Megadeth Announce UK Dates for European Farewell Tour

Megadeth have officially lined up their return to the UK for the first time in 11 years, marking the latest extension of their farewell tour. Though the thrash metal band announced plans for a final tour nearly a year ago, there is still no end in sight for the run, which will carry the band into 2027 for their first headline shows since 2015.

Before hitting British shores, Megadeth remains busy on the road with a current North American stint, followed by a trip Down Under in November.

The 2027 UK and European Itinerary

The upcoming UK stretch kicks off on March 9 at The O2 in Belfast. From there, the band will hit cities across the UK throughout the month before crossing over into continental Europe for a string of dates spanning from March 21 to April 13.

British and European fans looking to secure tickets can take advantage of a presale starting at 9 am local time on August 6, with the general sale following on August 7 at 10 am.

Megadeth UK and Europe 2027 Dates

March 9 – The O2, Belfast
March 11 – OVO Arena Wembley, London
March 12 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
March 13 – Co-op Live, Manchester
March 15 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
March 16 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
March 18 – BP Pulse Live, Birmingham
March 19 – First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds
March 21 – Zenith Paris La Villette, Paris
March 23 – Forest National, Brussels
March 24 – AFAS Live, Amsterdam
March 25 – Mitsubishi Electric HALLE, Dusseldorf
March 27 – K B Hallen, Copenhagen
March 28 – Spektrum, Oslo
March 30 – Sporthalle, Hamburg
April 1 – Velodrom, Berlin
April 2 – Tauron Arena, Krakow
April 4 – Zenith, Munich
April 5 – Festhalle, Bern
April 6 – Unipol Forum, Milan
April 8 – Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon
April 10 – Olimpic Arena, Barcelona
April 12 – Movistar Arena, Madrid
April 13 – Sagres Campo Pequeno, Lisbon

Looking Ahead

The tour extension comes as no real surprise; frontman Dave Mustaine previously noted last year that the band’s final rodeo could stretch up to five years. At the same time, Mustaine acknowledged the realities of life and death, stating that he does not want to be one of those guys playing until his 80s and needs to take good care of himself.

This farewell trek serves as the vehicle for Megadeth’s recent string of projects, including their final self-titled album released in January and the accompanying documentary Behind the Mask. Meanwhile, rumors continue to circulate among fans regarding a potential greatest hits album on the way shortly, though no official announcement has yet been made.

Modest Mouse announced on Friday that guitarist Simon O’Connor will not join the band for their upcoming tour. The decision follows recent accusations on Reddit that O’Connor sent inappropriate messages to a minor on social media.

Modest Mouse live concert — Modest Mouse, Photo: Matthewvetter, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

“Simon O’Conner will not be joining us on the upcoming tour,” the band said in a statement shared on Instagram. “The good news is that Seth Jabour of Les Savy Fav will be jumping in to play guitar.”

Les Savy Fav live band — Les Savy Fav, Photo: Rama, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0 fr, via Wikimedia Commons

O’Connor’s tenure with Modest Mouse began in 2021, and he plays on the group’s recently released album An Eraser and a Maze. He is also a touring guitarist with MGMT. The allegations against him surfaced when a 17-year-old Reddit user posted screenshots of a conversation, claiming O’Connor sent an erotic image and commented on bikini pictures while she was 16 years old.

Simon O’Connor Responds to Allegations

O’Connor responded directly within the Reddit thread to address the situation. He wrote that he unequivocally opposes any sexual behavior toward minors and stated that it disgusts him as a human and a parent.

The guitarist explained that he mistook the user for someone who had previously targeted him online. “Throughout my adult life, there has been a person who has popped up from time to time with the intention of, for lack of a better term, messing with me,” O’Connor wrote, adding that the individual repeatedly creates and deletes social media accounts while posting similar photos.

According to O’Connor, after a long night, he noticed a profile interacting with his Instagram posts and stories. Believing it was the same individual, he admitted to reaching out with a tasteless meme, a sticker reading “Simon calls your bluff,” and an attempt to call out the barrage of likes. He stated that he realized his mistake after a few minutes, unsent the messages, and ceased communication.

“I’m genuinely sorry to the person who received those messages,” O’Connor added. “They didn’t deserve to be put in that position, and I’m sorry for the stress and attention this has brought them.”

Tour Schedule and Status

Despite the explanation and apology, Modest Mouse opted to leave O’Connor off the upcoming tour lineup. A representative for the band declined further comment beyond the group’s Instagram statement.

Modest Mouse’s tour is scheduled to kick off on August 4 at the Libbey Bowl in Ojai, California, and conclude on October 23 in Sacramento. The band concluded their statement by writing, “We look forward to being out there with you all.”