# Epitaph World Tour

The Epitaph World Tour was a concert tour by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, at the time intended to be the band's farewell tour. The tour commenced in June 2011 and concluded in May 2012. The tour was named after the 6th track from their Sad Wings of Destiny album.
Guitarist K. K. Downing abruptly left the band shortly before the start of the tour. He was replaced by then 31-year-old Briton, Richie Faulkner. The last date of the tour was held in an unusually small venue, London's Hammersmith Apollo. This return to Judas Priest's homeland was filmed for a live DVD.
Epitaph would ultimately turn out not to be the band's final tour, as they embarked on the Redeemer of Souls Tour two years later.

## Production

On 10 May, the band announced that preparations for the tour had begun, including rehearsals, photos, stage construction, and special effects.
On 6 June, guitarist Glenn Tipton announced on his website that:
   We have just finished production rehearsals for our Epitaph World Tour; the show looks great bikes, lasers, flames you name it, we've got it.
   But as always, the most important thing is the music and the set list contains all the old favorites combined with songs we haven't played before live, such as "Blood Red Skies" and "Never Satisfied", and also earlier songs, including "Starbreaker" and "Night Crawler".
   In addition we changed the arrangement of some songs slightly, including "Diamonds and Rust" and "Hell Bent for Leather", which I'm sure every one will enjoy.
   Our first show is in Holland on June 7th at Tilburg; the band is really excited and can't wait to get back on stage. I will post regular bulletins from now and as the tour gets underway keep every body up-to-date on our progress.

## Rob Halford incident

On the 15 September 2011 show in Brasília, Rob Halford fell off his Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he rode across the stage, only to slip off as "Hell Bent for Leather" was set to be performed. This was reminiscent of an incident that occurred on the Operation Rock & Roll tour in 1991, but this time he did not sustain any major injuries. He was assisted by crew members as the intro piece began, and finished the show thereafter.

