Gibson Celebrates Black Sabbath's Historic Final Reunion Show, 'Back to the Beginning'

GIBSON

CELEBRATES BLACK SABBATH’S HISTORIC FINAL REUNION SHOW

‘BACK TO THE BEGINNING’

Rooted in a legacy of craftsmanship and innovation, Gibson the iconic global instrument brand synonymous with music culture, designs the tools that have shaped generations of sound. Over the past weekend, Gibson rallied to support the legendary rock group Black Sabbath and their long-awaited, final show and one-night-only all-star concert, Back to the Beginning which marked the first performance in over 20 years of the original lineup: Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.

“It was a great honor to pay tribute to Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath during their final Back to the Beginning show this past weekend in Birmingham, UK, where it all started,” says Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson. “It was beautiful to witness how the star-studded artist community came together to celebrate and pay respect to Black Sabbath. It was an honor for all of us at Gibson to have had the opportunity to be there to host the artist community at the Gibson lounge backstage and raise a significant amount of funds for great local causes. I will never forget that day, it was a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

Tony Iommi pictured with his Gibson SG.

Gibson donated two Gibson SG Standard guitars–the world-famous guitar model beloved by Tony Iommi–which were hand-signed by the artists backstage at Back to the Beginning. Music fans worldwide bid on these one-of-a-kind signed guitars during the charity auction at www.ozzyauction.co.uk which ended on Monday. A unique opportunity to celebrate a defining moment in rock and roll history while supporting three life-changing charities, all proceeds from the auction will be shared equally between three causes close to the Osbourne family’s heart: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorns Children’s Hospice.

Check out a handful of the artists that signed the Gibson SG guitars backstage for the Back to the Beginning auction in the following clip: HERE.

Gibson was also present backstage in the artist lounge with a selection of guitars, as well as an interactive experiences and a photo booth with Indian Motorcycles as part of the unforgettable backstage environment available for the performers, VIP guests, and industry legends.

Cesar Gueikian (President and CEO of Gibson), Slash, and Tony Iommi at Back to the Beginning.

The Gibson and Indian Motorcycles backstage area at Back to the Beginning. Credit: Gibson.

Lzzy Hale of Halestorm tries out a Gibson SG backstage at Back to the Beginning. Credit: Gibson.

Kirk Hammett backstage at Back to the Beginning. Credit: Gibson.

Cesar Gueikian, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Momoa. Credit: Ross Halfin.

Gibson SG Standard guitars were signed by the artists performing for the Back to the Beginning auction. Credit: Gibson.

Indian Motorcycles customized an Indian Sport Chief RT and a matching Gibson SG Standard for the Back to the Beginning auction. Credit: Gibson.

Back to the Beginning marked the historic return of the original Black Sabbath – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – performed together for the first time in 20 years. The all-star celebration of heavy metal’s founding fathers saw Ozzy take to the stage for a short solo set before reuniting with Black Sabbath for their final ever performance, making this one of the most significant live music events of the decade.

Formed in Birmingham in 1968, Black Sabbath went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time, selling over 75 million albums and defining a genre. Music Director Tom Morello described Back to the Beginning as “the greatest heavy metal show ever.”

The event also featured performances from Metallica, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, Pantera, Gojira, Alice In Chains, Halestorm, Lamb Of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and more. A supergroup of legendary musicians also performed including Ronnie Wood, Steven Tyler, Billy Corgan, Duff McKagan, Slash, Frank Bello, Fred Durst, Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis, David Draiman, KK Downing, Lzzy Hale, Mike Bordin, Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian, Sleep Token ii, Papa V Perpetua, Tom Morello, and Zakk Wylde.

A landmark celebration of the band’s groundbreaking legacy and their enduring influence on rock and metal music, Back to the Beginning took place Saturday, 5 July, at Villa Park in Black Sabbath’s hometown of Birmingham and marked the historic stage return for the original four members as Ozzy Osbourne performed a short solo set before joining Black Sabbath for their final bow.

Check out photos and video from the Back to the Beginning reunion event HERE.

Approved video footage of Black Sabbath performing at Back to the Beginning access provided by Universal Music Group and Mercury Studios.

Tony Iommi performs at Back to the Beginning. Credit: Ross Halfin.

Ozzy Osbourne performs at Back to the Beginning. Credit: Ross Halfin.

Kirk Hammett performs with the Gibson CEO4 SG guitar at Back to the Beginning, which will be auctioned off by Gibson Gives at a later date. Credit: John Gilhooley.