KK’s Priest opened their run with W.A.S.P. on Thursday night at The Magnolia in El Cajon, California, and used it to add two songs they had never played before.
“Heading Out To The Highway” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” both made their KK’s Priest debuts, the latter opening the twelve-song set. Neither had appeared in the band’s live repertoire until now.
The additions were not a surprise to anyone watching closely. In June the band posted a clip of K.K. Downing and A.J. Mills running through the main riffs of both songs, with the message: “Wait… new additions to the set list?! In less than three months, we are Heading Out to The Highway on a massive US and Canada tour with W.A.S.P. and we can’t wait! Over 40 shows featuring some Judas Priest classics we’ve never played live before, and of course KK’s Priest cuts! So stand by for what will be a night of EPIC METAL. See you there!!”
The Setlist (via Setlist.fm):
- “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” (Judas Priest)
- “Breaking The Law” (Judas Priest)
- “Living After Midnight” (Judas Priest)
- “Strike Of The Viper”
- “One More Shot At Glory”
- “Hellfire Thunderbolt”
- “Heading Out To The Highway” (Judas Priest)
- “Beyond The Realms Of Death” (Judas Priest)
- “The Sentinel” (Judas Priest)
- “Victim Of Changes” (Judas Priest)
- “Turbo Lover” (Judas Priest)
- “Raise Your Fists”
Two songs came from each of the band’s own albums, 2021’s Sermons Of The Sinner and 2023’s The Sinner Rides Again.
KK’s Priest are billed as very special guest on W.A.S.P.‘s “1984 To Headless” tour, which takes its name from the span of the headliners’ first four albums, W.A.S.P., The Last Command, Inside The Electric Circus and The Headless Children, and draws its set almost entirely from them.
“Great news! KK’S Priest is going to be returning to the US and Canada this September and October 2026!” Downing said when the run was announced. “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.”
The North American leg finishes on Halloween in Anaheim. A separate run of South American headline dates follows in spring 2027.
KK’s Priest is Downing on guitar and Tim “Ripper” Owens on vocals, both formerly of Judas Priest, with A.J. Mills of Hostile on guitar, Tony Newton of Voodoo Six on bass and Sean Elg of Deathriders and Cage on drums.
Downing left Judas Priest in 2011, citing conflict within the band, what he described as poor management and a drop in performance standards. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, almost thirty years younger.
He formed KK’s Priest after approaching Judas Priest in 2019 about taking part in their 50th anniversary tour and being told they were not interested. That followed two stage appearances that year, one alongside former Manowar guitarist Ross The Boss, the other with a one-off lineup including former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and former Priest drummer Les Binks.
Downing has said he sent two resignation letters when he quit in 2011, the first a measured note implying retirement, the second setting out his grievances in detail, and believes the second was a key reason he was not asked back when Glenn Tipton stepped away from touring. He did rejoin his former bandmates on stage once, at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in November 2022 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
KK’s Priest played their first show on July 6, 2023 at Downing‘s own venue, KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton. Sermons Of The Sinner came out in October 2021 through Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records, and The Sinner Rides Again in September 2023 through Napalm Records.
Tour Dates:
- Sep 10 – The Magnolia, El Cajon, CA
- Sep 11 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
- Sep 12 – Fox Performing Arts Center, Riverside, CA
- Sep 13 – Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
- Sep 14 – Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, Santa Fe, NM
- Sep 16 – Emo’s, Austin, TX
- Sep 17 – Tulsa Theater, Tulsa, OK
- Sep 18 – House Of Blues, Dallas, TX
- Sep 19 – Aztec Theatre, San Antonio, TX
- Sep 20 – House Of Blues, Houston, TX
- Sep 22 – Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL
- Sep 23 – Peabody Auditorium, Daytona Beach, FL
- Sep 24 – Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, FL
- Sep 25 – The Ritz, Raleigh, NC
- Sep 26 – Penn’s Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA
- Sep 27 – Aura, Portland, ME
- Sep 29 – House Of Blues, Boston, MA
- Sep 30 – Hampton Beach Casino, Hampton, NH
- Oct 1 – Toyota Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT
- Oct 2 – Palladium Times Square, New York, NY
- Oct 3 – Carteret Performing Arts Center, Carteret, NJ
- Oct 5 – MTELUS, Montreal, QC
- Oct 6 – Hard Rock Casino, Ottawa, ON
- Oct 7 – Pickering Casino Resort, Pickering, ON
- Oct 9 – Des Plaines Theatre, Des Plaines, IL
- Oct 10 – Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, IL
- Oct 11 – Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, IL
- Oct 13 – Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA
- Oct 15 – Agora Theatre, Cleveland, OH
- Oct 17 – Epic Event Center, Green Bay, WI
- Oct 19 – Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
- Oct 21 – Midway Music Hall, Edmonton, AB
- Oct 22 – The Palace Theatre, Calgary, AB
- Oct 23 – Great Canadian Casino Vancouver, Coquitlam, BC
- Oct 24 – Great Canadian Casino Vancouver, Coquitlam, BC
- Oct 25 – Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA
- Oct 27 – San Jose Civic, San Jose, CA
- Oct 29 – The Show at Agua Caliente, Rancho Mirage, CA
- Oct 30 – House Of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
- Oct 31 – The Grove, Anaheim, CA
South America, 2027:
- Apr 24 – Banger’s Open Air Festival, São Paulo, Brazil
- Apr 26 – Teatro Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Apr 28 – Teatro Caupolicán, Santiago, Chile
- May 1 – Circo Volador, Mexico City, Mexico
