Update 9/8: Tickets for many of Black Sabbath’s U.S. concerts will go on sale tomorrow (Wednesday, September 9th) at 10AM local time. Click here for specific concert ticket info.
They’re calling it The End. Or at least “the beginning of The End…. the final tour by the greatest Metal Band of all time.”
Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler will reunite for a farewell tour as Black Sabbath at the beginning of next year, and have announced 16 North American dates starting on January 20, 2016 and ending on February 25th. (See dates here.) Seven shows in Australia in April follow, with more dates to be announced in October.
Founding drummer Bill Ward apparently remains at odds with his former bandmates. The tour announcement did not specify who will play drums. Speculation is that Osbourne’s most recent drummer Tommy Clufetos will likely fill that role as he’s done since Ward bowed out of any further Sabbath reunions in February 2012 due to contractual issues. (It remains unclear who owns the band’s name. Iommi claimed full ownership until Osbourne sued him in 2009 for 50 percent of the rights. The suit was settled the next year, but no details were revealed.) Questions also remain about another Sabbath album that was recently discussed.
The terse tour announcement say that Sabbath “promises to surpass all previous tours with their most mesmerizing production ever. When this tour concludes, it will truly be The End.” Of course fans are already calling for more territories and show in comments on the Black Sabbath website following the September 3rd announcement.
