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FOZZY Release Anthemic New Single “I STILL BURN” – Landmark Hit “Judas” Reaches Gold Certified

FOZZY Release Anthemic New Single “I Still Burn”
Announce Gold Certification + Plaque Parties for “Judas”

New Album ‘Boombox’ Coming May 6th

An undeniable Rock powerhouse, FOZZY have never been ones to take their foot off the pedal. Last year the band toured throughout the US, UK & Ireland on the first wave of their “Save The World Tour”, all while their previous single, “Sane”, climbed into the Top 10 on the US Rock charts. Today, Fozzy is unleashing the next single from their upcoming studio album. The new track, “I Still Burn”, is a visceral anthem that speaks to the unwavering drive that’s kept this band rocking for over two decades! Fans can stream the new song at the link found HERE.

Speaking about the new single, frontman Chris Jericho comments:
“I Still Burn is the story of the dreams, the passion and the fire that lies within all of us to be the absolute best we can be…and to do WHATEVER it takes to achieve the goals that make our dreams come true! The sacrifices, the losses, and the triumphs that we have all experienced make up the lyrical DNA of this song. I Still Burn is Fozzy’s mission statement, our life’s work and our destiny…and we are so proud to share this message of victory with our Fozzy family!! Plus, Rich’s guitar solo fuckin rules!!!”

The Duke himself, lead guitarist Rich Ward adds, “My entire career has been about pushing to the summit of the climb, never satisfied with boiling water with the Sherpas at Base Camp 2. I’ve been touring and making records for three decades, and I remain as passionate as ever. I Still Burn is the story of the fire that fuels that passion. This is our story!”

STREAM “I Still Burn” HERE!

The newest single in Fozzy’s arsenal is in good company. The band has recorded 5 consecutive top 20 singles, but fans across the world know that the benchmark was set high with their 2017 breakout “Judas”. Reaching the Top 5 on the US Rock charts and boasting 55 million views on YouTube for the music video, the song has now reached its biggest milestone yet – Gold Record status! Symbolizing the accomplishment of 500,000 copies sold, the band is thrilled to share the news of this certification with their legions of fans – because it has always been about delivering them with the biggest and best to keep the spirit of Rock n’ Roll thriving!

Addressing the news of “Judas” going Gold, Jericho says:
“Being awarded a GOLD record has been a dream of mine ever since I started listening to The Beatles at nine years old and saw a picture of them getting an award for ‘Beatles VI’. Then as I grew older and heard Ozzy talk about his “gold discs” and seeing the walls of Rudolf Schenker’s house plastered with framed Scorpions awards, I set my goals on someday getting one of my own. And for ‘Judas’ to have sold 500,000 units in this day and age, completely blows my mind as a fan and a musician, and also makes me realize how far Fozzy has come and how far we are going to go!! Thanks to ALL OF YOU for making this dream come true for me and the guys. I can’t wait to hang my award on my wall…just like Rudolph.”

PRE-ORDER ‘Boombox’ HERE!

The new album from Fozzy, ‘Boombox’, will see a May 6th, 2022 release. Pre-order for the record is available HERE.
The party doesn’t stop there! Fozzy is getting ready to kick off the 2022 wave of the “Save The World Tour” in the US later this month. To celebrate the announcement of “Judas” reaching Gold Record status, the band is planning some very special celebrations for their shows in New York and LA that are not to be missed! A complete list of dates for the upcoming US tour can be found below. Tickets and VIP packages for all dates are available for purchase HERE.

FOZZY SAVE THE WORLD 2022 U.S. TOUR DATES
w/ special guests GFM, KrashKarma, and The Nocturnal Affair

