Black Sabbath Bench Produced in the Jewellery Quarter
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The heavily anticipated Black Sabbath Bench commemorating the band’s achievements and links to Birmingham was partly produced in the Jewellery Quarter by Stewart Francis of Etch Components. The uniquely designed steel bench – incorporating images of the band’s original four members – will be placed on the renamed Black Sabbath Bridge across the canal on Birmingham’s Broad Street.
Etch Components – who specialise in bespoke and one-off commissions – added the striking design to the back of the steel bench featuring the band’s portraits and signatures which will be a centre-piece of the new design. The bench artwork was created by Egyptian artist Tarek Abdelkawi and final manufacture will be undertaken by Gateway Steel Fabricators, based in Tyseley.
Stewart said: “We have really enjoyed working on this piece, it’s a joy to be part of this Birmingham project!”
Black Sabbath fans have now been invited to apply for a limited supply of 350 tickets to attend the heavy metal bench presentation ceremony on Saturday 9 February. Mike Olley, manager of Westside Business Improvement District (BID), said: “We’re so excited to be arranging this spectacular event when we expect Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward to accept the bench, honouring what’s arguably Birmingham’s most famous band.”
The event will feature Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward as he is to be awarded his own star on the city’s Walk of Stars, which honours famous people from Birmingham. This star, along with those previously awarded to the other three band members and a fifth star to the band itself, will be realigned in the shape of a cross in front of the heavy metal bench on Black Sabbath Bridge.
Black Sabbath’s heavy metal bench presentation is at 11am on Saturday 9 February at St Luke’s Church, 41 Gas Street, Birmingham B1 2JT. Tickets are priced at £12 each and the proceeds will be donated to the Westside Charitable Endeavour, dedicated to recording the area’s historical attributes.
Black Sabbath fans wanting to buy tickets to attend the event should apply here to Westside BID via Eventbrite.
