Watch: Ex-METALLICA Bassist JASON NEWSTED And His THE CHOPHOUSE BAND Kick Off First-Ever North American Headlining Tour

Former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted and his THE CHOPHOUSE BAND kicked off their first-ever North American headlining tour Wednesday night (July 1) at Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, Massachusetts. Video of the concert can be seen below.

JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND will play seven more headlining dates in cities including Albany, Alexandria, Grand Rapids, Knoxville and more. The group will also support iconic Atlanta country rock outfit BLACKBERRY SMOKE for 10 shows in July.

This 18-date run will visit major markets across the South, Midwest, and East Coast, and conclude with a two-night stand at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on July 24-25.

Since 1992, JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND have performed periodically at select benefit shows and charity gigs, supporting causes like veterans' relief and animal rehabilitation, as well as youth music and arts education programs.

Newsted leads the 2026 JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND lineup, in which he is joined by Jesse Farnsworth (guitar, vocals),Jimbo Hart (bass, vocals),Humberto Perez (guitar) and Robert John-Tucker (drums, vocals).

When the tour was first announced in April, Jason said in a statement: "We're fired up to finally take this to the people, and it's an honor to head out on the road with the BLACKBERRY crew for our first proper run. BLACKBERRY SMOKE has built a loyal following that knows and enjoys good music.

"We'll be performing THE CHOPHOUSE BAND originals and selections from a few of our heroes. Even at places like the Ryman, we will play some acoustic-based tunes, but throughout the set it is guaranteed to get heavy!"

JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND play a gritty brand of outsider Americana, with roots outstretched into traditions of bluegrass, folk, soul, rock, and a bit of heavy metal. At the same time, Newsted's lyrics cut deep as he threads personal stories into the fabric of this music, presenting perhaps the most intimate and uncompromising portrait of who he is thus far.

Jason stated: "I've realized that this is where I can place my energy effectively now. THE CHOPHOUSE is the continuation of my ambassadorship of American music. THE CHOPHOUSE BAND plays everything from bluegrass to fucking slabs of metal. We're covering a lot of ground. There could be country flavor to a song, but it'll still have sharp teeth. We are looking forward to an exciting summer!"

Named after Jason's four recording studio facilities around the U.S. and featuring a fluid roster of players, THE CHOPHOUSE BAND began in 1992 when Newsted founded The Chophouse Records Studio in San Francisco.

THE CHOPHOUSE BAND is led by Newsted, playing guitar and performing lead vocal, accompanied by 
close friends/musicians of all walks and styles.

Jason previously told the Palm Beach Florida Weekly about THE CHOPHOUSE BAND: "We all get along great because there's not money involved. They've got their own bands, their own families, their own gigs. We do benefit gigs, six a year, and that's it. I record and write and play songs the whole rest of the time. They could all run circles around me musical theory-wise. They could tell you everything they’re playing, and all the relating chords. I surround myself with the badasses, and they make me look really good. I'm playing cowboy chords the whole time, and they're doing their fancy shit to make me look good. I just concentrate on singing, and getting across the things I want people to hear."

Jason left METALLICA back in 2001, but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.

Twelve years ago, Jason shelved NEWSTED, the heavy metal project he operated between 2012 and 2014, saying that it cost him "an awful lot of money — hundreds of thousands of dollars." He added: "I couldn't continue because the business is such a harsh thing now and so different than what I had known."