March 31 – Chesterfield, MI @ Diesel Concert Lounge
April 1 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ Piere’s
April 2 – Aurora, IL @ The Piazza
April 3 – Ashwaubenon, WI @ Epic Event Center
April 4 – Kansasville, WI @ 1175
April 7 – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
April 8 – Portland, ME @ Aura
April 9 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally’s
April 10 – Providence, RI @ Fete Ballroom
April 11 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
April 14 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony
April 15 – Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater
April 16 – Wilmington, DE @ The Queen
April 17 – Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
April 18 – Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho Theater
April 28 – New Orleans, LA @ Southport Music Hall
April 29 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
April 30 – San Antonio, TX @ The Rock Box
May 1 – Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live
May 2 – Dallas, TX @ Amplified Live
May 5 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Whisky A Go-Go
May 6 – Garden Grove, CA @ Garden Grove Amphitheater
May 7 – Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post
May 8 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
May 9 – Reno, NV @ Virginia Street Brewhouse
May 12 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Sunshine Studios
May 13 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
May 14 – Wichita, KS @ Temple Live
May 15 – Ft. Smith, AR @ Temple Live
May 16 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s

For all show and VIP info: WWW.FOZZYROCK.COM

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JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE RESCHEDULED 50 HEAVY METAL YEARS TOUR

Tickets Go On Sale Starting Friday, June 11 at 10am Local Time at http://Ticketmaster.com

One of heavy metal’s all-time greats, Judas Priest, will finally get the opportunity to celebrate their 50th anniversary this year with the launch of a North American tour this fall. The 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour will also feature Sabaton as openers and is being fueled by the highest charting album of Priest’s career, ‘Firepower,’ which peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200.

Produced by Live Nation, the North American tour – which will run throughout September (kicking off on September 8th in Reading, PA) and November (concluding on November 5th in Hamilton, Ontario), will feature a variety of special effects, which will undoubtedly enhance the might of Priest’s metal.

Tickets for the newly announced dates will go on sale beginning this Friday, June 11th at 10am local time at http://Ticketmaster.com

Tickets for the previously announced tour dates are available now.

“Defending the heavy metal faith for fifty years, the Priest is back!” – Rob Halford

“Time to don the leather and studs and roll out the Priest Machine – celebrating our 50 Heavy Metal Years!!” – Glenn Tipton

“After the horrific year of restrictions we’ve all had to endure, what better place to break free, than the land of the free – the USA!” – Ian Hill

Judas Priest originally formed in 1970 in Birmingham, England (an area that many feel birthed heavy metal). The original nucleus of musicians would go on to change the face of heavy metal. Throughout the 70’s Priest were responsible for helping trail blaze metal with such classic offerings as ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’ (1976) ‘Sin After Sin’ (1977) and ‘Hell Bent for Leather’ (1978) as well as one of the genre’s top live recordings ‘Unleashed in the East’ (1979) among others.

It was during the 80’s that Priest conquered the world, becoming a global arena headliner on the strength of such all-time classics as ‘British Steel’ (1980) and ‘Screaming for Vengeance’ (1982), as well as being one of the first metal bands to be embraced by the then-burgeoning MTV, plus performing at some of the decades biggest concerts (1980’s Monsters of Rock, 1983’s US Festival, and 1985’s Live Aid) and being the first to exclusively wear leather and studs – a look that began during this era and would eventually be embraced by metal heads throughout the world. Priest’s success continued throughout the 90’s and beyond with the addition of drummer Scott Travis, as evidenced by such additional stellar offerings as ‘Painkiller’ (1990) ‘Angel of Retribution’ (2005) and ‘A Touch of Evil: Live’ (2009) the latter of which saw Priest win a Grammy Award for a killer rendition of the classic ‘Dissident Aggressor’.

In 2011 new guitarist Richie Faulkner came in to replace the previous guitarist who had left in 2010 – the move seemed to have reinvigorated the band, as evidenced by a show-stealing performance on the ‘American Idol’ TV program that also served as Faulkner’s debut performance with the band (also in 2011 was the release of a new compilation ‘The Chosen Few’ which included Priest classics selected by some of metal’s biggest names) and the ‘Epitaph’ concert DVD in 2013.

Priest’s next studio effort would arrive in 2014 ‘Redeemer of Souls’ which was supported by another strong tour. In 2017 (and again in 2019) Judas Priest received a nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and got ready to unleash their latest studio album ‘Firepower’ (produced by Andy Sneap and Tom Allom) which received global success and critical acclaim. In 2020, a fully official and authorized photographic book, ‘Judas Priest: 50 Heavy Metal Years,’ was issued.

