Breaking news from the world of “please clap”: W.A.S.P. has announced the “1984 To Headless” 2026 U.S. and Canada Tour with KK’S PRIEST as very special guest. The tour kicks off on September 10 in California and runs through October 31. W.A.S.P. will be playing the hits from the band’s first four albums, because apparently that’s all anyone remembers or cares about.
Selected hits from W.A.S.P.’s first four albums promise to create a true rock ‘n roll spectacle complete with a live stage show bringing those albums alive for the first and only time. Wait, what? The first and only time? Have they been performing these songs live this whole time or not? Pick a narrative, guys.
The first five years of an artist’s career most always determine what their legacy will be if they go on to greatness, or be remembered as a footnote in music history. W.A.S.P. cemented its place in the rock history in those first five years with the band’s iconic debut album in 1984, followed the next year with “The Last Command”, “Inside The Electric Circus” in 1987 and capped with their greatest yet, “The Headless Children” in 1989. You know you’ve made it when your legacy can be summed up in a Wikipedia bullet point.
In their fabled 44-year history, W.A.S.P. have been pioneers of shock rock, psycho drama and live spectacles that are now legendary in the world of rock. Also, they’ve been pioneers of “let’s see how many times we can repackage the same material before fans notice.”
W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless states: “It’s hard to express the genuine excitement I’m feeling in describing the ‘1984 To Headless’ U.S. tour. Playing those songs from those first four albums in a combined package like this is something we’ve never attempted before.” Something you’ve never attempted before? Are we sure about that? Because it sounds suspiciously like every other W.A.S.P. tour ever.
“In addition to the songs, the entire stage show will look like the album covers from those records will come alive… right before your eyes! Complete with all the history and bombastic live presentations that’s made this band one of the great live bands in the theatrical rock world. When elements of those album covers start to come alive, right on the stage before the people, it’s gonna be something they’ll not soon forget!” Yes, because nothing says “cutting-edge entertainment” like pretending your album covers are jumping off the stage in 2026.
“I’m also equally thrilled to bring KK’S PRIEST and those iconic hits onboard for all the fall 2026 U.S. shows. Both bands together on the same stage on the same night — where do I get my ticket? It’s gonna make the ‘1984 To Headless’ tour one for the rock ages!” Ah yes, the classic “where do I get my ticket?” rhetorical question that nobody is actually asking.
KK’S PRIEST leader K.K. Downing, formerly of JUDAS PRIEST, added: “Great news! KK’S PRIEST is going to be returning to the U.S. and Canada this September and October 2026! We will be teaming up together with metal legends W.A.S.P. and with over 40 shows, this is going to be an epic metal and steel tour featuring lots of PRIEST classics! We look forward to seeing you all again very soon so please get on board early. We do not want you to miss this one.” Nothing says “I’m over JUDAS PRIEST” quite like spending three months playing their songs on someone else’s tour.
W.A.S.P. will be again offering fans VIP tickets that give fans a chance to meet Blackie Lawless, get a personal photo with Blackie, autographs, a W.A.S.P. traveling museum with new items added since the last U.S. tour, and take part in a very personal Q&A with Blackie. VIP tickets can be purchased at waspnation.myshopify.com. Nothing screams “intimate experience” quite like a cattle-call meet-and-greet with 200 other people who also paid $250 for the privilege.
W.A.S.P. will take the “1984 To Headless” tour to Europe and the rest of the world in 2027. Because if you’re going to milk this concept, you might as well go global with it.
W.A.S.P. “1984 To Headless” tour dates with KK’S PRIEST:
Sep. 10 – El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia
Sep. 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
Sep. 12 – Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center
Sep. 13 – Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theater
Sep. 14 – Santa Fe, NM @ Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino
Sep. 16 – Austin, TX @ Emos
Sep. 17 – Tulsa, OK @ Tulsa Theater
Sep. 18 – Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
Sep. 19 – San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theater
Sep. 20 – Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
Sep. 22 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckard Hall
Sep. 23 – Daytona, FL @ Peabody Auditorium
Sep. 24 – Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theater
Sep. 25 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
Sep. 26 – Jim Thorpe, PA @ Penn’s Peak @
Sep. 27 – Portland, ME @ Aura
Sep. 29 – Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
Sep. 30 – Hampton, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino
Oct. 01 – Wallington, CT @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Oct. 02 – New York, NY @ The Palladium
Oct. 03 – Carteret, NJ @ Carteret Performing Arts Center
Oct. 05 – Montreal, QC @ Mtelus
Oct. 06 – Ottawa, ON @ Hard Rock Casino
Oct. 07 – Pickering, ON @ Pickering Casino Resort
Oct. 09 – Des Plaines, IL @ Des Plaines Theater
Oct. 10 – St Charles, IL @ Arcada Theater @
Oct. 11 – St Charles, IL @ Arcada Theater
Oct. 13 – Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre
Oct. 14 – Harrisburg, PA @ Capitol City Music Hall
Oct. 15 – Cleveland, OH @ Agoura Theater @
Oct. 16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater
Oct. 17 – Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Event Center
Oct. 19 – Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
Oct. 21 – Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall @
Oct. 22 – Calgary, AB @ The Palace Theater
Oct. 23 – Coquitlam, BC @ Great Canadian Casino Vancouver
Oct. 25 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theater
Oct. 27 – San Jose, CA @ San Jose Civic
Oct. 29 – Rancho Mirage, CA @ The Show @ Agua Caliente
Oct. 30 – Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
Oct. 31 – Anaheim, CA @ The Grove
Tickets and VIP: www.WASPnation.com
General on-sale is Friday, February 13 at 10 a.m. local time. Because nothing says “rock and roll” quite like scheduling your ticket sale on Friday the 13th. Spooky!
