BREAKING: Black Sabbath Guitarist Tony Lommi Sh…See more
Hearing the crowd sing the War Pigs solo gave me chills”: Back to the Beginning was Ozzy Osbourne’s night – but it was also a tribute to Tony Iommi’s singular impact on guitar music
Last night’s Back to the Beginning show was billed as a celebration of Ozzy Osbourne’s legendary career, but in truth, it doubled as a heartfelt tribute to Tony Iommi’s towering legacy. As fans packed the arena, the energy was electric — none more so than during the electrifying rendition of War Pigs, when the crowd itself erupted in unison to belt out Iommi’s unforgettable guitar solo note for note.
I got goosebumps,” Osbourne told the media afterwards. “To hear them perform Tony’s solo like that — it was great. It shows how important his playing is to people.”.
From the opening riffs of Iron Man to the crushing grooves of Children of the Grave, Iommi’s signature sound was the backbone of the night. His doom-laden, blues-inflected guitar style has been emulated by countless players, but never equaled. Last night, that influence was impossible to ignore.
Though Ozzy commanded the stage with his trademark charisma, there was a sense of reverence toward his longtime bandmate and creative partner. Between songs, he paused to acknowledge Iommi’s genius. “Without Tony, there would be no Black Sabbath,” Ozzy declared, drawing a deafening roar from the crowd.
The crowd agreed. “Thank You Tony” and “Iommi is God” banners covered the audience, a testament to the guitarist’s singular impact on heavy music.
When Paranoid ran off through its thundering end, it was clear that this was not solely a night for Ozzy, but an acknowledgment shared by all of Tony Iommi’s role in the formation of heavy metal itself.
