Birmingham’s legendary heavy metal band Black Sabbath will perform for the last time in front of city residents.
According to West Midlands Growth Company, the group’s final performance at Villa Park on Saturday, July 5 is estimated to bring up to PS20million into the local economy.
Back to the Beginning is the highly-anticipated sold out concert that marks Ozzy Osbourne’s last appearance in the original Black Sabbath line up.
The event, billed as the “greatest heavy metal concert ever,” is attracting fans across the UK to the hometown of the band.
Ozzy Osbourne said that the location and occasion of the concert were very meaningful. In a Premier Comms Q&A, Ozzy said that he couldn’t do his final show anywhere other than the venue. I had to start at the beginning.
Sharon Osbourne echoed this sentiment and noted that Birmingham is so important to Ozzy. The birth of heavy metal, the formation of Black Sabbath and Ozzy’s love for Aston Villa all began here.
Tourism and Hospitality Boom
Black Sabbath’s concert is the highlight of a weekend packed with cultural and sports events in the West Midlands. Officials describe the West Midlands as having “unrivalled days”.
Other major events are Jeff Lynne’s ELO tour: Over and Out at Utilita Arena; the second cricket test match between England and India in Edgbaston; Coventry’s Godiva Festival and the Colmore Food Festival.
The convergence of these events will likely drive Birmingham’s hotel occupancy to almost 90%. This is a substantial increase over the 54% recorded during the same weekend in 2013.
Hotel occupancy is expected to remain high through the first 3 weeks of July.
West Midlands Growth Company stated that visitor expenditure on dining, accommodation, transportation, and entertainment is the primary reason for this PS20million projection.
Local businesses will benefit from an increase in foot traffic as thousands of people descend on the city.
Impact on civic and cultural life
Leaders in the local community are celebrating this moment both as a cultural landmark and as an opportunity for economic growth.
Councillor John Cotton said that Birmingham City Council was ready to showcase its vibrant and diverse nature.
He said: “The world’s eyes will be upon Birmingham during an unrivalled, extraordinary few days of food, music and sport events. This event is bringing real-time benefits to local businesses and community,” he added.
There is always a unique atmosphere on the days of major events. “We look forward to welcoming people and creating a backdrop for an exciting celebration of Birmingham’s culture and history.”
Birmingham’s farewell concert is much more than a concert. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the musical heritage of Birmingham and demonstrate how cultural events are a great way to drive civic pride and economic growth.
Ozzy Osbourne said it best: “It’s the final thanks — and it is a return back to where everything began.”
As new information becomes available, the post Black Sabbath farewell concert to bring PS20M to Birmingham could be updated.
