‘The Return to the Carnival of Sins’: Mötley Crüe announces 2026 tour

Mötley Crüe, the heavy metal band that formed in 1981 and whose raucous reputation was as big as their teased-up hair and as rich as the makeup that caked their faces, is hitting the road next summer for The Return of the Carnival of Sins tour. Phoenix will have a chance to see them on Sept. 16 at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre.

The 33 North American shows will include special guests Tesla and Extreme.

The general on-sale for tickets begins at 9 a.m. local time. VIP packages will be available for purchase starting at 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Nov. 19. 

As part of the band’s Giveback Initiative, $1 from each ticket will be donated to After School Arts Program (ASAOP!), an organization dedicated to providing arts-oriented youth programs.

Founding members Nikki Sixx (bass) and drummer Tommy Lee are joined by Vince Neil (vocals), who joined right after Sixx and Lee got things going. Missing from the equation these days is guitarist Mick Mars, who came on board around the same time as Neil. John 5 has that duty now. He’s played with a lot of rock folk, including Marilyn Manson and David Lee Roth.

The original Carnival of Sins Tour was one where the band just wanted to have a blast. By that time, the glammy rockers were seasoned pros and had lived a lot of their personal lives in the press. Weathering it all with a campy attitude and desire for fun, they made it a zesty, energetic, sleaze-metal experience.

They’re ready to give fans another dose, according to a joint statement from the band.

“Bringing back the spirit of Carnival of Sins has been a blast, and we wanted to take it even further for its 20th anniversary. This new show is for the Crüeheads who’ve been with us through it all and for the new Crüeheads who didn’t get to experience Carnival of Sins last time around. Get ready — we’re coming your way and we can’t wait to see you next summer.” 

Here are the dates for The Return to the Carnival of Sins tour:

• July 17, 2026, Burgettstown, PA, The Pavilion at Star Lake
• July 18, 2026, Buffalo, NY, Darien Lake Amphitheater
• July 20, 2026, Clarkson, MI, Pine Knob Music Theatre
• July 22, 2026, Toronto, ON, RBC Amphitheatre
• July 24, 2026, Gilford, NH, BankNH Pavilion
• July 25, 2026, Bangor, ME, Maine Savings Amphitheater
• July 27, 2026, Camden, NJ, Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
• July 29, 2026, Saratoga Springs, NY, Saratoga Performing Arts Center
• July 31, 2026, Holmdel, NJ, PNC Bank Arts Center
• August 1, 2026, Mansfield, MA, Xfinity Center
• August 3, 2026, Bristow, VA, Jiffy Lube Live
• August 12, 2026, Alpharetta, GA, Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
• August 14, 2026, West Palm Beach, FL, iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
• August 15, 2026, Tampa, FL, MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
• August 17, 2026, Charlotte, NC, PNC Music Pavilion
• August 19, 2026, St. Louis, MO, Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
• August 21, 2026, Shakopee, MN, Mystic Lake Amphitheater
• August 22, 2026, Tinley Park, IL, Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
• August 24, 2026, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Blossom Music Center
• August 25, 2026, Cincinnati, OH, Riverbend Music Center
• August 27, 2026, Grand Rapids, MI, Acrisure Amphitheater
• August 28, 2026, Noblesville, IN, Ruoff Music Center
• September 8, 2026, Kansas City, MO, Morton Amphitheater
• September 10, 2026, Dallas, TX, Dos Equis Pavilion
• September 11, 2026, Houston, TX, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
• September 13, 2026, Albuquerque, NM, Isleta Amphitheater
• September 16, 2026, Phoenix, AZ, Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
• September 18, 2026, Chula Vista, CA, North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
• September 19, 2026, Long Beach, CA, Long Beach Amphitheater
• September 21, 2026, Salt Lake City, UT, Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
• September 23, 2026, Wheatland, CA, Toyota Amphitheatre
• September 24, 2026, Mountain View, CA, Shoreline Amphitheatre
• September 26, 2026, Ridgefield, WA – Cascades Amphitheater