The last few weeks have brought us countless new music and live announcements, with no sign of slowing down for live shows. Metal Insider has rounded up 21 of some of the latest tour announcements, updates, and major festival news, so you can catch up on what you may have missed or revisit the highlights.
01) Rush expand 2026 tour dates again
Rush have once again added more dates to their highly anticipated 2026 Fifty Something Tour. The trek will see co-founders Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson come together to celebrate the band’s legacy and the life of late drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. Rush have recruited German drummer Anika Nilles. The newest tour updates include second dates added as well as a second Mexico City Date. Tickets are available at this location.
Tour Dates
06/07 Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
06/09 Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
06/11 Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
06/13 Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
06/18 Mexico City, MX @ Palacio de los Deportes
06/20 Mexico City, MX @ Palacio de los Deportes
06/24 Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
06/26 Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
06/28 Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
06/30 Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
07/16 Chicago, IL @ United Center
07/18 Chicago, IL @ United Center
07/20 Chicago, IL @ United Center
07/22 Chicago, IL @ United Center
07/28 New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
07/30 New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
08/01 New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
08/03 New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
08/07 Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
08/09 Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
08/11 Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
08/13 Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
08/21 Philadelphia, PA @ Xfinity Mobile Arena
08/23 Philadelphia, PA @ Xfinity Mobile Arena
08/26 Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
08/28 Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
09/02 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
09/04 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
09/12 Boston, MA @ TD Garden
09/14 Boston, MA @ TD Garden
09/17 Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena
09/19 Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena
09/23 San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
09/25 San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
10/05 Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
10/07 Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
10/10 Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
10/12 Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
10/15 San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
10/17 San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
10/25 Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena
10/27 Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena
10/30 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
11/01 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
11/05 Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
11/07 Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
11/09 Tampa, FL @ Benchmark International Arena
11/11 Tampa, FL @ Benchmark International Arena
11/20 Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
11/22 Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
11/25 Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
11/27 Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
12/01 Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
12/03 Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
12/10 Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
12/12 Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
12/15 Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
12/17 Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
02) Helloween announce 2026 North American ’40th Anniversary’ Tour
German power metal masters Helloween will head out to North America for their 40th Anniversary Tourwith support from Beast In Black. The band made the initial announced on Halloween via social media. The group has later revealed, tickets will go on sale this Friday (7th) and will be available here.
Tour Dates
04/07 Dallas, TX @ The Factory 04/08 San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec 04/10 Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle 04/12 Orlando, FL @ House of Blues 04/14 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore 04/15 Boston, MA @ House of Blues 04/17 New York, NY @ The Palladium Times Square 04/18 Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia 04/19 Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre 04/21 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave 04/23 Denver, CO @ The Paramount Theatre 04/25 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot 04/28 Seattle, WA @ The Paramount Theatre 04/30 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield 05/01 Los Angeles, CA @ YouTube Theatre 05/02 Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
03) Headbangers Boat to set sail for Year Four in 2026
Headbangers Boat will return in 2026, embarking on October 30 through November 3, from Miami to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, on the Norwegian Jewel. Tickets and more information are available here.
First wave of bands include:
Lamb of God Zakk Sabbath The Dillinger Escape Plan In Flames GWAR The Haunted D.R.I. 200 Stab Wounds
04) Welcome To Rockville 2026 Lineup shaping up…
The lineup for the 2026 edition of Welcome to Rockville is slowly getting announced. The festival will return to the Daytona International Speedway in Florida on May 7-10, 2026. For tickets and more information, check out the event’s website.
Here are some of the latest bands added to the 2026 lineup:
My Chemical Romance Bring Me The Horizon The Offspring Staind Rise Against Ice Nine Kills Lorna Shore Dethklok Atreyu The Plot In You Sevendust Avatar Paleface Swiss Cradle of Filth Whitechapel Make Them Suffer Dragonforce All That Remains Saliva Drowning Pool Buckcherry Nekrogoblikon 10 Years Psychostick Amira Elfeky Sick Puppies Spineshank Fozzy The Ataris Galactic Empire Nonpoint
Ill Nino
Primer 55 Signs of the Swarm Wolves At The Gate Colorblind Disembodied Tyrant
05) Megadeth announce 2026 Latin American Tour Dates
Megadeth are on their way to say farewell, after its final album, followed by an extensive farewell world tour. The thrash metal outfit recently announced their Latin American tour for 2026, dubbed This Was Our Life Tour. Tickets are available at this location.
