinch. The music was based on the title track from 2020 film Trial Of The Chicago Seven, with vocals from Birmingham-born R&B singers Indigo Marshall and Gambimi.

Ozzy Osbourne's new album, Patient  Number 9, will be released on September 9. It features guest appearance from Iommi, Zakk Wylde, and Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith. Metallica’s Rob Trujillo and Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready and Foo Fighters’ late drummer Taylor Hawkins area also reported to have been involved in the recording.

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Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.