Judas Rising

Stardate 4703.2

Angel of Retribution Tour 2005

It is but one week until the Priest concert in Calgary. For me, the buildup for this show has been much more than the month or so since tickets went on sale. I last saw the Priest in 1992 on the Painkiller tour, and I was easily blown away by the power, stage show and overall performance of the band. When Halford split, I was really torn on what to think, and I did enjoy the Ripper albums but they just weren't the same. The saving grace of course, is Scott Travis' drumming. He is technically a perfect drummer, and his live playing is so keyed-in I am sure this show will be even better.

Having Halford back is key though. The guy can sing with range and power like no other in the genre, and even now, as the years get on, his vocals are as strong as ever. On the Painkiller tour, the show began with lights, smoke and Scott Travis. Then the twin guitar assault of KK Downing and Glenn Tipton, followed by the front of the stage opening up to reveal a leather-clad Halford on his Harley. The first song was, of course, "Hell Bent For Leather", and the rest was history. I am prepared for a good 2 hour show full of many classics as well as new material from the Angel of Retribution album.

The guitar duo of KK and Glenn has been the driving force influencing many bands like Slayer. The effortless playing of both guys is amazing to hear and see, and some high points in their music are shown in songs like "The Sentinal" where they trade off lead breaks and play so well on each other. Older material really showcases the styles of the two players, especially on such classic songs as "Diamonds and Rust" and "Exciter"... At any rate, the tower of sound created by these two is perfect in synchronicity and will likely be as stunning as Travis' drumming.

At last word, the playlist is quite long and includes many songs from their 30 year career. I am not sure if it is the same for the whole tour, but it looks somethign like this:

• Hellion/Electric Eye
• Metal Gods
• Riding on the Wind
• A Touch of Evil
• Judas Rising
• Revolution
• Breaking the Law
• I'm a Rocker
• Diamonds and Rust
• Deal With the Devil
• Beyond the Realms of Death
• Turbo Lover
• Hellrider
• Victim of Changes
• Exciter
• Painkiller
• Hell Bent for Leather
• Living After Midnight
• You've Got Another Thing Comin'

I am specifically looking forward to the faster stuff, like "Painkiller", "Hellrider" and "Exciter", but most of all, I am waiting for "Beyond the Realms of Death".

For any info on tour dates, albums or just fun band stuff, be sure to check out the Official Judas Priest site.