Judas Priest returning to Croatia with big concert at Pula Arena

Judas Priest in 2025 (Photo: Zach Petersen/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Legendary British heavy metal pioneers Judas Priest are set to return to Croatia after a 25-year absence, with a major concert scheduled for 25 August at the historic Pula Arena.

The performance will form part of the band’s European “Faithkeepers” tour and will feature a set spanning more than five decades of one of the most influential careers in heavy metal history.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow and will be available through the Eventim ticketing system.

Formed in 1969 in Birmingham, widely regarded as the birthplace of heavy metal, Judas Priest quickly became synonymous with the genre’s powerful sound and style.

Over the decades, the band has built a reputation as one of the world’s most electrifying live acts. Their impact on music has been recognised with numerous honours, including a Grammy Awards win and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

During the 1980s, Judas Priest became a global touring phenomenon, headlining some of the world’s biggest festivals and arenas.

Beyond music, Judas Priest helped define the visual identity of heavy metal. Their signature leather-and-studs aesthetic became synonymous with the genre and influenced generations of musicians and fans across the world.

The band’s discography includes several landmark albums that helped shape the metal canon. Among the most celebrated are British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance and Painkiller.

These records produced timeless metal anthems such as Breaking the Law, Living After Midnight and You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, songs that remain staples of their live performances.

Judas Priest’s 19th studio album, Invincible Shield, released in March 2024, was widely praised by critics and fans alike. The strong reception reaffirmed the band’s continued relevance and power on the global metal stage.

The upcoming European tour will begin in Germany at the end of July and will see the band perform across major cities in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, France and Spain, as well as at several of Europe’s biggest music festivals.