Japanese Metal Veterans LOUDNESS Announce 45th-Anniversary Shows For U.S. And Europe

After launching their 45th-anniverary celebrations in December, Japanese metal veterans LOUDNESS have announced a series of shows for this spring and summer, covering the U.S., Japan and Europe.

Confirmed tour dates are as follows:

March 19-21 - Hell's Heroes 2026 - Houston, TX
March 22 - The Rock Box - San Antonio, TX
March 24 - Whisky A Go Go - W. Hollywood, CA
March 25 - Coach House - San Juan Capistrano, CA
April 12-17 - Monstors Of Rock Cruise Rock The Nations - Miami, FL
May 06 - Zepp Fukuoka - Fukuoka, Japan
May 08 - Zepp Namba - Osaka, Japan
May 10 - Kanazawa Eight Hall - Ishikawa, Japan
May 12 - Zepp Nagoya - Aichi, Japan
May 15 - Zepp Sapporo - Hokkaido, Japan
May 17 - Sendai Gigs - Miyagi, Japan
May 29 - Zepp Divercity Tokyo - Tokyo, Japan
July 3-5 - Barcelona Rock Fest - Barcelona, Spain
July 3-6 - Time To Rock - Knislinge, Sweden

Founded in 1981, LOUDNESS toured North America and Europe in 1983 and made history the following year as the first Japanese band to sign with an international record label, Atlantic Records. They were also the first Japanese act to play at the prestigious Madison Square Garden and opened for a MÖTLEY CRÜE concert. Their first international release, "Thunder In The East" (1985) and the single "Crazy Nights" peaked at No. 4 in Japan and No. 74 on the U.S. Billboard chart.

LOUDNESS's lineup has changed multiple times since 1981, with the current incarnation consisting of three original members — lead singer Minoru Niihara, guitarist Akira Takasaki and bassist Masayoshi Yamashita — along with drummer Masayuki Suzuki, who joined the group in 2009.

Original LOUDNESS drummer Munetaka Higuchi died in 2008 after a year-long battle with liver cancer.

After Niihara's 1988 departure from LOUDNESS, the band brought in American singer Mike Vescera as a replacement for a few years before recruiting former EZO singer Masaki Yamada. In 2001, Takasaki reunited the original LOUDNESS lineup, with Niihara, Yamashita and Higuchi.