One of the bands that won't be appearing at Black Sabbath's so-called farewell show in Tokyo: Black Sabbath. A report from NME indicates that the band has cancelled the Japanese date, which will take place as part of vocalist Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest, and that the frontman would be performing by himself instead (along with a slew of opening acts).
"Despite previous reports, Black Sabbath will not appear on this year's Ozzfest Japan," read a statement from the band. "The show will instead feature the festival's namesake, Ozzy Osbourne (and friends)."
What's the story?
Well, for one thing, Sabbath itself never confirmed that the Tokyo show would indeed be the band's last. Osbourne had made the statement during an interview, yet when Rolling Stone attempted to get confirmation, the magazine couldn't get an affirmative response for the claims. It seems Osbourne may have been under the wrong impression. The statement was understandable enough at the time, considering that the band has declared its forthcoming album, yet untiled, will be its last.
There currently aren't any other dates listed on the band's website for us to even guess at when Sabbath's "last" show will take place.
"It's our last hurrah," the vocalist said at the time. "Then it's no more Sabbath at all. We're disbanding the name and everything. They don't want to tour anymore. I get it. But I love it. I'm gonna continue my solo thing."
The cancellation is evidently completely removed from Osbourne's recent cancellation of his own Ozzfiesta event in Mexico, as he'll still play the Tokyo date. The vocalist announced last month that he would require an unspecified surgery and that he would spend a month recuperating before hitting the road as part of a solo tour.
Stay tuned to find the true fate of Black Sabbath and then you can catch them one last time.
