DISTURBED frontman David Draiman faced a frosty reception during his appearance at the “Back To The Beginning” farewell concert for BLACK SABBATH and Ozzy Osbourne, held July 5th at Villa Park in Birmingham. As part of the evening’s star-studded tribute lineup curated by Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE), Draiman joined a supergroup on stage to perform covers of Ozzy’s “Shot In The Dark” and Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf”—but not everyone in the crowd was on board.
According to Birmingham Live, Draiman was met with boos and middle fingers as he walked on stage, with some attendees visibly upset by his presence. Local reporter Kirsty Bosley, covering the show from the crowd, described the reaction: “David Draiman from DISTURBED is now joining them (the supergroup) to huge boos from the crowd. He’s caused controversy with his political opinions online and the crowd are not welcoming.”
Despite the backlash, many in the crowd still clapped along as Draiman launched into a soaring take on Ozzy’s 1986 classic “Shot In The Dark.” Backing Draiman were a collection of heavy metal veterans, including Jake E. Lee, Mike Bordin, and Adam Wakeman, with additional appearances from Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME), and David Ellefson (ex-MEGADETH).
The negative reaction seems largely tied to Draiman’s recent political activity. Since the beginning of the Israel–Gaza war in 2023, Draiman has been one of the most outspoken voices in the rock world supporting Israel. His critics took particular issue with his 2024 visit to Israel, where he posed for photos with IDF soldiers and signed an artillery shell bearing an expletive-laced message aimed at Hamas. Many saw the gesture as deeply insensitive given the massive civilian toll of the conflict.
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