When Judas Priest comes to town, it’s a heavy metal celebration. Fans come out and support their beloved band. Interesting thing about the fans these days. They vary from 6 to 60, and over. At least that’s what was observed at the show in question. Also, the Rosemont Theatre had become like the official Judas Priest venue for the last four tours so far. It’s a great sounding and fairly intimate venue, where you can see the band without any obstructions. The crowd did not disappoint. The place was full of metal maniacs, and you could feel the excitement in the air.
Judas Priest came down like a storm, as metal as you can get. The dramatic intro, a little touch of Birmingham, and before you knew it, you were experiencing your first Panic Attack of the evening. This of course was a blistering opener from band’s excellent Invincible Shield album. It got the ball rolling. It was followed by You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, one of the most known and requested Judas Priest songs, usually left for encores, here it was a second track in the set. Rapid Fire was one of the biggest surprises of the evening. What an amazing track from the British Steel album.
The show was full of great tracks, and when you have such impressive catalogue of songs as Judas Priest it must be tough trying to please everyone. The setlist however offered a fair breakdown between the old, new and fairly new. Some staples like Sinner, Victim of Changes offered a great display of Rob Halford’s talents as a vocalist. Halford is still a presence that requires a total respect, even at 72 he can still hit those notes and soar. There few moments where he struggled a bit, but it’s not fair to hold it against him. He did the best he could, and everyone had a great time. This was a celebration of music, great career, and timeless friendships.
Instrumentally, Judas Priest, played beautifully. Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap are a great guitar duo, and were able to reproduce all of the riffs and harmonies from the classic years, and often add their own spin on things. The image of Glenn Tipton would often appear on the screen, reminding everyone that despite the health limitations he is still a part of the band. The rhythm section consisting of drummer, Scott Travis, and bass player, Ian Hill, provided a very solid base for each song performed. A dependable rhythm section like that is definitely the heart of any band, and Judas Priest has one of the best ones out there.
The production of the show was amazing two. Variety of lights, special effects, screen projections, added to the overall feel of the show. It was meant to make you feel overwhelmed, but when you see the best, why not feel the part? Rob Halford also added his spin to the show, changing costumes and keeping everyone on their toes. When watching Judas Priest on stage, you couldn’t escape the fact that they were just having a great time. Nothing was forced, they were up there because they loved it. The band definitely took the audience on a ride, and let them forget about all of the daily struggles everyone is faced with. In many ways, this is what a great show should do, and if you can accomplish such task on Tuesday, you know you’re doing something right.
Judas Priest completed their basic set list in no time, and came back for some encores. Once the sounds of The Hellion began, everyone knew Electric Eye was only seconds away. What an amazing track this is, and it only gets better with age. Judas Priest delivered it with absolute perfection and conviction, not to mention a great audience participation. Then it was that “motorcycle track about leather,” Living After Midnight, and the band was done. Now it’s a memory, now it’s a tour date on a concert t-shirt, and if you were there you will forever be linked with everyone who shared that experience with you. Will this happen again? Let’s hope so!
Mark Kadzielawa
Photo credit: Roberto Ricciuti
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