The Darkest Showman: Ozzy Osbourne’s Performances That Slayed

Watch any interview featuring Ozzy Osbourne and it’s not hard to see how he became such a pop culture icon. The Beatles-loving singer hailing from Birmingham, England, always exhibited charm, wit and a manic energy with a hint of vulnerability and innocence, and the same could be said about his performances on stage.

Put simply, Osbourne was a force to reckon with — someone who could garner followers from everywhere to join him and Black Sabbath in the heavy metal movement that they pioneered with the release of their self-titled debut album in 1970.

The Tribute Of Ozz
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Black Sabbath went on a hell of a run, performing at venues across the globe and releasing eight albums in under a decade before Osbourne was unceremoniously booted from the band in 1979 because of his excessive lifestyle. The band carried on while Osbourne continued to shine on his own, building a successful solo career working with guitar prodigies like Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde.

Throughout his five decades in the music business, John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne found ways to reinvent himself time and time again, on stage and off, but never strayed far from his Prince of Darkness persona. His wild antics and legends always preceded him, from the incident involving biting a bat’s head off at a Des Moines show in 1982 (a fan threw a bat on stage and Osbourne thought it was a toy) to declaring his religion as “Satan” and complicating his U.S. entry in 1970 for Black Sabbath’s first show in the States, which took place at Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) on Oct. 30, 1970. It’s stories like those that gave him lifetime cred among his contemporaries and the generations of bands inspired by Black Sabbath.

It’s been a remarkable journey for one of music’s largest and most beloved figures, and here are some memorable shows from Osbourne as a solo artist and with Black Sabbath that showcase his ability to command the stage and rile up fans.

Black Sabbath, Live in Paris at L’Olympia Bruno Coquatrix, 1970
One of the first live performances of Black Sabbath recorded was a show in Paris in December of 1970. The band wasted no time in revving up the crowd with the iconic opening riff of “Paranoid,” and Osbourne comes in guns blazing with a stellar vocal performance and constant movement, embracing Tony Iommi’s pioneering sound. This show perfectly encapsulates not only the beginning of a rock institution but of a movement that would inspire other legends like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Soundgarden, Megadeth and many more.

Black Sabbath, California Jam at Ontario Motor Speedway near Los Angeles, 1974
It may not have been Woodstock, but for SoCal rock fans in 1974, California Jam was the biggest and best festival that ever was, with acts like Deep Purple, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire and Black Sabbath performing in front of hundreds of thousands of fans. Their rendition of War Pigs stood out, especially as they performed in front of a rainbow backdrop.

Black Sabbath, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, 1975
The band hailing from Birmingham joined a pantheon of rock stars who performed on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, a popular American television variety show created by Kirshner and ran from 1973-1981, featuring acts like The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Queen, The Doobie Brothers, ABBA, Bee Gees, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Fleetwood Mac.

Black Sabbath, “Never Say Die Tour” at Hammersmith Odeon in London, 1978
The band’s “Never Say Die Tour” wound up being Osbourne’s final trek with Black Sabbath. The vocalist was dismissed from the band due to his alcohol and drug use as well as his unreliability at the time.

Ozzy Osbourne, “After Hours” in Rochester, New York, 1981
It didn’t take long for Osbourne to get back on his feet musically. The Prince of Darkness’s solo debut, Blizzard of Ozz, was a massive hit and introduced many to guitar virtuoso Randy Rhoads, who co-wrote songs along with bassist Bob Daisley and Osbourne. The album featured hits such as “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley,” and the band was invited to perform in the “After Hours” television show, not only highlighting Osbourne’s ability to bounce back but also his knack for finding the right talent to work alongside him. Rhoads tragically died in a plane crash in 1982 at the age of 25.

Ozzy Osbourne, Rock In Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1985
Osbourne was a perfect fit for the first edition of Brazil’s mega festival, matching the passion and energy of the crowd. The set is also an awesome highlight video for guitarist Jake E. Lee, whose solos even pumped up Osbourne as he clapped and headbanged like he was in his 20s.

Ozzy Osbourne, Ozzfest, Phoenix, Arizona, and San Bernardino, California, 1996
The formation and success of Ozzfest is Osbourne at the height of his powers, cementing his status in the live industry as an innovative leader in the business of rock music. Osbourne’s wife, Sharon, founded the festival after the Prince of Darkness was rebuffed by Lollapalooza, and the first edition featured major acts like Slayer, Danzig, Biohazard and Sepultura, helping expand the reach of hard rock and giving niche but mighty groups of fans a safe space to mosh. Black Sabbath eventually reunited on Ozzfest stages a year later.

Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert at Madison Square Garden in New York, 2009
Osbourne was inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006 and then as a solo act in 2024. While he and Black Sabbath were given their well-deserved roses at their respective induction ceremonies, one of Osbourne’s more memorable moments with the Rock Hall was the two-day 25^th anniversary event at Madison Square Garden. The Prince of Darkness joined Metallica for memorable renditions of “Iron Man” and “Paranoid,” and some fans reportedly paid thousands of dollars to watch that show, which also featured collaborations between U2 and Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin and Annie Lennox, and Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy.

Ozzy Osbourne, “No More Tours II” at Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Virginia, 2018
It wasn’t iconic like many of his previous performances, but it’s a notable one because it was Osbourne’s final go on the road after a successful run with Ozzfest and his rise to pop culture fame among young viewers following the groundbreaking reality MTV series, “The Osbournes.” Osbourne managed to put on a good show in 2018, just before his health began to decline.

Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, “Back to the Beginning” at Villa Park, Birmingham, England, 2025
There really was no better way for any artist to say goodbye than to host a massive benefit concert raising funds for a disease that is affecting them and many others. Osbourne’s Back to the Beginning show was a delightful and successful tribute to the man who helped introduce heavy metal to the world. More than 40,000 fans attended the concert at Villa Park and more than 3 million reportedly paid to watch the livestream, raising more than $190 million for Cure Parkinson’s, which aims to cure the disease, as well as Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorns Children’s Hospice. Knowing that Osbourne would pass away weeks later, Osbourne’s final performance of “Mama, I’m Coming Home” in front of a hometown crowd really pulls on your heartstrings. But in true Ozzy fashion, he wasn’t going to end it that way. He closed his set with a memorable rendition of “Crazy Train,” a title that aptly describes the heavy metal journey that Osbourne took us on for over 50 years.