In a new interview, the members of Sabaton have shared a remarkable story of humility from one of metal’s biggest icons, revealing they initially rejected a request from Iron Maiden‘s Steve Harris to play their hometown festival. Bassist Pär Sundström explained he was forced to turn Harris down because he feared their “small town” lacked the “infrastructure” for such a legend.
Speaking in the new issue of Metal Hammer, Sundström and vocalist Joakim Brodén recounted the “unbelievable” situation from 2017, which began after Sabaton had toured with Iron Maiden. Harris asked if his side project, British Lion, could perform at their festival, Sabaton Open Air.
“I couldn’t believe it!” Sundström recalled. “We toured with Iron Maiden, and Steve said he wanted to come and play the festival. I actually said no at first!”
Sundström explained his reasoning for the polite refusal, telling the metal icon that the small town of Falun, Sweden, was not equipped to handle a star of his magnitude. “I told him, ‘This is only a small town, we don’t have the infrastructure for an artist like you!’” he said.
However, Harris quickly put his fears to rest with a list of surprisingly simple and humble demands. “But he said, ‘I’ve seen the crowds, I’ll stay at any hotel you can offer me, and I’ve seen you have a Sabaton cheeseburger – I’ll eat that.’ And he came! It was an unbelievable honour for us,” Sundström said.
Vocalist Joakim Brodén added that Harris had only one other request: a place to exercise. “The only thing he demanded was access to some sports,” Brodén shared. “As you can see, that’s the one thing we have plenty of here. So we closed off the swimming pool for him and he was happy as can be!”
The story surfaces as Sabaton is celebrating the release of their new album, Legends, which arrived on October 17. The band is scheduled to embark on a major European tour in November, including their largest-ever UK headlining shows. Iron Maiden is also gearing up for a massive 2026, extending their 50th-anniversary “Run For Your Lives” world tour with newly announced dates in Europe and North America.
Sabaton 2025–2026 Tour Dates
November 2025
- 14 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena (Sold Out)
- 15 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena (Sold Out)
- 16 – Ostrava, Czech Republic – Ostravar Aréna
- 18 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion (Selling Fast)
- 20 – Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle (Sold Out)
- 21 – Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle (Selling Fast)
- 22 – Krakow, Poland – Tauron Arena (Sold Out)
- 24 – Stuttgart, Germany – Schleyerhalle (Few Tickets Left)
- 25 – Frankfurt, Germany – Festhalle (Selling Fast)
- 26 – Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal (Selling Fast)
- 28 – Paris, France – Accor Arena (Selling Fast)
- 29 – Lyon, France – LDLC Arena (Selling Fast)
December 2025
- 1 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome (Few Tickets Left)
- 2 – Antwerp, Belgium – Sportpaleis (Selling Fast)
- 4 – London, UK – The O2 Arena (Selling Fast)
- 5 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live (Selling Fast)
- 6 – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena (Few Tickets Left)
- 8 – Hannover, Germany – ZAG Arena (Selling Fast)
- 9 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena (Selling Fast)
- 11 – Oslo, Norway – Unity Arena (Selling Fast)
- 12 – Gothenburg, Sweden – Scandinavium (Final Tickets Released)
- 13 – Stockholm, Sweden – 3Arena (Few Tickets Left)
February 2026
- 9 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA – War Memorial Auditorium
- 10 – Tampa, FL, USA – Yuengling Center
- 13 – Houston, TX, USA – 713 Music Hall
- 14 – Dallas, TX, USA – South Side Ballroom
- 15 – San Antonio, TX, USA – Boeing Center at Tech Port
- 18 – Phoenix, AZ, USA – Arizona Financial Theatre
- 20 – Los Angeles, CA, USA – The Kia Forum
- 21 – Wheatland, CA, USA – Hard Rock Live
- 24 – Salt Lake City, UT, USA – The Union Event Center
- 26 – Loveland, CO, USA – Blue FCU Arena
- 27 – Omaha, NE, USA – Steelhouse Omaha
- 28 – St. Louis, MO, USA – The Factory
March 2026
- 2 – Des Moines, IA, USA – Vibrant Music Hall
- 3 – Minneapolis, MN, USA – The Armory
- 4 – Chicago, IL, USA – The Salt Shed
- 6 – Milwaukee, WI, USA – Landmark Credit Union Live
- 7 – Cincinnati, OH, USA – The Andrew J Brady Music Center
- 8 – Detroit, MI, USA – The Fillmore Detroit
- 10 – Pittsburgh, PA, USA – UPMC Events Center
- 11 – Philadelphia, PA, USA – The Met
- 12 – Boston, MA, USA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
- 14 – Virginia Beach, VA, USA – The Dome
- 15 – Washington, DC, USA – The Theater at MGM National Harbor
- 17 – Greensboro, NC, USA – Greensboro Event Center
- 18 – Atlanta, GA, USA – Coca-Cola Roxy
April 2026
- 6 – Halifax, NS, Canada – Scotiabank Centre
- 9 – Laval, QC, Canada – Place Bell
- 11 – Toronto, ON, Canada – Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto
- 14 – Winnipeg, MB, Canada – Burton Cummings Theatre
- 17 – Edmonton, AB, Canada – Edmonton Convention Centre
- 18 – Calgary, AB, Canada – Grey Eagle Event Centre
- 20 – Vancouver, BC, Canada – PNE Forum
June 2026
- 5 – Nancy, France – Heavy Week-End 2026
- 6 – Nürnberg, Germany – Rock im Park 2026
- 7 – Nürburgring, Germany – Rock am Ring 2026
- 13 – Nickelsdorf, Austria – Nova Rock Festival 2026
- 17 – Nîmes, France – Festival de Nîmes 2026
July 2026
- 5 – Cartagena, Spain – Rock Imperium Festival 2026