## Tour dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue/Event |
| Europe, Leg #1 ||||
| 7 June 2011 | Tilburg | Netherlands | 013 |
| 9 June 2011 | Sölvesborg | Sweden | Sweden Rock Festival |
| 11 June 2011 | Tampere | Finland | Sauna Open Air Metal Festival |
| 14 June 2011 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Spektrum |
| 15 June 2011 | Bergen | Norway | Edvard Griegsplass |
| 17 June 2011 | Copenhagen | Denmark | Copenhell Festival |
| 19 June 2011 | Clisson | France | Hellfest |
| 20 June 2011 | Paris | France | Le Zénith |
| 22 June 2011 | Milan | Italy | Gods of Metal Festival |
| 23 June 2011 | Basel | Switzerland | Sonisphere Festival |
| 25 June 2011 | Dessel | Belgium | Graspop Metal Meeting Festival |
| 27 June 2011 | Munich | Germany | Zenith |
| 28 June 2011 | Prague | Czech Republic | O$_2$ Arena |
| 29 June 2011 | Vienna | Austria | Wiener Stadthalle |
| 1 July 2011 | Belgrade | Serbia | Beogradska Arena |
| 3 July 2011 | Bucharest | Romania | Piața Constituției |
| 5 July 2011 | Athens | Greece | Faliro Olympic Complex |
| 6 July 2011 | Thessaloniki | Greece | Kaftanzoglio Stadium |
| 8 July 2011 | Sofia | Bulgaria | Balgarska Armia Stadium |
| 10 July 2011 | Istanbul | Turkey | Maçka Küçükçiftlik Park |
| 15 July 2011 | Newport | Wales | Newport Centre |
| 16 July 2011 | Manchester | England | O$_2$ Apollo |
| 17 July 2011 | Doncaster | England | The Dome |
| 19 July 2011 | Glasgow | Scotland | SECC |
| 20 July 2011 | Newcastle | England | Metro Radio Arena |
| 21 July 2011 | Wolverhampton | England | Wolverhampton Civic Hall |
| 23 July 2011 | London | England | High Voltage Festival |
| 24 July 2011 | Bournemouth | England | Bournemouth International Centre |
| 27 July 2011 | Lisbon | Portugal | Pavilhão Atlântico |
| 29 July 2011 | A Coruña | Spain | Coliseum da Coruña |
| 30 July 2011 | Madrid | Spain | Plaza de Toros La Cubierta |
| 31 July 2011 | Bilbao | Spain | Bizkaia Arena |
| 2 August 2011 | Barcelona | Spain | Palau Municipal d'Esports Badelona |
| 5 August 2011 | Wacken | Germany | Wacken Open Air |
| 7 August 2011 | Colmar | France | Foire aux Vins Festival |
| 9 August 2011 | Berlin | Germany | O$_2$ World |
| 10 August 2011 | Katowice | Poland | Spodek |
| 11 August 2011 | Budapest | Hungary | Sziget Festival |
| Latin America ||||
| 10 September 2011 | São Paulo | Brazil | Arena Anhembi |
| 11 September 2011 | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Citibank Hall |
| 13 September 2011 | Belo Horizonte | Brazil | Chevrolet Hall |
| 15 September 2011 | Brasília | Brazil | Ginásio Nilson Nelson |
| 18 September 2011 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | El Cilindro |
| 20 September 2011 | Santiago | Chile | Movistar Arena |
| 23 September 2011 | Bogotá | Colombia | Coliseo Cubierto el Campín |
| 25 September 2011 | Caracas | Venezuela | Terraza del C.C.C.T. |
| 27 September 2011 | San José | Costa Rica | Estadio Nacional |
| 30 September 2011 | Mexico City | Mexico | Palacio de los Deportes |
| 1 October 2011 | Guadalajara | Mexico | Auditorio Telmex |
| 3 October 2011 | Monterrey | Mexico | Auditorio Banamex |
| North America ||||
| 12 October 2011 | San Antonio | United States | AT&T Center |
| 14 October 2011 | Corpus Christi | United States | Concrete Street Amphitheater |
| 15 October 2011 | The Woodlands | United States | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion |
| 16 October 2011 | Allen | United States | Allen Event Center |
| 18 October 2011 | Tucson | United States | AVA Amphitheater |
| 19 October 2011 | Chula Vista | United States | Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre |
| 21 October 2011 | Phoenix | United States | Arizona State Fair |
| 22 October 2011 | San Bernardino | United States | San Manuel Amphitheater |
| 23 October 2011 | Las Vegas | United States | The Joint |
| 25 October 2011 | Bakersfield | United States | Rabobank Arena |
| 27 October 2011 | Concord | United States | Sleep Train Pavilion |
| 29 October 2011 | Seattle | United States | WaMu Theater |
| 30 October 2011 | Vancouver | Canada | Rogers Arena |
| 1 November 2011 | Edmonton | Canada | Shaw Conference Centre |
| 2 November 2011 | Calgary | Canada | Scotiabank Saddledome |
| 4 November 2011 | West Valley City | United States | Maverik Center |
| 5 November 2011 | Broomfield | United States | 1stBank Center |
| 8 November 2011 | Cincinnati | United States | U.S. Bank Arena |
| 9 November 2011 | Springfield | United States | Prairie Capital Convention Center |
| 10 November 2011 | St. Charles | United States | Family Arena |
| 12 November 2011 | Hammond | United States | The Venue at Horseshoe Casino |
| 13 November 2011 | Detroit | United States | Joe Louis Arena |
| 15 November 2011 | Cleveland | United States | Quicken Loans Arena |
| 16 November 2011 | Rochester | United States | Main Street Armory |
| 18 November 2011 | East Rutherford | United States | Izod Center |
| 19 November 2011 | Johnstown | United States | Cambria County War Memorial Arena |
| 20 November 2011 | Lowell | United States | Tsongas Center |
| 22 November 2011 | Toronto | Canada | Air Canada Centre |
| 23 November 2011 | Quebec City | Canada | Colisée Pepsi |
| 24 November 2011 | Montreal | Canada | Bell Centre |
| 26 November 2011 | Reading | United States | Sovereign Center |
| 27 November 2011 | Winston-Salem | United States | Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| 30 November 2011 | Tampa | United States | 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre |
| 1 December 2011 | Miami | United States | Bayfront Park Amphitheater |
| 3 December 2011 | Biloxi | United States | Hard Rock Hotel and Casino |
| Asia ||||
| 4 February 2012 | Seoul | South Korea | Olympic Gymnastics Arena |
| 7 February 2012 | Fukuoka | Japan | Sun Palace |
| 9 February 2012 | Yokohama | Japan | Pacifico Yokohama |
| 11 February 2012 | Kobe | Japan | Kobe Kokusai Hall |
| 13 February 2012 | Hiroshima | Japan | Alsok Hall |
| 14 February 2012 | Nagoya | Japan | Aichi Prefectural Arts Theater |
| 16 February 2012 | Tokyo | Japan | Zepp |
| 17 February 2012 | Tokyo | Japan | Nippon Budokan |
| 20 February 2012 | Central Area | Singapore | Fort Canning |
| Europe, Leg #2 ||||
| 14 April 2012 | Katowice | Poland | Spodek |
| 16 April 2012 | Kyiv | Ukraine | Palace of Sports |
| 18 April 2012 | Moscow | Russia | Stadium Live |
| 20 April 2012 | Saint Petersburg | Russia | Yubileyny Sports Palace |
| 22 April 2012 | Helsinki | Finland | Helsingin Jäähalli |
| 24 April 2012 | Linköping | Sweden | Cloetta Center |
| 25 April 2012 | Stockholm | Sweden | Hovet |
| 27 April 2012 | Hamburg | Germany | Alsterdorfer Sporthalle |
| 28 April 2012 | Leipzig | Germany | Arena Leipzig |
| 30 April 2012 | Münster | Germany | Halle Münsterland |
| 1 May 2012 | Düsseldorf | Germany | Mitsubishi Electric Halle |
| 3 May 2012 | Stuttgart | Germany | Porsche-Arena |
| 4 May 2012 | Nuremberg | Germany | Arena Nürnberger Versicherung |
| 5 May 2012 | Linz | Austria | TipsArena Linz |
| 8 May 2012 | Pardubice | Czech Republic | ČEZ Aréna |
| 9 May 2012 | Bratislava | Slovakia | Incheba Hall |
| 11 May 2012 | Mantua | Italy | PalaBam |
| 12 May 2012 | Fribourg | Switzerland | Forum |
| 15 May 2012 | Madrid | Spain | Palacio Vistalegre |
| 16 May 2012 | Barcelona | Spain | Palau Sant Jordi |
| 18 May 2012 | Seville | Spain | Auditorio Municipal Rocío Jurado |
| 20 May 2012 | San Sebastián | Spain | Velódromo de Anoeta |
| 23 May 2012 | Antwerp | Belgium | Lotto Arena |
| 24 May 2012 | Kerkrade | Netherlands | Rodahal |
| 26 May 2012 | London | England | Hammersmith Apollo |

