Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has announced the December 2026 leg of his “Bass Warrior” European tour, with plans to perform Megadeth’s “Countdown To Extinction” album in its entirety, according to David Ellefson’s Instagram.
The official tour announcement, posted on Ellefson’s social media, detailed the scope of the upcoming shows and the material fans can expect to hear.
“Grammy Award-winning bassist David Ellefson has announced his Bass Warrior Tour across Europe in December 2026,” the announcement read. “The tour will feature Ellefson and his solo band performing selections from his celebrated catalog of mega-hits, including Megadeth’s Countdown to Extinction album in its entirety, alongside solo material and other hard rock and metal favorites that have inspired him throughout his more than 40-year music career.”
Ellefson also shared his own thoughts on why he decided to bring the album back to the stage for this run of dates.
“We had such great fan request for ‘Countdown To Extinction’ from earlier this year that we are going to wrap 2026 with some final shows across Europe which also includes some new cities and countries to celebrate the music from one of my all-time favorite albums of my discography,” Ellefson said. “The perfect holiday wrap up for the year!”
The December run builds on a busy stretch for Ellefson, whose touring schedule this year has kept him almost constantly on the road across multiple projects.
The December leg expands the “Bass Warrior” trek into markets Ellefson hasn’t previously visited on this run. Stops are planned in cities including Rome, Frankfurt, Dublin, Zagreb, and Belgrade. The additions reflect the strong turnout the “Countdown To Extinction” set drew earlier in 2026. That response prompted Ellefson to close out the year with a wider footprint across the continent.
The December shows arrive as Ellefson wraps up an equally packed year with Metal Church, the band he currently plays bass for alongside founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, guitarist Rick Van Zandt, drummer Ken Mary, and singer Brian Allen. That lineup released the album “Dead To Rights” in April 2026. The band has spent much of the year touring behind it, including a fall North American run alongside Armored Saint.
Ellefson has described a more deliberate philosophy toward touring, favoring a measured pace over the relentless back-to-back routing that once defined life on the road. He shared this philosophy while discussing how the band approaches its schedule these days. The mindset appears to inform how he’s structured the “Bass Warrior” dates as well, positioning the December shows as a deliberate season-closer rather than an open-ended extension.
Ellefson has remained one of the more visibly active veteran musicians in hard rock and metal throughout 2026. He has balanced legacy material from his Megadeth years with newer output from his current band across his Metal Church commitments and his solo “Bass Warrior” dates.
Further details on specific tour dates and ticket information for the December “Bass Warrior” shows are expected to follow.