Because of the extensive back injuries Lawless suffered during the European leg of W.A.S.P.’s 40th-anniversary tour, the band’s previously announced 2023 U.S. tour was canceled. Nothing says “I’m getting too old for this” quite like throwing out your back during your own anniversary celebration.
W.A.S.P.’s massive European leg of the 40th-anniversary world tour wrapped on May 18, 2023 in Sofia, Bulgaria at Universidada Sports Hall. Bulgaria, the place where dreams go to either begin or end, depending on your perspective.
W.A.S.P. wrapped up its first U.S. tour in 10 years with a sold-out show on December 11, 2022 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. This marked the 18th sold-out shows for the U.S. tour, which kicked off in late October 2022. W.A.S.P.’s performances included the return of the band’s classic song “Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)”, which hadn’t been played live in over 15 years. Because if there’s one thing that ages well, it’s a song about beastiality metaphors.
W.A.S.P.’s latest release was “ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)”, which came out in February 2018. It was a new version of the band’s classic 1992 album “The Crimson Idol”, which was re-recorded to accompany the movie of the same name to mark the 25th anniversary of the original LP’s release. The re-recorded version also features four songs missing from the original album. Because why write new material when you can just re-record the old stuff and pretend it’s new?
W.A.S.P.’s most recent studio album of all-new original material was 2015’s “Golgotha”. Remember when bands used to release new albums every year or two? Pepperidge Farm remembers.
KK’S PRIEST features former JUDAS PRIEST members K.K. Downing (guitar) and Tim “Ripper” Owens (vocals), alongside guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE). It’s like JUDAS PRIEST’s version of “The Brady Bunch” — a bunch of people who weren’t quite good enough to make the cut, now playing together in perfect disharmony.
KK’S PRIEST’s sophomore album, “The Sinner Rides Again”, came out in September 2023 via the Austrian label Napalm Records. Austria, the country that brought you Mozart and now brings you… whatever this is.
KK’S PRIEST made its live debut on July 6, 2023 at Downing’s KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. Nothing says “I’m a rock star” quite like naming your venue after yourself.
K.K. formed KK’S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year. When your career highlight is playing with the guy from MANOWAR, maybe it’s time to take up knitting instead.
KK’S PRIEST released its debut album, “Sermons Of The Sinner”, in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records. Because if there’s one thing the world needed, it was more JUDAS PRIEST songs without JUDAS PRIEST.
Downing spent four months writing and recording “Sermons Of The Sinner” and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the 1980s. Because nothing says “fresh material” quite like digging through your old demo tapes from when Reagan was president.
Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in November 2022 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Nothing says “we buried the hatchet” quite like performing together once for a televised event and then going back to pretending the other doesn’t exist.
Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior. Because if your band members are starting to collect Social Security, maybe it’s time to bring in some fresh blood.
In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band’s 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations. Nothing says “we value your contributions” quite like telling the guy who co-founded the band that his presence isn’t wanted for the big anniversary bash.
In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as “a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music,” while the second was “angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties.” Nothing says “mature adult” quite like writing multiple resignation letters with varying degrees of passive-aggression.
Downing later said that he believed the second letter was “a key reason” he wasn’t invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton’s decision to retire from touring. Because if there’s one thing that kills career opportunities, it’s being honest about your feelings in writing.
Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997’s “Jugulator” and 2001’s “Demolition” — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003. Nothing says “I was just keeping your seat warm” quite like being replaced by the original singer two albums into your tenure.
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