## Setlist

According to a posting on Tipton's website on 27 January 2011, the tour will "include some classic Priest songs that we haven't played before -- and of course, the old favourites that everybody will want to hear." On 15 February, the band announced they were considering playing at least one song from each of their albums as part of the setlist.
The setlist for the first leg of the tour was as follows:
* "Battle Hymn"
* "Rapid Fire"
* "Metal Gods"
* "Heading Out to the Highway"
* "Judas Rising"
* "Starbreaker"
* "Victim of Changes"
* "Never Satisfied"
* "Diamonds and Rust" (acoustic to heavy version)
* "Prophecy"
* "Night Crawler"
* "Turbo Lover"
* "Beyond the Realms of Death"
* "The Sentinel"
* "Blood Red Skies"
* "The Green Manalishi (with the Two Prong Crown)"
* "Breaking the Law"
* "Painkiller"
* "The Hellion"/"Electric Eye"
* "Hell Bent for Leather"
* "You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
* "Living After Midnight"
Note: The band played a shorter set with omitted songs at certain festival appearances.

## Reviews

A review of the band's performance at the Sonisphere Festival in Basel, Switzerland by RockAAA.com was favourable, praising both Rob Halford's vocal performance and Richie Faulkner's guitar playing. The reviewer said that Halford's "tone is astonishing...and [his] delivery as good as there is in the business."

## Support acts

* Black Label Society (12 October – 3 December 2011)
* Crash (4 February 2012)
* Diablo ft. Yim Jae-beom (4 February 2012)
* Duff McKagan's Loaded (20 June 2011)
* Exodus (10 August 2011)
* HammerFall (22–25 April 2012)
* Hatebreed (3 July 2011)
* Kobra and the Lotus (26 May 2012)
* Lamb of God (20 February 2012)
* Morbid Angel (10 August 2011)
* Motörhead (29 July – 2 August 2011)
* Queensrÿche (15–27 July 2011)
* Rival Sons (15–24 July 2011)
* Sabaton (9 August 2011)
* Saxon (29 July – 2 August 2011; 23–26 May 2012)
* Thin Lizzy (12 October – 3 December 2011; 27 April – 4 May 2012)
* Vader (10 August 2011)
* Whitesnake (27 June – 10 July 2011; 10 September – 3 October 2011)
* Leash Eye (14 April 2012)

## Personnel

* Rob Halford – lead vocals
* Glenn Tipton – guitar
* Richie Faulkner – guitar
* Ian Hill – bass
* Scott Travis – drums