1984 to Headless Canada Tour: W.A.S.P. and KK's Priest - Winnipeg, MB
Heavy metal nostalgia was in full force at Winnipeg’s Burton Cummings Theatre on October 19, 2026, as KK’s Priest and W.A.S.P. brought the 1984 to Headless Tour to town. Featuring two bands with deep roots in the genre’s golden era, the night was a celebration of classic metal, hard rock attitude, and the enduring power of songs that have stood the test of time.
With Judas Priest classics on one side and W.A.S.P.’s theatrical, hard-hitting catalogue on the other, the evening offered a journey through the music that helped define heavy metal in the 1980s, while giving fans a reminder that these veterans still have plenty of fire left in the tank.
KK's Priest. All photos by Samuel Stevens.
KK’s Priest wasted little time getting down to business, opening with Judas Priest’s “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” followed by “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight.” It was an immediate run of familiar anthems, setting the tone for a set built around the legacy of Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing and his continued dedication to the music he helped create.
The band balanced the beloved classics with newer material, including “Strike of the Viper,” “One More Shot at Glory,” and “Hellfire Thunderbolt.” These tracks demonstrated that KK’s Priest is more than a vehicle for revisiting the past, bringing its own heavy metal identity to the stage while remaining rooted in the sound that made the genre so influential.
The set continued with “Heading Out to the Highway,” “Beyond the Realms of Death,” and “The Sentinel,” before moving into two more heavyweight favourites: “Victim of Changes” and “Turbo Lover.” Each song tapped into a different side of the Judas Priest catalogue, from driving, road-ready riffs to darker, more dramatic passages. Closing with “Raise Your Fists,” KK’s Priest left the crowd with one final rallying cry, wrapping up a set that paid tribute to heavy metal history without losing sight of its raw, rebellious spirit.
W.A.S.P. took the evening into even more theatrical territory, drawing from the band's extensive catalogue and leaning into the darker, more dramatic side of its sound. Opening with Uriah Heep’s “Easy Livin’,” the band launched into “Fistful of Diamonds,” “The Flame,” and “Mr. Cool,” establishing a set that moved between hard rock swagger, heavy riffs, and the unmistakable attitude that has defined W.A.S.P. for decades.
“On Your Knees” and “Thunderhead” brought the intensity up another notch, while “Forever Free” offered a more melodic moment to the set. The band also reached beyond its own catalogue with a performance of The Who’s “The Real Me,” a fitting addition for a group whose music has always carried a strong sense of theatricality and classic rock influence.
The main set closed with “The Headless Children,” the title track from W.A.S.P.’s landmark 1989 album. Its darker atmosphere and pointed edge made it an especially fitting choice for a tour named after the band's celebrated era, bringing the initial portion of the performance to a powerful conclusion.
The encore was an ambitious run through W.A.S.P.’s catalogue, beginning with “Mephisto Waltz” before launching into the fan favourites “I Wanna Be Somebody” and “L.O.V.E. Machine.” From there, the band delivered “The Big Welcome,” “Inside the Electric Circus,” and a cover of Nickolas Ashford’s “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” keeping the set unpredictable while maintaining its hard rock momentum.
“Golgotha” and “Wild Child” followed, with “Blind in Texas” bringing the night to its final, raucous conclusion. It was an extensive encore that gave fans plenty to sink their teeth into, moving between the band's heavier material, signature anthems, and the larger-than-life showmanship that has long been central to its appeal.
Ultimately, the 1984 to Headless Tour reminded everyone in the Winnipeg audience how enduring classic heavy metal can be. KK’s Priest celebrated Judas Priest's legacy while showcasing its own material, and W.A.S.P. delivered a career-spanning performance that embraced the band's theatrical roots and hard rock foundations. Together, the two acts made for a night steeped in nostalgia but driven by the same loud, unapologetic energy that made this music matter in the first place.
W.A.S.P. All photos by Samuel Stevens.
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