Slayer have announced dates for “The Final Campaign” — the seventh and last leg of the nearly 40-year-old metal band’s farewell world tour. The run of dates will start on Nov. 2 in Asheville, North Carolina, include a date at New York’s Madison Square Garden, and conclude at the Forum in the band’s hometown of Los Angeles on Nov. 30.
Accompanying Slayer for this last ride are Primus, Ministry and Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals performing a vulgar display of Pantera, who will support on all dates.
Tickets go on sale Friday, July 12 at 10 a.m. local time; limited VIP packages will be available.
Slayer’s Final World Tour began on May 10, 2018 — by the final date, the group will have performed more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 states in the U.S..
According to the announcement, “At most shows, Slayer’s pyro expert set off 160 pounds of propane and 10 liters of 99% isopropyl alcohol, prompting the Phoenix New Times reviewer to comment on the ‘eyebrow-singeing pyrotechnics that could be felt even 10 rows behind the pit.’ In Toronto, one diehard fan was ejected from the concert before Slayer took the stage, so jumped into Lake Ontario (that surrounds the Budweiser Arena) and swam back to the venue.”
Along with Metallica and Megadeth, Slayer was a cornerstone of the thrash/speed-metal explosion of the mid-1980s. Their early material was roughly recorded, but the band united with producer Rick Rubin and Def Jam Records in 1986 — both were known entirely for their work in hip-hop at the time — and released “Reign in Blood,” which is widely regarded as the greatest speed-metal album of all time, combining blistering riffs and tempos with horror-movie-esque, often controversial lyrics (particularly “Angel of Death,” about Nazi doctor Josef Mengele). The band slowed down its tempos for 1988’s equally bruising “South of Heaven,” and has general alternated between the two approaches in the decades since.
The band currently includes two founding members: singer/bassist Tom Araya and guitarist Kerry King. Drummer Dave Lombardo has left the band on at least three different occasions; for the most recent two he was replaced by former Exodus drummer Paul Bostaph. Founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman died of alcoholism-related liver failure in 2013 and has been replaced by former Exodus guitarist Gary Holt.
Confirmed dates for “The Final Campaign” are as follows:
NOVEMBER
2 Explore Asheville Arena, Asheville, NC
3 PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
5 Salem Civic Center, Salem, VA
6 Giant Center, Hershey, PA
8 Mass Mutual Center, Springfield, MA
9 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
11 KFC Yum Center, Louisville, KY
12 Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
14 TaxSlayer Arena, Moline, IL
15 Denny Sanford Center, Sioux Falls, SD
17 Fargodome, Fargo, ND
18 CHI Health Center, Omaha, NE
20 Broadmore Arena, Colorado Springs, CO
22 Rimrock Arena, Billings, MT
24 Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA
26 Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
27 MGM Arena, Las Vegas, NV
30 The Forum, Los Angeles, CA
TRENDING ON VARIETY:
