Testament’s Chuck Billy Pleads with Unvaccinated Fans to Wear Masks to Shows: “If One Person Gets Sick on This Tour, the Tour is Over”

When “The Bay Area Strikes Back” tour kicks off in October — assuming it doesn’t get cancelled — it will surely be one of the most COVID-conscientious tours in all of metaldom. Remember: the last time these three bands toured together, it was in Europe just as the pandemic was starting… and multiple members of all three acts contracted the virus. These include Testament frontman Chuck Billy and bassist Steve DiGiorgio, Exodus guitarist Gary Holt, and, most notably, Death Angel drummer Will Carroll, who became so ill that he was put on a ventilator and fell into a coma for twelve days.

Unlike some people, though, these dudes have all learned their lesson. And so in a new video posted to social media, Mr. Billy revealed that there are gonna be some differences in how this tour handles meet and greets. He also pleaded with fans to either get vaccinated or wear a mask to the show, because, as we pointed out recently, “if one person gets sick on this tour, the tour is over.” So just remember if you refused to get vaxxed or wear a mask, you’re not just endangering yourself, you’re ruining shit for everyone else, too, and are therefore the very definition of a selfish prick.

Here’s Billy’s statement…

“We’re getting ready to get back on tour [in the U.S.], October [and] November, with ‘The Bay Strikes Back,’ with Testament, Exodus [and] Death Angel. A killer package.

“I just wanna talk about a little bit… Of course, you guys know we came off ‘The Bay Strikes Back’ in Europe [in March 2020]. I think everybody in the bands — all three bands — were sick with COVID. So we’re getting ready to go out on this tour, and we’ve gotta kind of approach things a little different.

“First of all, we wanna be able to put on a performance and a show for everybody that’s been stuck at home for so long dying to get some music, shows under the belt. So we’re gonna do things a little different as far as… We do wanna offer a meet-and-greet with our fans, but we’re gonna do things a little bit different and offer a soundcheck so we actually don’t really have to touch each other and be that close to each other to spread a virus if someone does carry it. Because if one person gets sick on this tour, the tour is over. So, we’re trying to do everything we can to keep the fans safe, to keep the bands safe and keep us working so the tour doesn’t end. So I wanna apologize, ’cause I know I like to come out after the show and hang out with some fans, sign things, talk to everybody. And it’s gonna be a little different this time. So I wanna apologize in advance to those of you who’ve been hanging out after the shows and I visit with. You’re gonna have to wait a little longer — maybe until next summer, when the tour comes through. But I wanted to make everybody aware of that.

“We’re all gonna have to do this together, do our part. Either be vaccinated. And if you’re not vaccinated and you wanna come see the show, do everybody else a favor — wear a mask. I mean, that’s your choice. We’re just trying to do everything we can to keep this tour going, keep fans entertained, and, most of all, keep us and the crews working. I would hate to get out there and start a tour and then, in the middle of it, somebody gets sick and the whole tour’s done. So, we’re all in it together.

“We’re looking forward to ‘The Bay Strikes Back.’ It’s gonna be a kick-ass tour. Get your tickets, if you haven’t. They’re selling really good — some sold-out shows already. So we’re looking forward to it. It’s been a year and a half since we got to perform [last] — a little over a year and a half. So, here we come. We’ll see everybody real soon.”

The tour itinerary as it currently stands is below.

09/09/2021   Blue Ridge Rock Festival – Danville, VA ** [tickets]
10/06/2021  Fremont Theater – San Luis Obispo, CA [tickets]
10/07/2021  Aftershock Festival – Sacramento, CA ^^ [tickets]
10/08/2021  House Of Blues – San Diego, CA * [tickets]
10/10/2021  House Of Blues – Anaheim, CA * [tickets]
10/11/2021  Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ [tickets]
10/12/2021  Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM * [tickets]
10/14/2021  Diamond Ballroom – Oklahoma City, OK * [tickets]
10/15/2021  Gas Monkey Bar & Grill  – Dallas, TX [tickets]
10/16/2021  Emo’s – Austin, TX * [tickets]
10/17/2021  White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX  [tickets]
10/18/2021  House Of Blues – New Orleans, LA [tickets]
10/20/2021  Masquerade – Atlanta, GA * [tickets]
10/21/2021  The Ritz – Raleigh, NC  [tickets]
10/22/2021  TLA – Philadelphia, PA * [tickets]
10/23/2021  Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ * [tickets]
10/24/2021  Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD [tickets] 
10/26/2021  The Paramount – Huntington, NY * [tickets]
10/27/2021  House Of Blues – Boston, MA * [tickets]
10/28/2021  Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY [tickets]
10/29/2021  Madison Theater – Cincinnati, OH [tickets]
10/30/2021  The Agora – Cleveland, OH [tickets]
11/01/2021  Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA [tickets]
11/02/2021  Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH [tickets]
11/04/2021  The Majestic – Detroit, MI [tickets]
11/05/2021  The Forge – Joliet, IL * [tickets]
11/07/2021  Skyway Theatre – Minneapolis, MN [tickets]
11/09/2021  Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO * [tickets]
11/10/2021  The Depot – Salt Lake City, UT * [tickets]
11/11/2021  House Of Blues – Las Vegas, NV ^ [tickets]
11/27/2021  The Fox – Oakland, CA [tickets]

^^ Festival 
^ No Exodus 
* Rescheduled Testament Dates
~ No Exodus or Death Angel

*Note* Tickets for the rescheduled Testament shows will be honored.

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