The city gets ready to welcome the Greatest Living Brummie and his mates.
The upcoming final Black Sabbath performance is a hugely momentous occasion, not only for Sabbath fans, not only for Birmingham, but mostly for the bands, musicians and audiences that, since the 1960s, have established Birmingham as the UK home of rock music. And that demands to be celebrated…
Which means that the return of the band and the arrival of thousands of fans from around the world, will be marked with an extravaganza of live music. 25 performances in fact, 22 of them free admission, in 15 venues over the 4 days of July 3rd-6th.
The venues will include pubs and bars, a music instrument store, libraries – and a canal boat! The music will cover a wide spectrum of styles, ranging from Black Sabbath’s very first interest, the blues, through bands that play straight-ahead Sabbath to others that have been influenced by them in some way.
There is also a canal boat trip, Black Sabbath: The Early Years, with Black Sabbath’s first manager, Jim Simpson, recalling the band’s formative period, followed by a Q&A.
Then there is a discussion about Birmingham: The UK Home of Rock & Roll with five long-respected music icons. Roy Davis, a veteran of the Birmingham rock scene; Cissy Stone, Decca recording artist; Des Tong, long-time bass player with hitmakers Sad Cafe; Jaci Davis, the co-owner of the Asylum venue and Pete Francis, the owner of John Birch Guitars.