Few rock or metal acts remain as much of a must-see live attraction as Judas Priest. Having been forced off the road for over a year, Priest will soon make a most-welcomed return to metalheads coast to coast, with the 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour.

CONFIRMED TOUR DATES:

9/8/2021 Reading PA Santander Arena*
9/9/2021 Virginia Beach VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater*+
9/11/2021 Orlando FL Central Florida Fairgrounds^#
9/13/2021 Charlotte NC PNC Music Pavilion
9/14/2021 Raleigh NC Red Hat Amphitheater*
9/16/2021 Grand Rapids MI Van Andel Arena*
9/17/2021 Youngstown OH Covelli Centre^
9/19/2021 Detroit MI Fox Theatre*
9/20/2021 Rosemont IL Rosemont Theatre*
9/22/2021 Milwaukee WI Miller High Life Theatre^
9/23/2021 Minneapolis MN The Armory*
9/25/2021 Maryland Heights MO Saint Louis Music Park
9/26/2021 Louisville KY Louder Than Life Festival^#
9/29/2021 Denver CO The Mission Ballroom^
9/30/2021 West Valley City UT Maverik Center*
10/2/2021 Everett WA Angel Of The Winds Arena*
10/3/2021 Portland OR Moda Center*
10/5/2021 Oakland CA Fox Theater^
10/6/2021 Los Angeles CA Microsoft Theater^
10/8/2021 Las Vegas NV Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood
10/9/2021 Phoenix AZ Arizona Federal Theatre
10/12/2021 San Antonio TX Freeman Coliseum^
10/13/2021 Cedar Park TX HEB Center Cedar Park^
10/15/2021 Irving TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
10/16/2021 Oklahoma City OK The Zoo Amphitheatre^
10/19/2021 Independence MO Cable Dahmer Arena*
10/21/2021 Nashville TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium*
10/22/2021 Alpharetta GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*
10/24/2021 Charleston WV Charleston Civic Center Coliseum*
10/25/2021 Philadelphia PA The Met*
10/27/2021 Newark NJ Prudential Center*
10/28/2021 Oxon Hill MD The Theater at MGM National Harbor
10/30/2021 Mashantucket CT Foxwoods Resort Casino – Grand Theater^
10/31/2021 Lowell MA Tsongas Center At UMass Lowell*
11/2/2021 Halifax NS Scotiabank Centre*
11/4/2021 Laval , QC Place Bell*
11/5/2021 Hamilton ONT First Ontario Centre*

* new show
^ not a Live Nation event
# festival date
+ Sabaton not support on this date; support is TBD

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FOZZY ANNOUNCES CAPTURING JUDAS LIVESTREAM!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14^TH AT 9PM EST ON VEEPS.COM

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE

Powerhouse rock ‘n’ roll band FOZZY announces “Capturing Judas” livestream on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at 9pm EST on Veeps.com. The band will be appearing in its first global live streaming event from Madison Studios in Atlanta, GA. Tickets, tee shirt bundles, and VIP Virtual Meet & Greet packages are on sale now at FOZZY.veeps.com. Additionally, fans who purchase “Capturing Judas” will be able to watch the livestream or watch on demand until November 29th. For more information, visit CapturingJudas.com.

The event, aptly titled “Capturing Judas”, is a journey through the bands Judas touring cycle. The pre-show will begin with the special world premiere of FOZZY Across America, filmed October 13, 2017, the day FOZZY celebrated the release of “Judas” by performing 3 shows, in 3 different time zones, on the same day. This 30-minute documentary pulls back the curtain to provide unprecedented, behind-the-scenes access to the band as you’ve never seen them before. Following FOZZY Across America is the final live performance of the “Judas” set that was performed in over 200 cities around the world and will include stories of the road.

“After having to postpone our “Save The World Tour” multiple times due to the continuing lockdown, we decided we wanted to do something special for all of our fans worldwide who rocked with us over the past three years on the Judas tour cycle!” states FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho. “So, on November 14, we will be coming at you LIVE without a net, to play some kick ass rock n roll for you all! We’re also gonna tell you some fun road stories, have a few drinks and maybe even do some Riverdancing! So come join us and let’s all celebrate and commemorate the most successful album and tour of Fozzy’s career.”

