“He was turned to steel in the great magnetic field. When he travelled time for the future of mankind” – Black Sabbath.
I started to write this post 2 years ago when I was back backpacking in Birmingham. It’s a city I have visited over 10 times but rarely written about, except maybe a review of the Royal George Hotel and Europe’s Longest Bar and some nights on the rip with Lock In Lee Adams. Last month, Ozzy Osborne died, just a few weeks after his immense “Back To The Beginning” concert at Villa Park in Aston. The idea of this blog post was to have a drink in The Crown Pub, where Black Sabbath played their first ever concert.
Visiting The Crown Pub, Birmingham, England: Where Black Sabbath Played Their First Ever Gig
🎤 Venue: The Crown Pub in Birmingham 📅 Date: August 30, 1968 🎸 Band Name at the Time: Earth — they hadn’t yet adopted the name Black Sabbath yet!!!
They later changed their name to Black Sabbath in early 1969, inspired by the Boris Karloff horror film of the same name. Their first gig under the Black Sabbath name was at the Marquee Club in London, but their true debut was at that humble Birmingham pub, just a stone’s throw from where they grew up. It’s also right opposite Birmingham’s mega new swanky New Street Station. Sadly, each time I have backpacked Birmingham the pub hasn’t been open.
Visiting The Crown Pub, Birmingham, England: Where Black Sabbath Played Their First Ever Gig
However, currently there are Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osborne posters up on the windows and the plan is to renovate, refurbish and reopen the pub, so I hope next time, I will be able to write an updated blog post about having a beer there. I already had a pint in The Green Man in Soho, London, where Blur hung out during Parklife, The Bunch of Grapes and the Cavern Club in Liverpool where The Beatles hung out and of course The Cart And Horses, where Iron Maiden all began!
Visiting The Crown Pub, Birmingham, England: Where Black Sabbath Played Their First Ever Gig
Visiting The Crown Pub, Birmingham, England: Where Black Sabbath Played Their First Ever Gig
Also near to The Crown is the mega metal OZZY THE BULL, named after Ozzy Osborne for the Commonwealth Games when Birmingham hosted it. Rest in peace to Ozzy Osborne, I have plans to write a few more articles on Ozzy and Birmingham in times to come!
At Ozzy The Bull in Birmingham New Street Station
Here is a video from outside The Crown Pub: