Following their eagerly awaited reunion earlier this year, Austin’s legendary heavy rock band The Sword has announced its first run of U.S. tour dates. The band will head west this summer for a special tour celebrating the 15th anniversary of their acclaimed 2010 album, Warp Riders, by performing it front-to-back each night.
The tour kicks off on August 17th in Phoenix, Arizona, and concludes on August 30th in Los Angeles, California. Support for all dates will come from Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol and Pink Fuzz. Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 2nd, at 10 a.m. local time via the band’s official website.
Vocalist and guitarist JD Cronise urged fans not to miss this unique opportunity:
“This is probably the only chance people will have to see us perform the entire album, so don’t miss out!”
The anniversary celebration comes after a special, limited-edition vinyl reissue of Warp Riders was released for Record Store Day this year. Remastered by J. Robbins and featuring an embossed mirror board jacket, the “Sea of Pyres” variant sold out within hours.
Upon its original release in 2010, Warp Riders, a concept album filled with sci-fi themes, garnered praise for its ambitious scope and heavy riffs. The BBC noted its “level of fantastical grandeur,” The Quietus called it “brilliant,” and Pitchfork described it as “Camaro-ready riff-rock.”
The announcement of the Warp Riders tour follows the band’s confirmation of their reunion earlier in 2025. Speaking about getting back together, particularly after a performance at Levitation Festival, JD Cronise told Revolver it felt “like putting on a comfortable pair of sneakers.” Guitarist Kyle Shutt added:
“I can’t tell you what it means to see everyone’s positive reception. It feels so good to see people out there almost more enthusiastic about the band than ever – it’s something we’ll never take for granted.”
Before the U.S. dates, The Sword will perform several shows in Europe this June, including festival appearances at Copenhell, Freak Valley, and Tons of Rock, along with headlining club dates.
Formed in Austin in 2003, The Sword quickly established themselves with a potent mix of classic heavy metal and modern hard rock. The band, currently comprising JD Cronise, Kyle Shutt, bassist Bryan Richie, and drummer Santiago Vela, has released six studio albums: Age of Winters (2006), Gods of the Earth (2008), Warp Riders (2010), Apocryphon (2012), High Country (2015), and Used Future (2018).
The Sword Warp Riders 15th Anniversary Tour Dates:
- August 17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
- August 18 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar
- August 19 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
- August 20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
- August 22 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
- August 23 – Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
- August 24 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
- August 25 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
- August 27 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
- August 28 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s
- August 29 – San Diego, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
- August 30 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether
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