The band’s seventh LP, Judas, spurred hits like “Painless“, “Burn Me Out“, and title track, “Judas“, which spent five weeks at #1 on the ‘‘Big Uns Countdown’ on Sirius/XM’s Octane channel and peaked at #5 on the Active Rock Mediabase Chart. The song has over 54 million U.S. streams to date and the music video has over 43 million views to date. Watch the music video HERE.

FOZZY is gearing up to release their new album and follow up to Judas early 2021 and recently released their anthemic track “Nowhere To Run“, which was the band’s third track to hit Top 10 on Rock Radio, following “Judas” and “Painless“. Watch the music video for Fozzy’s newest hit song, “Nowhere To Run”, HERE.

Stay tuned for more details about the forthcoming release by following the band on socials. Since the beginning, Fozzy has been about hard work, dedication, and delivering great rock ‘n’ roll to their devoted fans worldwide; reminding them that music is all about invoking dirty, sweaty jubilation and doing it loudly! The band formed in 2000 to release their self-titled debut album.

Throughout the years, Fozzy released six progressively popular records, including 2012’s Sin & Bones, featuring the hit single “Sandpaper“, which found the band reaching a level of legitimacy that drew a mass audience to drink in their trademark heavy melodic groove. More recently, the hard rockers released their seventh studio album, Judas, which includes their explosive title track. “Judas” catapulted up the Active Rock Radio Chart. Fozzy’s follow-up singles “Painless“, which peaked at #7 on the Active Rock Mediabase Chart, and “Burn Me Out“, which peaked at #17 on the Active Rock Mediabase Chart, solidified the band as Rock superstars.

Fozzy is :

Chris Jericho (vocals)

Rich Ward (guitars, vocals)

Frank Fontsere (drums)

Billy Grey (guitars)

Randy Drake (bass).

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: announces, capturing, fozzy, judas, livestream

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE 50 HEAVY METAL YEARS TOUR 2020

One of heavy metal’s all-time greats, Judas Priest will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this year with a world tour coming to the US in the fall. The 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour will also feature Sabaton as openers and is being fueled by the highest charting album of Priest’s career ‘Firepower’ which peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200.

“Judas Priest are primed and ready to deliver the goods with our 50 Heavy Metal Years anniversary celebration stage show spectacular! Performing a blistering cross section of songs from our lives in metal – we can’t wait to raise horns with you again at this once in a metal lifetime event!” – Judas Priest

Judas Priest originally formed in 1970 in Birmingham, England (an area that many feel birthed heavy metal). The original nucleus of musicians – Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, KK Downing & Ian Hill (along with several different drummers over the years) would go on to change the face of heavy metal. Throughout the 70’s Priest were responsible for helping trail blaze metal with such classic offerings as ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’ (1976) ‘Sin After Sin’ (1977) and ‘Hell Bent for Leather’ (1978) as well as one of the genre’s top live recordings ‘Unleashed in the East’ (1979) among others.

But it was during the 80’s that Priest conquered the world, becoming a global arena headliner on the strength of such all-time classics as ‘British Steel’ (1980) and ‘Screaming for Vengeance’ (1982), as well as being one of the first metal bands to be embraced by the then-burgeoning MTV, plus performing at some of the decades biggest concerts (1980’s Monsters of Rock, 1983’s US Festival, and 1985’s Live Aid) and being the first to exclusively wear leather and studs – a look that began during this era and would eventually be embraced by metal heads throughout the world. Priest’s success continued throughout the 90’s and beyond with the addition of drummer Scott Travis, as evidenced by such additional stellar offerings as ‘Painkiller’ (1990) ‘Angel of Retribution’ (2005) and ‘A Touch of Evil: Live’ (2009) the latter of which saw Priest win a Grammy Award for a killer rendition of the classic ‘Dissident Aggressor’

Priest’s next studio effort would arrive in 2014 ‘Redeemer of Souls’ which was supported by another strong tour.

In 2017 (and again in 2019) Judas Priest received a nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and got ready to unleash their latest studio album ‘Firepower’ (produced by Andy Sneap and Tom Allom) which received global success and critical acclaim.