Tour Dates
04/23 Lima, PER @ Costa 21 04/25 Bogota, COL @ Movistar Arena 04/30 Buenoes Aires, ARG @ TBA 05/02 Sao Paulo, BRA @ Espaco Unimed 05/05 Santiago, CHL @ Movistar Arena 05/08 Monterrey, MEX @ Arena Monterrey
05/10 Mexico City, MEX @ Arena Ciudad de Mexico
05/13 Guadalajara, MEX @ Arena Guadalajara
06) Metal Allegiance return to Anaheim in 2026 with an all-star guest lineup
Metal Allegiance featuring David Ellefson (Megadeth), Mark Menghi (King Ultramega), Alex Skolnick (Testament), and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), have announced their return to Anaheim’s House of Blues on January 22, 2026. The metal supergroup, now signed to Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), will be joined by Chuck Billy (Testament), John Bush (ex-Anthrax, Armored Saint), Doc Coyle (Bad Wolves), William DuVall (Alice in Chains), Jack Gibson and Gary Holt (Exodus/Slayer), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), and Troy Sanders (Mastodon), with support from Chained Saint, Red Reign, and Lost Legacy. Tickets are available at this location.
07) Hypocrisy announce Spring 2026 European Tour
Hypocrisy will embark on a headlining European Mass Hallucination Tour in spring 2026, with support from Abbath, Vomitory, and Vreid. Tickets are available at this location.
Tour Dates:
04/02 Berlin, GER @ Astra 04/03 Copenhagen, DEN @ Amager Bio 04/04 Gothenburg, SWE @ Tradgarn 04/05 Stockholm, SWE @ Fryshuset 04/07 Helsinki, FIN @ Tavastia 04/08 Riga, LAT @ Spelet 04/09 Gdansk, POL @ B90 04/10 Brno, CZE @ Sono Centrum 04/11 Lichtenfels, GER @ Ragnarök Festival 04/12 Bratislava, SLO @ Majestic Music Club 04/14 Sofia, BUL @ Joy Station 04/15 Bucharest, ROM @ Arenele Romane 04/17 Ljubljana, SLO @ Cvetlicarna 04/18 Geiselwind, GER @ Metal Franconia 04/19 Pratteln, SWI @ Z7 Konzertfabrik 04/21 Hamburg, GER @ Gruenspan 04/22 Stuttgart, GER @ LKA Longhorn 04/23 Cologne, GER @ Essigfabrik 04/24 Leipzig, GER @ Felsenkeller 04/25 Munich, GER @ Backstage 04/26 Leiden, NET @ Stadsgehoorzaal 04/28 Antwerp, BEL @ Trix 04/29 Paris, FRA @ La Machine du Moulin Rouge 05/01 Manchester, UK @ Academy 2 – without Abbath 05/02 London, UK @ Incineration Festival – without Abbath
08) Beyond the Gates 2026 announces second wave of bands
Beyond the Gates has revealed the second wave of artists for its 2026 edition, set for July 29–August 1 in Bergen, Norway. The festival will host Beherit’s first-ever Norwegian performance, joined by Bölzer, Castle Rat, Dold Vorde Ens Navn, and Saturnalia Temple, with more to be announced soon. Tickets are available at this location.
Lineup so far:
Emperor ft. Mortiis and Faust
Beherit
1349
Arcturus
Bölzer
The Ruins of Beverast
Spectral Wound
Warning
Castle Rat
Forteresse
Misotheist
Imha Tarikat
Sulphur Aeon
Dold Vorde Ens Navn
Concrete Winds
Saturnalia Temple
09) VNV Nation announce An Evening With VNV Nation Spring 2026 Tour
VNV Nation will hold a special, An Evening With VNV Nation, tour set for spring 2026. Tickets are available at this location.
Tour Dates
04/14 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In 04/15 Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall 04/17 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room 04/18 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum 04/19 Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse 04/21 Austin, TX @ Empire Garage 04/23 Mesa, AZ @ The Nile Theater 04/24 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues 04/25 Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco 04/26 San Francisco, CA @ August Hall 04/28 Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall 04/29 Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre 05/01 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex 05/02 Denver, CO @ Ritual Noize Fest 05/04 Omaha, NE @ The Slowdown 05/05 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line 05/07 Chicago, IL @ Metro 05/08 Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew’s Hall 05/9 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues 05/10 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall 05/12 Montreal, QC @ Théâtre Beanfield 05/13 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club 05/15 Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw 05/16 Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage 05/17 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
10) Alice Cooper and Criss Angel announce ‘Welcome to Our Nightmare’ at Planet Hollywood
The legenedary Alice Cooper and illusionist Criss Angel are joining forces for the first time ever with Welcome to Our Nightmare, a two-night limited engagement at the Criss Angel Theater inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on March 6–7, 2026. The two will merge shock rock and magic tricks in a 90-minute spectacle. Tickets go on sale Thursday (6) at 10 a.m. PT via this location.
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