We’re a day out from one of the biggest concert’s in metal history and we’ve gotten the first official photo of the all star lineup that will be on hand at Villa Park in Birmingham, England to pay their respects to Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.
You don’t need to look any further than this photo to see the respect and love for the legacy that Ozzy and Black Sabbath have commanded over the years. The lineup for the Back to the Beginning concert reads like a who’s who of heavy music while also showing the broad reach the band had amidst musicians carving out their own careers in somewhat different paths.
The official photo was snapped by Ross Halfin, the longtime photographer of the group and it feels like a class photo as the musicians line up on different levels of risers. Have a look below:
back to the beginning concert lineup photo
Who’s Who?
As not every musician may be instantly recognizable, we’ll help you out with some identification. The top row left to right consists of Rex Brown (Pantera), Tobias Forge (Ghost), David Draiman (Disturbed), James Hetfield (Metallica), Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Philip Anselmo (Pantera), Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath), Sammy Hagar and Kirk Hammett (Metallica).
The bottom row features from left to right: Mike Inez (Alice in Chains), Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne / Pantera), Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Lars Ulrich (Metallica) and Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins).
READ MORE: The 5 Most Underrated Black Sabbath Albums
It should be noted that that is just a sampling of the musicians that are expected to take part in the Back to the Beginning show. Notably missing from the photo is representation from members of Slayer, Gojira, Halestorm, Guns N’ Roses, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon and Rival Sons who are expected to take part.
Also among those initially advertised that didn’t appear in the photo are Tom Morello, Fred Durst, Jake E. Lee, K.K. Downing, Mike Bordin, Rudy Sarzo, Sleep Token II, Soundgarden, Andrew Watt, Chad Smith, Whitfield Crane, Vernon Reid and David Ellefson as well as emcee Jason Momoa.
How Can I Watch the Back to the Beginning Concert?
A pay-per-view Back to the Beginning global livestream is now being provided so that fans may access this historic moment. The raw livestream will begin at 3PM BST on July 5 and those who purchase the livestream will continue to have exclusive access to watch the concert in its entirety for another 48 hours.
Tickets for the livestream are currently on sale through the Back to the Beginning website.