Few rock or metal acts remain as much of a must-see live attraction as Judas Priest. And the forthcoming 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour will undoubtedly drive this point home.

CONFIRMED TOUR DATES:

9/9/2020 in Oxon Hill, MD at MGM National Harbor
9/11/2020 in Uniondale, NY at Nassau Coliseum
9/12/2020 in Ledyard, CT at Foxwoods Casino Arena
9/14/2020 in Philadelphia, PA at The Mann Center
9/15/2020 in Newark, NJ at Prudential Center
9/17/2020 in Charlotte, NC at PNC Music Pavilion
9/18/2020 in Orlando, FL at Central Florida Fair – Rebel Rock Fest
9/21/2020 in Grand Rapids, MI at Van Andel Arena
9/23/2020 in Detroit, MI at Fox Theatre
9/24/2020 in Youngstown, OH at Covelli Centre
9/26/2020 in Chicago, IL at Rosemont Theatre
9/27/2020 in Minneapolis, MN at The Armory
9/29/2020 in Milwaukee, WI at Miller High Life Theatre
9/30/2020 in St. Louis, MO at Saint Louis Music Park
10/2/2020 in Oklahoma City, OK at The Zoo Amphitheatre
10/3/2020 in Dallas, TX at Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
10/5/2020 in Austin, TX at HEB Center
10/6/2020 in San Antonio, TX at Freeman Coliseum
10/8/2020 in Albuquerque, NM at Sandia Resort and Casino
10/9/2020 in Denver, CO at The Mission Ballroom
10/11/2020 in Salt Lake City, UT at Vivint Smart Home Arena
10/13/2020 in Phoenix, AZ at Arizona Federal Theatre
10/15/2020 in Los Angeles, CA at Microsoft Theater
10/17/2020 in Las Vegas, NV at Zappos Theatre at Planet Hollywood

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: judaspriest.com

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 2020, 50, announce, heavy, judas, metal, ...

Judas Priest Announce Spring/Summer 2019 North American Tour

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

With Judas Priest’s latest studio album, Firepower, confirmed as one of the most successful of the band’s entire career – landing in the “top 5” of 17 countries (including their highest chart placement ever in the U.S., at #5) – demand to see the legendary metal band in concert is higher than ever.

And North American headbangers will get their chance to experience the legendary band on a nearby concert stage this coming spring/summer, when Priest will tour throughout the continent – with the classic metal band Uriah Heep as support.

Kicking off on May 3rd at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida and wrapping up on June 29th at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, fans will get an opportunity to catch Priest at the height of their concert powers on any one of the tour’s 32 dates.

“Metal maniacs – Judas Priest is roaring back to the USA for one more blast of Firepower! Firepower 2019 charges forth with new first time performances born out of Firepower, as well as fresh classic cuts across the decades from the Priest world metalsphere. Our visual stage set and light show will be scorching a unique, hot, fresh vibe – mixing in headline festivals, as well as the in-your-face venue close ups. We can’t wait to reunite and reignite our maniacs…THE PRIEST IS BACK!” -Judas Priest

There are few heavy metal bands that have managed to scale the heights that Judas Priest have during their nearly 50-year career – responsible for issuing such all-time classic albums as British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, and Painkiller, as well as the anthems “Breaking the Law,” “Living After Midnight,” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming.”

And Priest’s presence and influence remains strong, as evidenced by the chart performance of ‘Firepower’ and its glowing reviews, a Grammy Award win for ‘Best Metal Performance’, plus being a VH1 Rock Honors recipient and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination.

Also, Priest can be credited as being one of the first metal bands to pioneer wearing leather and studs – a look that would eventually be embraced by metalheads throughout the world.

Undoubtedly, Judas Priest’s upcoming North American tour will only add to their ever-growing status of heavy metal legends.

