Saw Judas Priest / Sabaton Thursday Night (spoliers)

[SteveSly]

I saw Judas Priest & Sabaton last night at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids Michigan in front of a small but enthusiastic crowd. Van Andel is a 12,000-seat hockey arena that fits even more for concerts. For last night’s show the upper bowl was completely closed off. The lower bowl and floor was maybe 50% full, so there were lots of empty seats. Priest and Sabaton played like there were a full house though, and the whole thing was a ton of fun. The venue was requiring proof of vaccination or a COVID test. We saw two people right in front of us who were turned away because they had neither even though they had tickets. I am guessing there were at least some more of those cases. This show was also postponed from and earlier date due to COVID which also may have contributed to the empty seats. Of course, not having KK Downing and Glenn Tipton on stage anymore turns a lot of people off from this version of the band Too.

Sabaton opened with an hour long set of their brand of historically based power metal. They are not everyone’s cup of tea, but I totally dug them. Their stage set had the drum riser on top of a huge tank and was visually very cool. The guys acted like they were having a blast goofing around with each other and working the crowd. They had the floor on their feet for the whole show and got a standing ovation from the arena at the end. If these guys ever come back I will be checking them out.

Judas Priest came on to a rowdy ovation with the “Firepower” symbol hanging over the stage. Rob Halford is in his early 70’s, but his voice was still in good shape, although towards the end it started to waiver on him a bit. Even at his advanced age he is still the metal god and prowled all over the stage throughout the show. The set list was a Priest lovers dream with a mix of hits, deep cuts, and new material. I wished they would have played a bit more from “Firepower” as it is a great album, but they only did one song. During “Victim Of Changes” they made it into a tribute to Glenn Tipton who can no longer tour due to his battle with Parkinson’s disease. The band went all the way back to their first album with “Rocka Rolla” a song, I never thought I would hear live. The stage production was a bit lower budget than back in Priest’s prime, but it was still effective with great lights, videos, and even an inflatable bull that showed up at the end for “Living After Midnight”. I have no clue what the bull had to do with the song, but it was still kind of cool. Overall, the show was about 1 hour and 45 minutes. I could have used a bit more, but it was still fulfilling. Here are the set lists:

SABATON:

GHOST DIVISION
THE LAST STAND
SWEEDISH PAGANS
THE RED BARON
BISMARCK
DEFENCE OF MOSCOW
CARLOUS REX
FIELDS OF VERDUN
ATTACK OF THE DEAD MEN
PRIMO VICTORIA
STEEL COMMANDERS
TO HELL AND BACK

JUDAS PRIEST

ONE SHOT AT GLORY
LIGHTNING STRIKE
YOU’VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMING
FREEWHEEL BURNING
TURBO LOVER
HELL PATROL
THE SENTINAL
EXCITER
TOUCH OF EVIL
ROCKA ROLLA
VICTIM OF CHANGES (GLENN TIPTON TRIBUTE)
DESERT PLAINS
BLOOD RED SKIES
INVADER
PAINKILLER

ENCORE

THE HELLION / ELECTRIC EYE
HELL BENT FOR LEATHER
BREAKING THE LAW
LIVING AFTER MIDNIGNT.

[ronmac]

What, no Harley?

Saw them a few times back in the day, but never cared much for them after they hit the mainstream. (Although I did see them at Ozzfest many years later.) I still have KK's guitar pick from a Halloween show in '78.

[SteveSly]

What, no Harley?

Saw them a few times back in the day, but never cared much for them after they hit the mainstream. (Although I did see them at Ozzfest many years later.) I still have KK's guitar pick from a Halloween show in '78.

Yup, Rob rode the Harley out for "Hell Bent For Leather".

[SunRunner2]

Were you surprised to see that only one track from "Sad Wings" was played? "Victim Of Changes" is a masterpiece from that classic album, but I think most Prog leaning fans would have rather had them perform "Dreamer Deceiver", "Deceiver" and even "Island Of Domination" than some of those later album cuts.

I also can see why many fans would eschew the current line-up, without Downing and Tipton.

[Progatron]

I love Halford, but yes, it's hard to call this 'Judas Priest' for my personal tastes. Cool to see he dug deep and pulled out Rocka Rolla though! No more Take On All The World or Diamonds And Rust in the set these days? I still buy all the studio albums but I haven't kept up with their touring.

[Vic2012]

They're a brand like The Who, or The Stones. The recent studio releases are good (imo).

[SteveSly]

Were you surprised to see that only one track from "Sad Wings" was played? "Victim Of Changes" is a masterpiece from that classic album, but I think most Prog leaning fans would have rather had them perform "Dreamer Deceiver", "Deceiver" and even "Island Of Domination" than some of those later album cuts.

I also can see why many fans would eschew the current line-up, without Downing and Tipton.

