KK'S PRIEST Announces First Leg Of 2024 USA Headline Tour

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing's new band KK'S PRIEST has announced its first-ever U.S. headlining tour.

The trek will kick off on March 7, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and will feature support from L.A. GUNS and BURNING WITCHES. The tour will be the first of at least a two-leg USA run of shows, planned to continue later in 2024.

Tickets for the KK'S PRIEST tour will go on sale to the general public tomorrow, Saturday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. EST. Check local venues or visit www.kkspriest.com to buy yours.

Downing says: "It has been far too long! I am very excited to announce that KK'S PRIEST will soon have the honor of playing our first-ever shows in the USA starting March 7th 2024. Finally, KK'S PRIEST metal is coming to my dear home away from home.

"We will be very proud to bring you the finest British steel from England — where the embryo of this beloved music was conceived so many years ago.

"The sands of time have moved so quickly for us all, but I am sure we all feel incredibly fortunate to have been a part of this nostalgic journey.

"I look forward to seeing everyone again. Rest assured that it will be 'Blood And Thunder', with 'Hellfire Thunderbolts' and much more. We promise to make history again together with you on this very special occasion.

"See you very soon!"

KK'S PRIEST's "Return Of The Sinner" USA tour 2024 with L.A. GUNS and BURNING WITCHES:

March 07 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
March 09 - Destin, FL - Club LA
March 10 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
March 12 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
March 13 - Buffalo, NY - Riverworks
March 15 - St. Charles, IL - Arcada Theatre
March 16 - Columbus, OH - King Of Clubs
March 17 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage Ae
March 19 - Newport, KY - Megacorp Pavilion
March 20 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater
March 22 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
March 23 - Patchogue, NY - Patchogue Theatre
March 24 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre

KK'S PRIEST made its live debut on July 6 at Downing's KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

KK'S PRIEST kicked off a five-date "Priests, Killers & Witches" U.K. tour on October 7 at O2 Institute in Birmingham. Special guest on all dates was former IRON MAIDEN vocalist Paul Di'Anno who performed a full set of classics straight from the first two MAIDEN records, and opening up the bill was BURNING WITCHES.

KK'S PRIEST's sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", came out in September via the Austrian label Napalm Records.

Joining Downing in KK'S PRIEST are former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens, as well as guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

The art for "The Sinner Rides Again" was created by talented artist Andy Pilkington.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year.

KK'S PRIEST released its debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing spent four months writing and recording "Sermons Of The Sinner" and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the 1980s.

Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony last November at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

Photo credit: Mind Art Visual