MEGADETH, MOTRHEAD, VOLBEAT, LACUNA COIL: 'Gigantour' 2012 Dates Announced

Gigantour the critically acclaimed package festival founded in 2005 by esteemed hard rockers MEGADETH will make its highly anticipated return for the first time since 2008. The multi-artist bill with metal heavyweights MOTRHEAD, VOLBEAT and LACUNA COIL all personally picked by MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine will kick off January 26 in Camden, NJ. Before wrapping February 28 in Denver, Colorado, the tour will make stops all across the U.S. and Canada including a January 28 show in New York and February 24 in Los Angeles. Tickets are on sale beginning November 4. MEGADETH has also teamed up with VIPNation.com to provide fans with Ultimate VIP packages including premium tickets, meet-and-greets, exclusive gifts and more.

Gigantour is a chance to, as Mustaine says, tour with like-minded artists "that play heavy music in a high-energy environment," with a fan-friendly ticket price. He founded the tour in 2005 and invited such artists as ANTHRAX, DREAM THEATER, FEAR FACTORY, LAMB OF GOD, OPETH, STATIC-X and IN FLAMES to join MEGADETH.

Lemmy, frontman of the legendary MOTRHEAD, looks forward to performing at this year's Gigantour amongst all the other talented musicians. "We've done festivals in Europe with LACUNA COIL and they're workaholics as well! VOLBEAT are great, too; the whole bill is pretty diverse and I advise everyone who likes being deaf, and/or can lip-read already, to come out and see what the stuff that doesn't get any MTV Video Awards sounds like! Gigantour is just that!"

He goes on to say, "MEGADETH are one of the greatest bands to tread a stage anywhere and me and Dave have been promising each other we'd tour together ever since we met! VOLBEAT and LACUNA COIL are interesting choices and I think it's gonna be incredible trying to understand each other backstage! Come and see what eclectic means! (look THAT up in your Funk & Wagnall's)! See you!"

VOLBEAT vocalist and guitarist Michael Poulsen said the band couldn't refuse Mustaine's offer to join the tour. "This is something you don't think twice about; it's a must and a blessing," he said. "They [MEGADETH and MOTRHEAD] are two of the world's biggest/best and most important bands in heavy rock history. Since the beginning, MEGADETH and MOTRHEAD have been a huge inspiration of my/our musical careers. To have the opportunity to go on the road and share the stage with these two legendary rock bands, is another dream come true in the VOLBEAT adventure. We are very thankful and cannot wait to play in front of these two legendary bands' audience for some intense minutes of Volbeat rock!"

LACUNA COIL is eager to return for their second Gigantour; they first performed as part of the 2007 tour. "When we were invited to join Gigantour once again, we were really happy as it seems like the perfect way to start the 'Dark Adrenaline' album cycle in the U.S.," says co-vocalist Andrea Ferro. "Our new album will be released during the tour and it's gonna be great. We will be playing alongside metal legends like MEGADETH and MOTRHEAD and it's gonna be awesome. It's a great touring package with two classic bands and two younger bands who each have a unique sound like LACUNA COIL and VOLBEAT. Can't wait!" Co-vocalist Cristina Scabbia agrees. "WOW! Gigantour! I am super excited!! I mean are you kidding me? A tour with MEGADETH, MOTRHEAD, VOLBEAT and us? This is going to be so crushing that I think the walls are gonna fall down in some of the venues!! Are you guys ready? I definitely am!"

Gigantour 2012 dates:

Jan. 26 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
Jan. 27 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
Jan. 28 - New York, NY - Theater at Madison Square Garden
Jan. 29 - Lowell, MA - Tsongas Arena
Feb. 01 - Glens Falls, NY - Glens Falls Civic Center
Feb. 02 - Quebec City, QC - Colisee Pepsi Arena
Feb. 03 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
Feb. 05 - Kingston, ON - K-Rock Centre
Feb. 07 - Oshawa, ON - General Motors Centre
Feb. 08 - Hamilton, ON - Copps Coliseum
Feb. 09 - Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills
Feb. 10 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
Feb. 12 - Milwaukee, WI - Eagles Ballroom
Feb. 14 - St. Paul, MN - Myth
Feb. 16 - Saskatoon, SK - Prairieland
Feb. 17 - Edmonton, AB - Shaw Conference Centre
Feb. 18 - Calgary, AB - Big 4 Building
Feb. 20 - Abbotsford, BC - Abbotsford Ent & Sports Centre
Feb. 21 - Kent, WA - Showare Center
Feb. 23 - San Jose, CA - Events Center
Feb. 24 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre
Feb. 25 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre
Feb. 26 - Albuquerque, NM - Tingley Coliseum
Feb. 28 - Denver, CO - The Fillmore Auditorium

The third installment of the North American Gigantour officially launched on April 12, 2008 in Denver, Colorado with headliner MEGADETH, Swedish metal band IN FLAMES, Finland's CHILDREN OF BODOM, Arizona's modern extreme act JOB FOR A COWBOY and Oakland, California heavy power trio HIGH ON FIRE. The 29-date trek criss-crossed North America and wrapped May 22, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona.

The "Gigantour 2" DVD and CD, which contains footage from the second coming of Gigantour, arrived on April 22, 2008 via Image Entertainment.