Megadeth bassist David Ellefson's European solo tour kicks off November 3 in Wolverhampton with a live one-off show at K.K.’s Steel Mill, featuring a full band set from Ellefson’s Sleeping Giants band, followed by a full-length set of Priest classics with legendary former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, former Judas Priest drummer Les Binks, and former Judas Priest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens. Former Iron Maiden vocalist, Blaze Bayley, will be the evening’s opening support act.

Les Binks has issued the following message via the K.K. Downing's Steel Mill Facebook page:

"It was in 2017 that I re-connected with K.K. Downing after a long hiatus since my departure from Judas Priest. I’d been asked by an American rock journalist to do an interview for K.K’.s Steel Mill website which introduced me to Jari Asell the editor in chief. Jari and I eventually met up at a hotel bar for a drink and a chat and at the end of the evening he handed me his phone, 'someone wants to say hello'. I recognized the Brummie accent straight away. 'Hello Mr. Downing'.

"Ken and I decided to meet up and catch up over a few pints of Guinness in one of his local pubs. We spent a very pleasant evening looking through some photos I brought along from our time together on tours. Guitarist AJ Mills also joined us that evening and assisted in keeping the Guinness flowing. Around about the same time I was asked to take part in a one-off recording project for the Devilstar organization based in Las Vegas.

"This involved former Anthrax guitarist Paul Crook now guitarist and producer for Meatloaf. I agreed to record a new version of ‘Beyond The Realms Of Death’. It just so happened that Tim Ripper Owens was playing a show in London. I had never met him before as he joined Priest long after I left, so I decided to attend his show and say hello. Next thing I know, I’m on stage behind the drummer’s kit playing songs I’d recorded with Priest but this time with Ripper. We had a long chat backstage afterwards and I asked him to do vocal duties on this new recording. He agreed, great!

"All we needed now was a guitarist to play K.K.’s solo section so who better to ask than the man himself. With K.K. on board we now had all three former JP members on the same record. The excellent Joey Vera provided the bass parts.

"Fast forward to late August 2019 while on a trip to Ireland I get an email from K.K., 'would you come up and join me, Ripper and Dave Ellefson for a one off show at the Steel Mill in Wolverhampton on 3rd November?' Well with a lineup like that it was a definite 'count me in!'

"After a recent brief rehearsal with K.K. up in Shropshire I’m happy to report that he is on great form and playing better than ever. I’m immensely excited and looking forward to this show. It will the first time that K.K. and I have walked on to a stage together since our time together in Judas Priest and with Ripper, Dave and the amazing AJ Mills this promises to a once in a lifetime, not to be missed kick ass Monster Metal event of the year."

The Steel Mill will also host a special pre-show VIP event whereby attendees will be treated to a More Life With Deth book signing event and one on one Q&A session with Ellefson, Downing & Hazaert, moderated by Mark Eglinton who co-authored K.K. Downing’s recent memoir, Heavy Duty Days And Nights In Judas Priest.

Says Downing, “I am very pleased to have been asked to perform a unique and special concert with Megadeth’s David Ellefson to celebrate the release of his new book More Life With Deth. The concert will also bring about the opportunity to play again with some very dear and talented metal legends from the past, the combination of these Icons will for sure enable us to deliver up one of the most exciting concerts this year, so much so that it would not be out of place to call this the ultimate ass kicking “MegaPriest” fest, and is one that is not to be missed.”

Adds Ellefson, “I speak very candidly in my new book More Life With Deth about the significance Judas Priest played in my early musical trajectory, specifically the Unleashed In The East live album with its picture-perfect image of what heavy metal should look and sound like. To me that album, along with its powerful cover image, captured the excitement I felt for a new era of music, one that would transition me from my roots in American hard rock over to that of British heavy metal. Over the years K.K and I became fast friends while we toured together with Priest & Megadeth, and I’m beyond thrilled to perform together onstage with him and his former Priest band mates, as we light up the Steel Mill together for a night of molten metal classics!”

He continues, “Thom (Hazaert) and I have been touring all summer across the USA supporting the new book and our Sleeping Giants release. Plus “Ripper” and I have shared stages all around the world in the last decade or so, and now to add Les Binks in the mix, who to my generation was the ultimate metal double bass drummer, this has become the ultimate ‘metal’ family reunion!”

Tour dates:

November
3 - Wolverhampton, England - KK’s Steel Mill (featuring K.K. Downing, Les Binks and Tim “Ripper” Owens)
4 - London, England - Camden Underworld
8 - Bellinzona, Switzerland - Pit
9 - Collegno, Italy - Padiglione 14
10 - Milano, Italy - Legend Club
12 - Bologna, Italy - Alchemica
13 - Tuoro Sul Trasimeno, Italy - Supernova
14 - Roma, Italy - Let It Beer

Ellefson will follow the European tour with his first ever solo Basstory clinic tour of South America.

November
19 - Ciudad Obregon, Mexico - Desert Bar
20 - Mexico City, Mexico - Teatro Ofelia
22 - Bogota, Colombia - Ace of Spades
23 - Quito, Ecuador - La Ideal
25 - Lima, Peru - Teatro Federico Garcia Lorca
26 - Santiago, Chile - Rock & Guitarras
28 - Asuncion, Paraguay - Centro Paraguayo Japonés
30 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Manifesto

December
1 - Manaus, Brazil - Teatro Manauara