Judas Priest announce new dates on extensive 50th anniversary tour

NME

Judas Priest have announced a new run of North American dates as part of their ongoing ’50 Heavy Metal Years’ tour – find tickets here.

• READ MORE: Judas Priest’s Rob Halford: “I tried to throw a TV out of a hotel window once. It was like Mr Bean does Spinal Tap”

The tour was originally due to begin in 2020 but was postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It kicked off in August 2021 instead, but was cut short when guitarist Richie Faulkner had to undergo emergency heart surgery.

He had suffered an aortic aneurysm during the band’s performance at the Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, Kentucky on September 26.

The tour continued this year but not before guitarist Andy Sneap was removed from the Judas Priest touring line-up. At the time, Sneap released a statement (via Blabbermouth), saying that the band’s decision to remove him was “incredibly disappointing”.

The decision was reversed just five days later, with the band confirming that they would continue touring as a five-piece with Sneap remaining as touring guitarist and Glenn Tipton making appearances when he can.

The new dates are due to begin in Wallingford, Connecticut on October 23, finishing up at Houston’s 713 Music Hall on November 29. Queensryche will be on support duties for those dates.

General tickets go on sale on Friday (June 24) at 10am local time. See full dates below and find tickets here.

US Tour Dates announced!
With special guest Queensrÿche

Oct & Nov 2022

Most dates on sale 06/24/22 @ 10am Local pic.twitter.com/mWPH9kRBwL

— Judas Priest (@judaspriest) June 21, 2022

Earlier this year, it was announced that Judas Priest would be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2022, alongside names like Eminem, Duran Duran, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Eurythmics, Carly Simon and Pat Benatar.

The honourees – voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals – each “had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock ’n’ roll,” said John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock Hall, in a statement.

The 2022 event, which will be the Hall’s 37th annual induction ceremony, will be held on November 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Judas Priest are currently on tour in mainland Europe, and will be joining Ozzy Osbourne in the UK in 2023 during his rescheduled ‘No More Tours 2′ shows.

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