JUDAS PRIEST TOUR DATES:

DATE/ CITY/ VENUE
05/03/19 Hollywood, FL Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
05/06/19 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium
05/08/19 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
05/09/19 Biloxi, MS Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
05/12/19 Washington, DC The Anthem
05/14/19 Huntington, NY The Paramount
05/15/19 Huntington, NY The Paramount
05/16/19 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
05/18/19 Albany, NY Palace Theatre
05/19/19 Albany, NY Palace Theatre
05/22/19 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater
05/23/19 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater
05/25/19 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre
05/28/19 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater
05/29/19 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater
05/31/19 Dallas, TX The Bomb Factory
06/01/19 Little Rock, AR First Security Amphitheater
06/03/19 St. Louis, MO Stifel Theatre
06/05/19 Colorado Springs, CO Broadmoor World Arena
06/08/19 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre
06/10/19 Lethbridge, AB ENMAX Centre
06/11/19 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
06/13/19 Dawson Creek, BC Encana Events Centre
06/14/19 Prince George, BC CN Centre
06/16/19 Kelowna, BC Prospera Place
06/17/19 Abbotsford, BC Abbotsford Centre
06/19/19 Airway Heights, WA Northern Quest Resort and Casino
06/21/19 Kent, WA Accesso Showare Center
06/22/19 Portland, OR Moda Theatre of the Clouds
06/24/19 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
06/25/19 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
06/27/19 Los Angeles, CA Microsoft Theater
06/29/19 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel

Photo By Travis Shin

For more information, please visit judaspriest.com

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines, Uncategorized Tagged With: 2019, american, announce, judas, north, priest, ...

Guitarist K.K. Downing Discusses His New Book “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest”

Ken “K.K.” Downing is a founding member of the heavy metal band Judas Priest. He was active with the group from its inception in 1969 to his departure from the group in April of 2011. Downing has recently released a book via Da Capo press title “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest”. Media Mikes had a chance recently to speak with Ken about the creation of the book and where he plans to go next

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background behind the writing of the book?

Ken Downing: Since my departure from the band eight years ago lots of people have been asking me if I would like to do a book. Year after year I just kept saying no and then finally last year I decided to finally do it. I sort of had three basic ideas for doing this. I thought it would be a good opportunity for fans to get to know me a little bit better. That probably sounds a bit ridiculous after having been around for so long now but, there is always another story to tell. I wanted to share how I started off in life and ended up playing some of the biggest stages in the world. Lastly I wanted to bring some sort of closure to the banter which was being thrown about across the internet related to my position within the band.

AL: How did you go about selecting what memories or stories you wanted to include in the book?

KD: That was really the difficulty part as I didn’t have a plan or anything. My ghost writer Mark Eglinton helped quite a bit with this side of things. He helped me dig a bit deeper along the way as we approached things chronologically as one lives life. As we moved along we paid attention to what would come to the surface and tried not to dwell on certain topics too long as we wanted to keep the book moving. If I had elaborated too much on things this would be a very thick book. (Laughs) It was difficult at times as I wanted to keep things honest and after forty years in rock and roll there were a couple stories we had to leave out. (Laughs)

AL: How did you get connected with Mark (Eglinton)?

KD: Mark came to me through my website which is run out of Helsinki, Finland. I had been approached previously by a bunch of other people about doing a book but Mark was in the UK and he made a couple trips down to see me where we just talked and got to know one another. I felt that worked well and we went from there. We did things in chunks based on a certain amount of years. That let me focus on one specific time period at a time. Mark and I would just basically talk. Every now and then he would prompt me to elaborate more on certain periods of the band. Both Mark and his brother have been rock fans for a very long time so he had a fans perspective of what other fans might want to know more about.

AL: Was it hard revisiting some of your earlier years growing up?

KD: It was. I had always kept a lot of those memories be it good or bad to myself. My childhood was very personal to me and I had never shared my experiences with anyone. To have someone hear them and then in turn document them for others to read was something I really had to think about. To keep things transparent we went ahead with it. I may have skirted around a couple things or been less descriptive but it’s all there. When you are born in to a dysfunctional family things are going to be a bit different so I didn’t have to go into too much detail.

AL: Had you let any of the people included in these stories know beforehand that you were releasing a book on your life?

KD: No not really. I had talked to my mom as I was a bit concerned she might get a little emotional about me telling the family story. As it happened when I spoke with her she told me she was not worried and she also mentioned she had read Ozzy Osbourne’s book and loved that one. (Laughs) When she did get the chance to read my book she affirmed that that’s how things were so I was pleased with that.

