Raven Announce Return With North American Tour

Raven will return to the road in spring 2026 for an extensive North American tour with Slackjaw. The British-American trio have announced more than 35 shows between March and May, with further dates still expected.

The tour begins in Louisville on March 18 and travels through the Midwest, Texas, California, the Pacific Northwest, Canada, the East Coast and the American South before ending in Bradenton, Florida, on May 3. Stops include the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, Vancouver’s Rickshaw Theatre, Chicago’s Reggies, Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern and Montreal’s Piranha Bar.

The tour marks Raven’s first full run after John Gallagher’s brain surgery and Mark Gallagher’s joint replacements.

Bassist and vocalist John Gallagher called 2025 the band’s “medical gap year”. Raven postponed a European tour after Gallagher suffered a subdural haematoma and underwent emergency brain surgery. Guitarist Mark Gallagher separately received ankle and knee replacements after years of pain. Both musicians have since recovered sufficiently to resume touring.

The shows will support Raven’s 2025 EP “Can’t Take Away The Fire”, released through Silver Lining Music. Formed in Newcastle in the 1970s, Raven became an important early influence on speed and power metal and famously took Metallica on the latter band’s first major American tour in 1983. The current lineup consists of the Gallagher brothers and drummer Mike Heller, who joined in 2017.