Video: Remembering Ozzy Osbourne’s 1977 Miami Concert

We all have our favorite Ozzy Osbourne moments. For some, his voice was the soundtrack to late nights at smoky bars, breezy motorcycle rides, and loud, rowdy concerts with friends. For others, he was the lovable chaos agent of reality TV. But for everyone, Osbourne was a heavy metal icon, the "Prince of Darkness." He died earlier today at age 76 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Just two weeks ago, Osbourne performed what would be his last public appearance at Back to the Beginning, a benefit concert held in Birmingham, England, Black Sabbath's hometown. Organized by guitarist and longtime friend Tom Morello, the festival gathered an all-star roster of metal royalty, including Metallica, Anthrax, Pantera, Slayer, and Gojira, along with members of Korn, Limp Bizkit, Guns N' Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, and Rage Against the Machine, and it marked the first time the original members of the Paranoid band performed together since 2005. Seated on a black throne and visibly emotional, Osbourne thanked his wife, Sharon, the crew that made his storied career possible, and his fans. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said to roaring cheers.
Feeling nostalgic after hearing the news, we fell down the rabbit hole and uncovered audio from Black Sabbath's 1977 show in Miami at the Jai Alai Fronton Hall. Originally scheduled for January 20, the concert took place days later, on the 23rd. The stop was part of the band's Technical Ecstasy tour and came two years after the release of Vol. 4. For diehards, it's a powerful moment in Miami rock history, and in the audio, we can hear a raw, raucous, and pure Sabbath sound. We even found a photo of an original ticket stub from that night, which is currently available to purchase on eBay for $85.

"I wouldn't change a fucking thing," he said once during an interview decades ago. "Because if I dropped dead now, I've lived such an eventful life." So let's take a moment to honor Ozzy the Miami way — by turning the volume all the way up, blasting the classics, and celebrating the "Iron Man."
Setlist:
1. Symptom of the Universe
2. Snowblind
3. All Moving Parts (Stand Still)
4. War Pigs
5. Gypsy
6. Rock and Roll Doctor
7. Jam
8. Electric Funeral
9. N.I.B.
10. Iron Man
11. Children of the Grave