JUDAS PRIEST Expands “Shield Of Pain” Tour for 2025
British heavy metal icons JUDAS PRIEST have announced additional dates for their highly anticipated “Shield Of Pain” tour in 2025. Highlighting the tour is their biggest-ever London performance at the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena on July 25, where legendary rocker Alice Cooper will join as a special guest. Two days earlier, PRIEST will electrify the Scarborough Open Air Theatre in North Yorkshire with support from PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS, featuring MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell and his sons.
The “Shield Of Pain” tour celebrates the 35th anniversary of JUDAS PRIEST’s classic album Painkiller, promising a “rare and unique” setlist packed with fan-favorite tracks. According to a social media post, the tour will “defend the metal faith” with unforgettable performances across Europe.
Tour Dates
- Jun. 14 – Oslo, Norway – Tjuvholmen Arena
- Jun. 17 – Stuttgart, Germany – Schleyerhalle
- Jun. 18 – Frankfurt, Germany – Hessentag Festival
- Jun. 25 – Viveiro, Spain – Resurrection Fest
- Jun. 27 – Lisbon, Portugal – Evil Live Fest
- Jun. 29 – Barcelona, Spain – Rock Fest
- Jul. 01 – Ferrara, Italy – Summer Festival
- Jul. 03 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
- Jul. 05 – Hannover, Germany – Niedersachsenstadion (supporting SCORPIONS)
- Jul. 07 – Lodz, Poland – Atlas Arena
- Jul. 10 – Rättvik, Sweden – Dalhalla
- Jul. 13 – Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle
- Jul. 15 – Carcassonne, France – Festival De Carcassonne
- Jul. 17 – Sion, Switzerland – Sous Les Etoiles
- Jul. 19 – Luxembourg – Rockhal
- Jul. 20 – Oberhausen, Germany – Rudolf-Weber-Arena
- Jul. 23 – Scarborough, UK – Open Air Theatre
- Jul. 25 – London, UK – O2 Arena
A Tribute to Painkiller
Painkiller, JUDAS PRIEST’s 12th studio album, has become a cornerstone of heavy metal history. Released in 1990, it marked drummer Scott Travis’s debut and showcased his iconic double-kick intro on the title track. In past interviews, both Travis and guitarist K.K. Downing reflected on how the album transformed PRIEST’s sound, pushing the boundaries of speed and intensity.
Travis’s thunderous drumming on “Painkiller” has been celebrated as one of the greatest drum intros of all time. As he shared in an interview, “I always dreamed of creating a signature drum intro, and ‘Painkiller’ became that moment for me.”
JUDAS PRIEST’s Shield Of Pain tour is not just a celebration of a legendary album but a testament to the band’s enduring legacy. Tickets for the tour are expected to sell quickly as fans gear up for what promises to be a heavy metal extravaganza.
