Filter and P.O.D. tour takes co-headlining run to Europe in 2009

American rockers Filter and P.O.D. might be battling it out on the album sale charts, but the two bands will join forces in the New Year for a six-week tour of Europe. The co-headlining jaunt opens with a January 7 performance at Coliseu Lisboa in Lisbon, POR, and concludes with a February 18 gig at The Astoria in London, UK.

The 31-city trek features a January 14 performance at Rolling Stone in Milan, ITA, a January 25 show at Columbiahalle in Berlin, GER, and a February 4 concert at Elysee Montmartre in Paris, FRA. Six of the stops are booked for the UK, including a Valentine’s Day show at the Academy in Manchester, ENG, and a February 15 gig at The Garage in Glasgow, SCO.

Filter is touring in support of the May 13 release “Anthems for the Damned,” its forth studio album and first original release in six years. The record, which has received mostly favorable reviews from critics, debuted at No. 60 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 5 on the Independent Albums chart.

In early March, Filter launched an extensive tour of the U.S. to support the approaching album release. Best known for their mid- to late-’90s singles “Hey Man, Nice Shot” and “Take A Picture,” the rockers performed more than 60 concerts, not including a couple of dates in Canada and a handful of summer shows in Europe.

While Filter made it overseas as a part of its 2008 itinerary, the tour will be P.O.D.’s first European shows in five years, according to a statement on Filter’s Web site.

The metal band P.O.D. (Payable On Death) released its seventh studio album “When Angels & Serpents Dance” in the U.S. back in April. The record debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 1 on the iTunes chart for rock album sales.

While P.O.D. only played a few shows in the States over the summer, the group did complete a seven-city tour of Australia and New Zealand in early September to support the album’s release in those countries. The band members have also announced plans for a five-date jaunt across South America in late November to back the record’s October 6 worldwide release.

Filter / P.O.D. itinerary:
(Dates subject to change.)