Personally I am a big fan of "Sad Wings", but the band has 18 studio albums to choose from, so choosing a set list has got to be difficult. I would have liked to have heard a few more tunes from their excellent most recent album, but they only played one. I don't think they had ever played "One Shot At Glory" live before this tour, which I thought was cool.

[SteveSly]

I love Halford, but yes, it's hard to call this 'Judas Priest' for my personal tastes. Cool to see he dug deep and pulled out Rocka Rolla though! No more Take On All The World or Diamonds And Rust in the set these days? I still buy all the studio albums but I haven't kept up with their touring.

This was the first time I have seen them since the "Defenders Of The Faith" tour in 1984.

[SteveSly]

I love Halford, but yes, it's hard to call this 'Judas Priest' for my personal tastes. Cool to see he dug deep and pulled out Rocka Rolla though! No more Take On All The World or Diamonds And Rust in the set these days? I still buy all the studio albums but I haven't kept up with their touring.

Agree, "Rocka Rolla" was very cool.

[SteveSly]

They're a brand like The Who, or The Stones. The recent studio releases are good (imo).

It is too band they cant mend the fences with KK Downing. Tipton is no longer able to tour due to his health problems, but KK has started his own band with Ripper Owens.

[Vic2012]

It is too band they cant mend the fences with KK Downing. Tipton is no longer able to tour due to his health problems, but KK has started his own band with Ripper Owens.

KK burned the bridge with JP. He blew it.

[Progatron]

If they were going to dig even deeper, I'd love to see Prisoner Of Your Eyes. One of my favourite JP tracks.

[SteveSly]

KK burned the bridge with JP. He blew it.

Yea, I know. The whole situation is just sad....

[Mythos]

Spoliers? Naw, nothing you say would spoil this one...

[SteveSly]

Spoliers? Naw, nothing you say would spoil this one...

I always put that in the title because sometimes in the past I have had people get pissed for me posting set lists, who didn't want to see set lists.

[GuitarGeek]

Would have liked to hvae heard Rocka Roll and Turbo Lover. But to me, it's not Judas Priest without Tipton and Downing.

[GuitarGeek]

This was the first time I have seen them since the "Defenders Of The Faith" tour in 1984.

The only time I got to see them was in 2009, I think, when they did the tour where they played the whole of British Steel to start the show. And Glenn and Kenneth were there too. Oh yeah, and that's where I got the dirt cheap tickets to see Heaven And Hell a few weeks later too (and my friend Terri and I had to dig through our pockets, and she even had to flirt with a guy to get a buck, because neither of us brought enough money). When I averaged the two shows together, between the two of us, I figured each ticket cost something 27, maybe 30 bucks, so getting ripped of Priest tickets (I think they were 50 bucks a pop, the Heaven And Hell GA tickets were only 12 bucks, I think) actually paid off for me.

[Vic2012]

Yea, I know. The whole situation is just sad....

But.....I've heard a few tracks from the new KK's Priest album on YT. Wow it's damn good. Fast, heavy, Ripper sings his ass off. Homerun. As good as Fire Power (imo).

[SteveSly]

But.....I've heard a few tracks from the new KK's Priest album on YT. Wow it's damn good. Fast, heavy, Ripper sings his ass off. Homerun. As good as Fire Power (imo).

Although it saddens me that KK is no longer in JP, I have also really liked the tracks I have heard from KK Priests album. If they came close to me live, I would definitely go see them.

[Vic2012]

Scorching guitars. Ripper Owen's just doesn't look metal () but man can he sing metal.

[mcdonap]

I was really shocked to hear that Richie Faulkner had to have heart surgery after the show on Sunday! Apparently, he finished the show before getting medical help!

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/ric...able-condition

I wish him a speedy recovery. I've seen Priest with him a couple of times, and he seems very cool!

[Vic2012]

Yes, I heard about Faulkner. Positive vibes I'm sending his way. Get well soon Richie.

[Vic2012]

Well WTF. Here's the whole album. Listening now. It's got tha Accept feel. Not sure who produced it but it's in the same metal, crunch and balls vibe. A criticism I keep reading about this album is that it's got cheesy lyrics. So what, it's fast, thrashy, and heavy. I guess you gotta a little sense of humor about it but damn does it kick ass.

[SteveSly]

Well WTF. Here's the whole album. Listening now. It's got tha Accept feel. Not sure who produced it but it's in the same metal, crunch and balls vibe. A criticism I keep reading about this album is that it's got cheesy lyrics. So what, it's fast, thrashy, and heavy. I guess you gotta a little sense of humor about it but damn does it kick ass.

I like it a lot. Will pick it up.

[Vic2012]

I'd prefer the physical CD myself, but YT will do for now. I swear Ripper almost sounds like DIO on a couple tracks.