Deadland Ritual to bracket Download Festival with two UK shows
Geezer Butler’s new band, Deadland Ritual, will bracket their eagerly-awaited appearance at Download Festival this summer with two headline UK shows.
Part of a larger European trek, bassist Geezer, vocalist Franky Perez (Apocalyptica, Scars on Broadway), drummer Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver) and guitarist Steve Stevens (Billy Idol) will play London O2 Academy Islington on Thursday 13th June and Glasgow Garage on Saturday 15th June.
Deadland Ritual will rock the Zippo Encore Stage at Download Festival on Friday 14th June.
Tickets to the London and Glasgow show go on sale from Planet Rock Tickets at 9am on Friday 29th March. Download Festival tickets are on sale now.
Produced by esteemed Black Sabbath, Metallica and Audioslave collaborator Greg Fidelman, Deadland Ritual’s debut single ‘Down In Flames’ was released via Sonik Riot Recordings last December.
The supergroup have vowed that their live shows will be something special, mixing the original material with deeper cuts from their collective past.
Speaking to Billboard earlier this month about the setlist, Geezer Butler said: “We're thinking about doing seven original songs, which we've done up to now, unless we write more between now and May.
“Probably three or four Sabbath songs. "N.I.B." because that's what I'm associated with particularly; the bass intro and all that kind of stuff. And some stuff that Sabbath didn't do, like "Symptom of the Universe." Steve loves that one. And Franky likes "Heaven and Hell" and we might do one or two others; see which ones work out best in rehearsals. But more obscure Sabbath songs, rather than "Iron Man" or "Paranoid," that's been done a million times.
“A couple Velvet Revolver. "Slither" definitely, I'm not sure bout the second one, and I think we're going to do "Rebel Yell," Billy Idol! I have to learn them all between now and May!
Commenting on the band’s future, he said: “If things work out with the gigs that we do we'll carry on. I'm excited about it. I really like the music we're doing, not restricted to any kind of formula. And as I say, each track stands on its own, different in its own way. I'm really looking forward looking to it.”
See Deadland Ritual at the following shows:
JUNE 2019
London O2 Academy Islington – Thu 13th
Download Festival – Fri 14th
Glasgow Garage – Sat 15th