“Priest is back,” sneered Rob Halford a few songs into the metal titans’ set on Thursday night at the Warfield Theater, an apt description for a band that has been through so much and triumphed over so much adversity over the course of their lengthy career. The band came into town fresh off the release of their new studio album, Firepower, delivering an epic set that included plenty of classics and deep cuts that have not been played live in many years. Beginning the set with the storming “Firepower,” Judas Priest was at the top of their game the whole evening, with guitarist Richie Faulkner dominating the stage with his wild playing style.
Saxon got the night off started on the right foot as the British heavy metal legends tore through an inspired set that contained plenty of new and old material. The band opened with the furious title track of their latest album “Thunderbolt.” Anchored by some tight guitar riffing from Paul Quinn along with a stellar set of vocals from Biff Byford, the song got the crowd moving.
Following this Saxon rolled out a legendary track from their early ‘80s period in the form of the memorable “Power and Glory.” The band alternated between old and new material throughout their set, including an emotional rendition of the song “They Played Rock and Roll” a tribute to their fallen friend Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. The two bands were very good friends and went on many tours together, so there was no more fitting way to honor the legacy of Lemmy than a rollicking metal song.
After that, Saxon rolled through two of their most iconic songs: “Denim and Leather” and “Princess of the Night.” “Denim and Leather” is a true heavy metal anthem, driven by a grooving drum beat from Nigel Glockler along with plenty of slick basslines from Nibbs Carter. “Princess of the Night” was another blistering highlight: relying on a catchy twin guitar riff from Quinn and Doug Scarratt.
Byford sounded great throughout, working the crowd and even grabbing a fan’s denim jacket to hold up during “Denim and Leather.” Saxon once again proved that they are one of heavy metal’s most reliable bands and for a good reason: they just put on one powerful and commanding show.
Judas Priest knows how to please their rabid fan base, as they rolled out a few deep cuts from their back catalog: the surging “Running Wild” and the grooving metal of “Grinder.” Both songs showcased a band firing on all cylinders: the steady bass of Ian Hill, the tight drumming of Scott Travis, the dueling guitars of Faulkner and Andy Sneap, and the high-flying vocals of Halford.
To his credit, Sneap handled his parts incredibly well throughout the night, and if one were to close their eyes and listen, you would never be able to tell that he was merely a fill-in touring member. Sneap, who is known as one of the best producers in metal, is filling in for this tour as guitarist Glenn Tipton was forced to retire from touring due to Parkinson’s.
The next song was another early classic: the gothic, and dark “The Ripper.” Inspired by the legendary Jack the Ripper, the track featured plenty of tasty twin guitar harmonies and another inspiring vocal performance from Halford, who once again proved that age is merely a number as he nailed his parts the entire night. Next up was another new track: the pummeling metal of “Lightning Strike” another showcase for Faulkner’s prodigious guitar skills. What is most impressive is not the sheer number of notes he plays at any given time but the way he can make every note pierce through the mix, all while decked out in shades and flying v guitar.
Judas Priest then rolled out two deep cuts that have rarely been performed live: the catchy rock of “Bloodstone” and the searing grooves of “Saints in Hell.” The latter song, in particular, was another showcase for Halford’s high-pitched wails as he moved around the stage with commanding authority. The band continued to alternate between new material and old classics before cranking up the intensity for the final three songs.
The sold-out crowd at the Warfield began to wildly cheer and scream as the intro tape of “The Hellion” played over the PA, signaling that the band was about to launch into the furious “Electric Eye” one of their all-time best songs. Sneap shined the most on this track, nailing every single complicated guitar line, and delivering a snappy solo.
Just when you thought the energy could not get any higher, the band disappeared behind the stage, and a few moments later the loud roar of a motorcycle blared through the PA. Halford came crashing through the back of the stage on a silver Harley-Davidson, parking in the middle of the stage as the band tore into a stunning rendition of “Hell Bent for Leather.” One of the most iconic metal songs of all time, the crowd went ballistic singing along to every word, particularly during the chorus. The crowd was so loud that it even drowned out Halford at times.
Most of the band took a brief respite backstage as Scott Travis addressed the crowd, thanking them for coming out to the show and thanking Black Star Riders and Saxon for being such great openers. He then asked the crowd what song they wanted to hear next, a rhetorical question as he launched into the busy and blistering drum intro to “Painkiller.” One of the fastest songs ever written by the band, it got the crowd moving around at warp speed throughout its duration. Faulkner managed the arduous task of taking on all of the challenging lead guitar parts of the song: a sophisticated blend of sweep picked arpeggios and wild dive bombs, nailing every note.
For the encore fans were treated to something extraordinary. As the band recovered off stage, Glenn Tipton walked onto the stage with a guitar in his hands. While Tipton has retired from touring, he still makes occasional live appearances with the band, as was the case on this night. The three-guitar lineup of the band closed out the night with three classic tracks: “Metal Gods,” “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight.” Tipton showed no sign of the disease as he had no difficulty nailing his guitar parts for all three songs.
Judas Priest is still one of the all-time great metal bands, capable of putting on a devastating and compelling live show. In many ways, the band has never sounded better: as if they are on a mission to prove that 45+ years in their career they are still capable of delivering the goods.
Judas Priest setlist:
Firepower
Running Wild
Grinder
Sinner
The Ripper
Lightning Strike
Bloodstone
Saints in Hell
Turbo Lover
Freewheel Burning
Evil Never Dies
Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Painkiller
Encore:
Metal Gods (with Glenn Tipton)
Breaking the Law (with Glenn Tipton)
Living After Midnight (with Glenn Tipton)
Saxon setlist:
Thunderbolt
Power and the Glory
The Secret of Flight
Motorcycle Man
Nosferatu (The Vampires Waltz)
Dallas 1 PM
They Played Rock and Roll
Denim and Leather
Princess of the Night
Wheels of Steel
Sons of Odin
Heavy Metal Thunder
