The day had finally arrived. Metal legends Judas Priest opened up their Redeemer of Souls tour last night in Rochester, NY. Metal fans rejoiced to see one of the true pioneers of the genre play an hour and 40 minute set that packed a punch and left the fans wanting more. Before we digress, let’s talk about their opener Steel Panther. Yes, that glam band that is known for its raunchy humor backed by incredibly talented musicians portraying 80’s music at its peak.
The reception for the band wasn’t warm to say the least. With the tickets stating 7pm show and Steel Panther not taking the stage until 8:30pm, it left a lot of unruly fans who now were irked to say the least. This coupled with the odd pairing with Priest to begin with left the band with an uphill battle they had to face the entire night. However, being the professionals that they are, they were able to roll the negative feedback right into their set and played it off. Guitarist Satchel especially directed the responses to the fans who were really giving the band a hard time right in front of him. Again, it must be noted that all 4 musicians are very strong players but a lot of that seems to get lost in their act. Performing an hour long set, the band touched on songs from their 4 studio efforts, especially their latest dish titled “All You Can Eat” that was released earlier this year.
Priest didn’t take the stage until 10:13pm, but when they did the night of anxious waiting seemed to be washed away after hearing the screeching vocals of one Rob Halford. Coming out and diving into the 1st track “Dragonaut” off of their 10 top album, “Redeem of Souls,” the band hit it hard right away. Halford was decked out in his traditional long studded black leather coat, and walked the stage using a cane, which I assume was part of the costume, as opposed to a physical necessity. The band also played two more tracks from the album including the title track and “Halls of Valhalla,” which was one of the highlights of the evening’s performance.
2011 saw the departure of longtime guitarist KK Downing, whose duties have been taken over by Richie Faulkner. On the Epitaph Tour that year, it seemed like Faulkner needed to find his place and comfort level within the band. Even though you can’t replace KK’s vision and what he contributed to Priest, Faulkner brings a youthful energy that the band was lacking. He fits exactly where Priest wants him to be moving forward, and really has created his own niche within the band. Those things take time and it’s evident by his performance in Rochester that he has successfully taken ownership of the role and fans have made peace with the line-up change.
Holding down the fort is one of the most reliable and unsung bassists in metal, Ian Hill. Hill may be a “no frills’ kind of guy but his steady playing shouldn’t go unnoticed. He locks in with longtime drummer Scott Travis and allows the band and Halford’s voice to forge ahead wherever it needs to go. Original guitarist Glenn Tipton was all smiles while laying down some of the greatest rock riffs ever heard by man in “ “Breaking the Law” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” which are always crowd favorites.
What is most thought evoking is how 63-year-old Rob Halford’s voice has held up after decades of “screaming for vengeance,” shall we say. After hearing him hit and hold the notes at the end of “Victim of Changes,” it left no doubt in anyone’s mind that he is still, without question, the best rock and metal singer on the planet bar none! He has lost nothing and was able to hit the highs (as stated earlier) yet slow it down some when the band played the softer “March of the Damned.”
The show included magnificent lights and a lighted screen that was perfectly incorporated into each song within the set. Many will be delighted with the setlist which includes deeper cuts like “Love Bites, “Defenders of the Faith” and “Jawbreaker” (that last two haven’t been played since 1984). Halford gave the people of Rochester love as he thanked them for their hospitality. The band spent a few days in town rehearsing before the opening night of the tour. So just when you’re thinking that the concert season is winding down, Judas Priest is showing they may have a thing or two to say about that. Yes, they aren’t paying a 2 hour and 20 minute set like they did on the Epitaph tour, nonetheless this is one of the must see shows of the year!
Judas Priest setlist:
Dragonaut
Metal Gods
Devil’s Child
Victim of Changes
Halls of Valhalla
Love Bites
March of the Damned
Turbo Lover
Redeemer of Souls Beyond the Realms of Death
Jawbreaker
Breaking the Law
Encore 1:
Hell Bent for Leather
Encore 2:
You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
Living after Midnight
Defenders of the Faith
We would like to thank Chip Ruggieri from Chipster PR for the credentials to review the show.
