Pantera’s “Planet Caravan” and “Electric Funeral” Covers Steal the Show at Back To The Beginning
Pantera delivered a scorching four-song set at Black Sabbath’s “Back To The Beginning” charity event on July 5 at Villa Park, the historic home of Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham, UK. The reformed metal giants, now featuring Philip Anselmo on vocals and Rex Brown on bass alongside Zakk Wylde on guitar and Charlie Benante on drums, kicked things off with explosive renditions of “Cowboys From Hell” and “Walk,” before launching into covers of Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan” and “Electric Funeral.”
Adding to the chaos, actor Jason Momoa, serving as the event’s master of ceremonies, took off his signature hair braid, leapt over the barricade, and joined the circle pit during Pantera’s blistering performance of “Cowboys From Hell,” sending the crowd into an even bigger frenzy.
Their setlist for the night captured both the old-school power of Pantera and their deep respect for Sabbath’s legacy:
Cowboys From Hell
Walk
Planet Caravan
Electric Funeral
This massive concert, staged in honor of Ozzy Osbourne—who has been battling Parkinson’s disease and billed the event as his last-ever on-stage appearance—brought together original Black Sabbath members Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for the first time in two decades.
Over 40,000 fans filled Villa Park to witness not only Pantera but also powerhouse sets from Ozzy’s solo band, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Slayer, Lamb of God, and Anthrax, among others. All proceeds were split between Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
Fans also bid in an online charity auction featuring signed Gibson guitars, a Guns N’ Roses pinball machine, gold records from Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Metallica, plus more than a dozen exclusive travel packages and memorabilia.
Each act paid tribute to Sabbath or Ozzy by covering at least one classic, and there were several all-star supergroup jams celebrating Osbourne and Sabbath’s influence.
For the grand finale, Ozzy, Iommi, Butler, and Ward reunited to perform an emotional set of Sabbath classics: “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid.” Ozzy, seated on a black-winged throne, was presented with a cake as fireworks exploded above the stadium.
With the last song fading out, Ozzy addressed the crowd, saying, “It’s the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” A farewell message lit up the screens: “Thank you for everything, you guys are fucking amazing. Birmingham Forever,” punctuated by a sky full of fireworks.
Though billed as a livestream, the broadcast began two hours after the show started inside the stadium, allowing even more fans around the world to share in the historic day.
