Judas Priest Reveals Richie Faulkner Is Hospitalized For Heart Surgery, Postpones US Tour

Following the Sept. 27 announcement, the heavy metal band’s lead vocalist Rob Halford updated fans Sept. 28 via his personal Instagram with the good news that “our Falcon in stable and resting after undergoing extensive heart surgery.” 

The last message Faulkner shared with fans on Instagram was a Sept. 26 post after the band’s Sept. 25 show at Saint Louis Music Park in St. Louis, Mo., where he declared “It was a blast with you maniacs last night in #stlouis It was a pleasure to play for all you guys and gals! Anyone see the MG playing guitar last night……? Onwards to #louisville today for the @louderthanlifefest with @metallica” 

Metallica’s Kirk Hammett joined Judas Priest on stage for their Sunday night set at Louder Than Life. Brave Words reports they played Priest’s “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)”, originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac.

Here’s the statement from Judas Priest about the postponement:   

“It is with deep regret that we have to postpone the rest of our US Tour – Richie has major medical heart condition issues which have landed him in hospital where he is being treated – in the meantime we are all sending love to our Falcon to wish him a speedy recovery…

“As soon as we have any updates from his doctors on when we can reschedule the dates we will of course announce them – tickets will be valid.”

The band’s 50th anniversary trek,  dubbed “The 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour,” had already been pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic. The British metal gods’ latest studio album, 2018’s Firepower, marks the 18th LP for Judas Priest – and the highest charting album of the band’s career (peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard 200). 

Reports submitted to Pollstar’s Boxoffice department include a sold-out June 2019 show at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., that sold 5,347 tickets and grossed $313,850.

Judas Priest was due on stage next in Denver. The postponed 2021 dates are listed below: 

September 29, 2021 Denver, CO at The Mission  

September 30, 2021 West Valley City, Utah at Maverik Center

October 2, 2021 Everett, WA at Angel Of The Winds Arena

October 3, 2021 Portland OR at Moda Center 

October 5, 2021 Oakland, CA at Fox Theater

October 6, 2021 Los Angeles, CA at Microsoft Theater    

October 8, 2021 Las Vegas, NV at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood    

October 9, 2021 Phoenix, AX at Arizona Federal Theatre 

October 12, 2021 San Antonio, TX at Freeman Coliseum 

October 13, 2021 Cedar Park, TX at HEB Center Cedar Park

October 15, 2021 Dallas, TX at Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

October 16, 2021 Oklahoma City, OK at The Zoo Amphitheatre 

October 19, 2021 Independence, MO at Cable Dahmer Arena October 21, 2021 

October 22, 2021 Nashville, TN at Nashville Municipal Auditorium 

October 24, 2021 Charleston, WV at Charleston Civic Center Coliseum 

October 25, 2021 Philadelphia, PA at The Met Philadelphia 

October 27, 2021 Newark, NJ at Prudential Center

October 28, 2021 Washington, D.C. at The Theater at MGM National Harbor   

October 30, 2021 Ledyard, CT at Foxwoods Casino Arena  

October 31, 2021 Lowell, MA at Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell

November 2, 2021 Halifax, Canada, at Scotiabank Centre 

November 4, 2021 Laval, Canada, at Place Bell 

November 5, 2021 Hamilton, Canada, at FirstOntario Centre