I'd never seen Priest before, though I feel as though I really should have, if not in the 80's then in the 90's. But I guess the stars just never aligned so that I could do that back then. Anyway, when I heard the concert announcement last fall, I knew I had to do it, so I snagged my ticket pronto. Though I have a handful of co-worker friends who like metal, I just couldn't get anyone interested in this show. So for the first time ever, I went solo to a large venue gig. Back in the 80's I saw some nightclub shows on my own, but for the big concerts, I always had company. Let me tell you, though... the musical experience is still amazing, even on your own. I guess it's because you are in your own head more, and more attentive and receptive to what's onstage. No distractions from friends shoving or yelling at you or whatever.
So five or six months after buying my ticket, it was finally the day of the show. I donned my black leather-ish jacket and joined the masses, filling the arena to capacity. The sweet aroma of exotic herb filled the arena. I arrived in time to see Saxon take the stage. This front-runner of the British New Wave of Heavy Metal put on a cool show. Though the crowd, including me, were a little unsure of Saxon at first, singer Biff Byford got us wound up a few songs into their set, then we were on our way. A loud and entertaining performance.
Oh, and for the record, this whole affair was loud - really frikkin' loud. After just one Saxon song, I knew I had to resort to my trusty pair of earplugs (don't leave home without 'em). With the plugs in place, the music sounded cleaner and far less damaging to my already ringing ears.
Priest set up their show intro perfectly: as the technicians ran around backstage, getting things set up, War Pigs by Black Sabbath pumped out of the PAs... the voices of the entire audience singing along with Ozzy's recorded wail. A gigantic hanging drapery mysteriously hid the re-assembly of the stage. Everyone studied the assorted Priest lyrics printed all over the colourful cloth... until the lights dimmed, and poof! the drapery seemed to magically implode and vanish. And there were old Rob and his mates tearing into the new song Firepower.
Then for two full hours Halford and the boys cranked out a slew of metal classics and classics-to-be. I had predicted, and hoped, that Priest would play the first three songs off their new album, Firepower. The fast and heavy triple-threat of Firepower, Lightning Strike, and Evil Never Die knocked my socks off on the record... some of their best work in years. In concert, the band sprinkled those three tunes among the selections from their vast musical catalogue. Highlights for me were Running Wild, The Ripper, Saints in Hell (never before performed live), The Green Manalishi, Hell Bent for Leather, and Electric Eye (my high point of the night).
The stage show was a visual feast: the Priest trident "T" emblem was a key part of the colourful stage set-up; a large screen on the back wall displayed videos and images associated with each song, complementing the performance but not pulling your attention away from it; an impressive light show enhanced the experience; Halford made more costume changes than Lady Gaga during the course of the concert... I'd never seen such an array of cool leather jackets before; and naturally, ol' Rob drove his motorcycle onto the stage for the song Hell Bent For Leather.
Halford amazed everyone with his still incredible vocal range, hitting every high note (The Ripper!) as though he was still a young man in his 20s. Travis demonstrated his prowess on the drums, driving that kit through the floor, double-bass insanity, and rock steady rhythm throughout. Hill, on bass duty since the band's inception, laid a heavy groundwork for the geetar boys to work upon.
Newcomer Sneap on guitar (he also co-produced the Firepower album) was competent if nothing else. He barely had weeks to rehearse in order to step in for recently departed Glenn Tipton, so I commend him for a job well done under a tonne of pressure. It felt like eight shows into the tour, the band and Sneap had gelled. Faulkner, on the other hand, had a couple of albums and a tour under his belt with Priest, and it was he who carried the bulk of the guitar duties. While Sneap mostly focused on rhythm guitar, Faulkner assumed the guitar hero poses and tore off ferocious solos... he was easily the highlight of the show. Kudos to him for keeping the Priest sound alive and well under the circumstances. The only thing missing (not entirely, but mostly) was the interplay of the twin guitar attack which was the trademark of the band's sound.
Living After Midnight was the final song of the evening. After it came to a thunderous halt, the band assembled stage front to bow and wave and throw guitar picks to the fans. A very fun and exciting show... everyone left with a smile or his or her face, if rather exhausted after all that headbanging and fist-pumping. If this was Priest's final tour (and album), it would be a fittingly perfect finale to a legendary career.
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