Geezer Butler’s Thunderous Bass Drives Black Sabbath’s Farewell “Back to the Beginning”

Black Sabbath closed out their legendary run with the Back to the Beginning farewell show at Villa Park in Birmingham. It was a fitting homecoming for the band that helped invent heavy metal, with a setlist full of classics like Black Sabbath, War Pigs, and Paranoid.

Geezer Butler’s bass was the foundation all night. His playing was as heavy and melodic as ever, showing why he remains one of metal’s defining voices on the instrument. For this final show, Butler used his signature Lakland bass built to his specs along with a custom Ashdown rig designed with his tech Terry Welty and Ashdown’s Dan and Mark Gooday.

The setup delivered 2400 watts through four Heads of Doom amps feeding four 2×15 cabinets and two 2×12 cabinets with variable horns. Finished in purple and black, it matched the band’s iconic aesthetic while delivering massive clear low end that filled the stadium.

Even after more than 50 years, Butler’s tone felt as vital as ever. Every line was huge but articulate locking in with Iommi’s riffs and proving once more why Sabbath’s sound has always depended on that relentless melodic bass foundation.