Nikki Sixx ‘Honestly Thought We Were Done’ After Mötley Crüe’s 2015 Farewell Tour

Mötley Crüe bassist and primary songwriter Nikki Sixx has insisted that the band’s infamous “Final Tour” in 2015 was not a marketing gimmick, but a genuine attempt to close the book on their touring career.

In a new interview with Portland’s KPTV Fox 12, Sixx reflected on the band’s decision to tear up their “cessation of touring agreement” and the unexpected cultural resurgence that brought them back to stadiums worldwide.

“We did in 2015 do a farewell tour. And we honestly thought that was it. We were done. Everything was cool,” Sixx admitted in the interview.

According to Sixx, the catalyst for their reunion was not boredom, but the explosive success of their 2019 Netflix biopic, “The Dirt.” The film introduced the band’s chaotic history to a new generation, creating a demand that promoters couldn’t ignore.

“The [Mötley Crüe] movie came out on Netflix, “The Dirt.” And I don’t know how many hundreds of millions of people saw that, and [it] put us in a place where they came to us and asked us if we wanted to do eight shows,” Sixx explained. “And we were, like, ‘We love to play for our fans, but we’ve kind of already wrapped it up,’ and blah, blah, blah. They said, ‘No. Eight stadiums.’ And we were, like, ‘Oh.'”

That initial offer ballooned into “The World Tour” alongside Def Leppard, which saw the bands play 138 stadium dates across the globe. “It was just exciting to be back out there again,” Sixx added.

Now, the band is looking forward to 2026 and the “The Return Of Carnival Of Sins” tour. This trek, celebrating the band’s 45th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of their original circus-themed production, aims to utilize modern technology to surpass their past spectacles.

“For us to go out and have to top the original ‘Carnival Of Sins‘ tour, which was a lot of eye candy — a lot of eye candy… You top it with technology, and we’re just talking about all that now,” Sixx said.

Drawing inspiration from their recent Las Vegas residency, Sixx noted that new software allows for immersive storytelling that wasn’t possible two decades ago.

“The whole idea of the carnival or what’s going on behind the carnival in the ‘Carnival Of Sins‘ is open-ended. It’s not a big towering wall of metal they have to stick in a truck. It’s literally — you can take people somewhere else, which is super exciting.”

The 33-city tour kicks off this summer, featuring support from hard rock veterans Extreme and Tesla.

Mötley Crüe “The Return Of Carnival Of Sins” 2026 Tour Dates

With Special Guests Extreme and Tesla

• July 17 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
• July 18 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
• July 20 – Clarkson, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
• July 22 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
• July 24 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion
• July 25 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
• July 27 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
• July 29 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
• July 31 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
• Aug 1 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
• Aug 3 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
• Aug 12 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
• Aug 14 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
• Aug 15 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
• Aug 17 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
• Aug 19 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
• Aug 21 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater
• Aug 22 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
• Aug 24 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
• Aug 25 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
• Aug 27 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
• Aug 28 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
• Sep 8 – Kansas City, MO – Morton Amphitheater
• Sep 10 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
• Sep 11 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
• Sep 13 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
• Sep 16 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
• Sep 18 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
• Sep 19 – Long Beach, CA – Long Beach Amphitheater
• Sep 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
• Sep 23 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
• Sep 24 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheater
• Sep 26 – Ridgefield, WA – Cascades Amphitheater