SAVATAGE officially started their European appearances for 2026, taking the stage at Sweden Rock Festival on Thursday June 4. It was the band’s first live appearance of the year, but also a night of special interest due to a temporary change in the line-up.
Blas Elias on drums for the first two shows
For the first two live shows of the “Prelude To Madness” tour, Blas Elias is on drums, temporarily replacing Jeff Plate for medical reasons. Elias is no stranger to the wider SAVATAGE “universe”, since he has worked with members of the band through TRANS‑SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, and has also played with SLAUGHTER and Stephen Pearcy of RATT.
Plate had announced on May 21 that he is dealing with a recurrence of a serious health problem related to chronic nosebleeds. Although it had been treated surgically in the past, the issue returned, and his doctors advised him to avoid air travel until the treatment is completed.
Despite his absence, Plate stated that he completely trusts Elias, who knows the band’s material and has a long-standing relationship with its members.
- Related article worth reading: Release Athens 2026: Sabaton, Savatage and Epica at Plateia Nerou
Plate’s return in July
Plate is expected to return to the tour normally in July, stressing that the situation was dealt with in time and won’t affect SAVATAGE’s overall plans.
The “Prelude To Madness” tour continues across Europe
The European leg of the tour includes big festivals and headline appearances in:
- Turkey
- Romania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Italy
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Spain
- Belgium
- Poland
- Czech Republic
Among the stops, Wacken Open Air, Leyendas Del Rock, as well as a special orchestral appearance in Pompeii stand out.
With Zak Stevens on vocals, Al Pitrelli and Chris Caffery on guitars, Johnny Lee Middleton on bass and Elias temporarily on drums, SAVATAGE have now returned dynamically to the European stages.
Watch highlights from Sweden Rock
YouTube links:
