20th century rock band announces new plans before upcoming 2026 tour
W.A.S.P., the renowned ’80s metal band, has made a significant announcement in anticipation of their 2026 tour. Following their recent revelation of a United States tour, the American hardcore metal band unveiled more thrilling news via Instagram. They announced that they will be headlining this year’s Basinfire Festival in June. Taking place in Spálené Poříčí near Pilsen, Czechia, the Basinfirefest is a four-day open-air music festival that focuses on metal, punk, and rock music, attracting both established international legends and emerging bands to perform on multiple stages. Among the lineup of artists set to perform at Basinfire this year are Death to All, Napalm Death, Six Feet Under, Steel Panther, Groza, High Parasite, and others.
The band shared their excitement with fans on Instagram by writing, “New European festival announcement! Headlining Basinfire Festival 2026, Czechia June 24-27!” In addition to this festival performance, W.A.S.P. is gearing up for their 1984 To Headless 2026 North America Tour, commencing in El Cajon, California, on September 10, and concluding on Halloween night in Anaheim, California.
Formed in Los Angeles in 1982, W.A.S.P. quickly made a name for themselves in the heavy metal scene of the city with their debut self-titled album. Some of their most iconic tracks include hits like “I Wanna Be Somebody,” “L.O.V.E Machine,” “Wild Child,” “Blind in Texas,” and “Forever Free,” along with popular covers like “I Don’t Need No Doctor” by Ray Charles and The Who’s “The Real Me.” Over the course of their career, W.A.S.P. has released a total of 15 studio albums, with their latest being Golgotha in 2015. They also treated fans to a remastered edition of their 1992 album, The Crimson Idol, in 2018, which they titled Reidolized: The Soundtrack to The Crimson Idol.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the upcoming North America tour, frontman Blackie Lawless shared, “It’s hard to express the genuine excitement I’m feeling in describing the 1984 To Headless U.S. Tour. Playing those songs from those first four albums in a combined package like this is something we’ve never attempted before.” Joining W.A.S.P. as supporting acts for the tour will be the English heavy metal band KK’s Priest.
The Basinfirefest is scheduled to take place from June 24 to 27, with ticket prices starting at €101.49. Fans can find more information and purchase tickets on the festival’s official website. As the anticipation builds for W.A.S.P.’s upcoming performances, music enthusiasts worldwide are eagerly awaiting the return of this iconic ’80s metal band to the stage.