Judas Priest have rescheduled their “50 Heavy Metal Years” North American tour for 2022. Queensrÿche have replaced Sabaton as the support act for the new dates.
Judas Priest were forced to postpone the remainder of their fall tour when guitarist Richie Faulkner nearly died after suffering a major heart emergency during the band’s set at the Louder Than Life fest in September. Faulkner’s aorta ruptured onstage during the band’s last song, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent a 10-hour life-saving surgery.
Faulkner is now headed toward recovery and Judas Priest appear ready to return to the road in 2022. The updated itinerary kicks off March 4th in Peoria, Illinois, and concludes on April 13th in Hamilton, Ontario, with tickets available via Ticketmaster.
Speaking with Heavy Consequence, frontman Rob Halford said that he was “still shook up” about Faulkner’s on-stage brush with death. “The good news is he’s healing, and his therapy will be picking up the guitar and getting back into these new songs for Priest and getting ready for the next batch of road work,” Halford told us.
Halford also revealed that he had his own battle with prostate cancer during the pandemic, making the band’s return to the stage even more remarkable. Thankfully, the cancer is in remission.
Judas Priest were set to support Ozzy Osbourne’s European/UK tour in early 2022, but those dates have been postponed until 2023.
See the updated itinerary for Judas Priest’s 2022 “50 Heavy Metal Years” North American tour below, and pick up tickets here.
Judas Priest 2022 “50 Heavy Metal Years” North America Tour Dates:
03/04 – Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic Center
03/06 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
03/07 – West Valley City, UT @ Maverik Center
03/09 – Everett, WA @ Angel Of The Winds Arena
03/10 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
03/12 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater Oakland
03/13 – Las Vegas, NV @ Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood
03/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Shrine
03/16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theater
03/18 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
03/20 – Cedar Park, TX @ H–E–B Center at Cedar Park
03/21 – San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
03/23 – Nashville, TN @ Nashville Municipal Auditorium
03/25 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
03/27 – Charleston, WV @ Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center
03/29 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
03/30 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
03/31 – National Harbor, MD @ The Theater at MGM National Harbor
04/02 – Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Casino Arena
04/04 – Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell
04/07 – Halifax, NS, Canada @ Scotiabank Centre
04/10 – Québec, QC @ Centre Videotron
04/11 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell
04/13 – Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Centre
