Slayer Announces Some U.K. Gigs Featuring Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Mastodon, and More
Before we begin, we should just nip this in the bud right now — this isn’t a tour. I know Kerry King’s said multiple times that Slayer will never tour again and this is a short run of dates in the U.K., but this isn’t a tour. It’s just a couple shows that run concurrent of one another in a generalized region with the same “special guests” on the bill. It’s not a tour.
Earlier this morning, the iconic thrash metal band announced that they’d be playing a couple extra shows in the U.K. this coming July.
The first date they announced today was a July 3 show at Blackweir Fields in Cardiff, Wales. This show will feature Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Mastodon, Hatebreed and Neckbreakker as the supporting acts/special guests. Then, three days later that same bill will play Finsbury Park in London on July 6.
All three of those dates represent the first time Slayer’s played anywhere overseas over the last six years and they’re the band’s only headlining shows on the continent this year. Both shows were scheduled to coincide with their appearance on July 5 for that legendary Back to the Beginning show to send Black Sabbath and Ozzy off into the sunset.
In a previous statement, Slayer frontman Tom Araya said he was excited to be able to celebrate the life and times of Black Sabbath, given his long-time love of the band.
“I am a Sabbath fan, and doing this show is an honor. I was hanging out with my brother and his friends during my junior year in high school, and we would play Sabbath all the time, so I am a big fan. Black Sabbath were the originators, people call them ’the godfathers of metal music.’ I think it’s going to be an amazing experience, from the beginning to the end. I’m really, really honored to be a part of this, it’s going to be great.”
This news came just a couple days after Slayer announced they’d also be playing the Festival d’été de Québec in Quebec City, Canada on July 11. This is in addition to their previously announced appearance at Louder Than Life, which will take place on September 18 in Louisville, Kentucky.
