This past Friday, June 5, Savatage played their second concert with drummer Blas Elias (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Slaughter, Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy), filling in for Jeff Plate, who missed the first two shows of Savatage’s Prelude To Madness Spring / Summer 2026 European Tour due to medical reasons.

Fan-filmed video of Savatage performing live at Heavy Week-End in Nancy, France can be enjoyed below.

On Saturday, June 6, Plate shared the following message via social media: “I cannot thank my friend and battery mate Blas Elias enough for sitting in for me for the first two shows of the European Savatage ‘Madness Reigns’ Tour. In front of great crowds at Sweden Rock and Heavy Weekend (Fr),the band was fantastic and Blas sounded great. Blas had just a few weeks to learn the sets and prepare for this, and as we expected, he nailed it!”

“I will be back with my bandmates when Savatage returns to Europe in July. My situation has been solid for over a month now, and my doctors are sure I am ready to go. I’ve been rehearsing every day, working out and getting back to my normal routine and I feel great. And endless thanx for the concern and support!”

Back on May 21, Jeff Plate shared the following news via social media:

“Hey Savatage fans, hey friends. Jeff Plate here. I hope everyone is doing well, getting ready for summer and getting ready to enjoy some live music wherever you might be. Speaking of, Savatage has two amazing shows coming up in the first week of June. For the very first time, the band will be performing at Sweden Rock on June 4, followed by Heavy Week-End in France on June 5. Sharing the stage with Iron Maiden and Sabaton respectively, these are going to be fantastic shows.”

“Unfortunately, I will not be able to be there with the band for these two shows. Three years ago I experienced very intense, chronic nosebleeds which resulted in some dangerous blood loss and serious health concerns. This issue was taken care of surgically and all has been good – until a few weeks ago, when the bleeds started again. Having gone through this before, my management and I decided it was best that I not travel, especially by air, until this issue is again addressed and resolved.”

“In my place will be Blas Elias, who has been part of the Savatage/TSO family for a decade and is the perfect man for the job. Blas is a huge fan of the music and has already played some of these songs live with TSO. His years working with Al Pitrelli and Johnny Middleton will make this a seamless transition – the band will be tight and flawless and sound fantastic.”

“It goes without saying how disappointed I am, but things happen and health is the obvious priority. Having said that, I am confident my doctors will take care of this problem and I will be back with the band in July for the next run in Europe. Thank you in advance for your concern, support, and well wishes. If you are lucky enough to see Savatage at these festivals, raise your fists, sing along, and enjoy some of the best progressive metal music ever written! Take care, everyone – I will see you soon!” – Jeff

Plate added: “An unfortunate announcement, but in the end everything will be fine. In a best case/ worst case scenario, this is definitely best case. The situation came up with plenty of time for the band, and myself, to address the problem and move forward. Savatage will rock these shows, and I will be ready for our run starting in July. Thank you from the band and myself for the support!”



Upcoming Savatage tour dates are listed below.

July
19 – Istanbul, Turkey – Zorlu PSM Turkcell Sahnesi
21 – Bucharest, Romania – Arenele Romane Open Air (Special guest Trooper)
23 – Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Bulgaria BE4 Hills*
25 – Athens, Greece – Release Festival*
27 – Pompeii, Italy – Amphitheatre of Pompeii (Special concert with orchestra)
28 – Este, Italy – Castello Carrarese (Special guest Vision Divine)
30 – Wacken, Germany – Wacken Open Air*

August
1 – Tilburg, Netherlands – O13
3 – Pratteln, Switzerland – Z7 Open Air (Special guest Nevermore)
5 – Villena, Spain – Leyendas Del Rock*
7 – Kortrijk, Belgium – Alcatraz Open Air Festival*
8 – Hamburg, Germany – Elb-Riot Festival*
9 – Geiselwind, Germany – Keep It True*
11 – Warsaw, Poland – Progresja (Special guests Nevermore and Armored Saint)
12 – Leipzig, Germany – Parkbühne (Special guest Nevermore)
13 – Bonn, Germany – KUNST!RASEN (Special guest Nevermore)
15 – Moravský Krumlov, Czechia – Rock Castle Open Air Festival*

* festival appearance

On June 26, a long-lost chapter of Savatage history finally comes to light. earMUSIC is delighted to announce the release of Madness Reigns From The Gutter (1990), a previously unreleased official live recording capturing the band at the height of their legendary “Rulin’ Gutter” tour.

In 1990, Savatage stood at a turning point. Following the release of Gutter Ballet, the band embarked on a tour that would become one of the most explosive and defining runs of their career. Night after night, audiences were drawn into a powerful blend of crushing riffs, theatrical ambition and emotional intensity. It was a band in transformation: heavier, broader, and more dramatic than ever before.

Now, more than three decades later, Madness Reigns From The Gutter (1990) documents that pivotal era in full force. Carefully restored from the original master tapes and newly mixed and mastered, the 19-track album presents Savatage at peak voltage: ferocious yet refined, balancing power metal muscle with the sweeping grandeur that would soon shape their next chapter.

Many fans consider the 1990 lineup to be “peak Savatage”, and listening to this performance, it’s hard to disagree. On stage, five distinct personalities ignited the night: the youthful and electrifying Chris Caffery; bassist Johnny Lee Middleton, matching Caffery’s fire note for note; the hard-hitting and wildly animated Steve “Doc” Wacholz behind his gargantuan triple-bass kit; the virtuosic Criss Oliva, channelling precision and passion in equal measure; and at the center of it all, the charismatic ringmaster Jon Oliva in absolute prime form.

Reflecting on that era, Jon Oliva recalls: “The Gutter Tour was Savatage at its live show peak. It was 6 months where madness definitely reigned in the gutter. Enjoy it friends!”

At a time when Florida’s metal scene was pushing toward ever greater extremity, Savatage chose evolution over imitation. With Gutter Ballet, they fused melody and menace, piano and power, vulnerability and velocity. On stage in 1990, those contrasts became combustible.

The tour itself marked one of the busiest and most defining periods in the band’s history, with more than 100 shows across Europe and North America, each performance sharpening the band’s musical edge and stage presence.

Madness Reigns From The Gutter (1990) will be released in Europe on June 26, as a CD Digipak and Heavyweight Black 3LP Gatefold edition. The digital release will be available worldwide on the same day, with the US physical release following on September 18.

The release, which celebrates one of the band’s most defining eras, coincides with Savatage’s highly anticipated 2026 “Prelude To Madness” tour, where SAVA-heads across Europe will once again reunite with the band to celebrate the unwavering passion of this extraordinary community together. All dates and further information to be found at www.savatage.com.

More than three decades later, that madness returns: restored, remixed and as powerful as ever.

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

“City Beneath The Surface”
“White Witch”
“Of Rage And War”
“She’s In Love”
“Mentally Yours”
“24 Hrs. Ago”
“Legions”
“Strange Wings”
“Hounds”
“Temptation Revelation”
“When The Crowds Are Gone”
“The Dungeons Are Calling”
“Holocaust”
“Sirens”
“Power Of The Night”
“Hall Of The Mountain King”
“Gutter Ballet”
“Thorazine Shuffle”
“Devastation”

(Band photo – Frank White)

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