AL: Now that people have had a chance to read the book, are there any pieces you feel you should not have included or been so detailed with?

KD: I feel a little relieved now that it’s out and that I have not received any real adverse repercussions. The general feedback has been much better than I was expecting. Every now and then I think about other things I would have mentioned but didn’t. That seems to happen though be it with this book or records you always want to turn out the best product so you keep working and working at it. Eventually you just have to stop and turn it in. I wanted to put out something that people could get their heads into and find it just as enjoyable as watching television or something.

AL: With the completion of the book are you looking to now shift your focus back to music?

KD: I am thinking with the coming winter here in the UK I am going to disappear into my music room and just see what happens next. I have a few ideas I might want to play about with but this game for me is all about getting that chance to jump back into Judas Priest. If I am not doing that then the name of the game is creating new material.

For more in on Ken you can visit his official website at www.kkdowning.net

Be sure to check out our review of “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest” here.

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Filed Under: Author Interviews, Books, Interviews, Music, Music Interviews Tagged With: book, days, discusses, downing, duty, guitarist, ...

Book Review: “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest” by K.K. Downing w/ Mark Eglinton

“Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest”
Author: K.K. Downing w/ Mark Eglinton
Da Capo
Hardcover: 277 pages

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

As guitarist for the iconic British heavy metal band Judas Priest, Ken “K.K.” Downing lived the fast-paced, opulent life of a rock star. It was a far cry from his tedious, impoverished childhood in the heart of England. In “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest”, Downing recounts his forty-plus years with the band recounting events such as his first meeting with vocalist Rob Halford and guitarist Glen Tipton to stories of touring with bands like AC/DC and Iron Maiden.

There aren’t many music fans out there who can’t name at-least one Judas Priest song. From “Living After Midnight” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” to “Breaking the Law” the band has a memorable catalog that for many was the soundtrack of their youth. “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest” is the chance for fans of the band to see just what was going on behind the scenes during the bands early years and on up through guitarist K.K. Downing’s departure from the group in 2011. Over the course of the books 277 pages the guitarist and his collaborator Mark Eglinton give detailed accounts of the bands formation, the growing pains all new bands go through and what the band was like during the recording of some of the most influential heavy metal records in music history. Downing is candid and no subject seems to be off limits as he recounts his own personal struggles as well as inner turmoil between band members, management and producers giving the reader a fly on the wall perspective that until now was not available.

At times I did find the stories to be a bit drawn out with a few too many “poor me” moments for my liking. Yes this is a memoir/autobiography and those types of things come with the territory however there were some redundancies and details that probably could have been thinned down or omitted completely with a little more editing. Do not get me wrong, the book still has a bunch a really cool moments and stories that aside from the people who lived it have/will never be experienced by most so being able to read about those is worth it. There are also some really great photos included the hardcover book comes with a super cool metallic like slip cover which will look awesome displayed next to other Judas Priest and music memorabilia.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books Tagged With: book, days, downing, duty, eglinton, heavy, ...

Fozzy Announces the Next Leg of the “Judas Rising Tour”

Photo by Adrienne Beacco

ATLANTA, Ga. (May 8, 2018) – Armed with two top 10 Active Rock hits, Fozzy is continuing the headlining “Judas Rising Tour” this summer/fall with Adelitas Way, Stone Broken and The Stir. The run kicks off in Atlanta on August 24, hitting major markets like Minneapolis, Cincinnati and St. Louis along the way. Tickets for this leg of the “Judas Rising Tour” will be available to the general public on Friday, May 11 at 10 a.m. local time. Citi® Cardmembers can access pre-sale tickets today at 2 p.m. local time. Click here for tickets.

The announcement comes after Fozzy’s latest single, “Painless,” broke into the Top 10 on Active Rock radio, currently sitting at #8 on the Mediabase chart. “Painless” is the second focus track off the band’s seventh studio album, Judas, released via Century Media Records in October 2017. Since its release, the track accumulated nearly 2 million streams on Spotify and more than 2 million views on YouTube.

Fozzy’s headlining tour kicked off in May 2017 with sold-out shows across North America and Europe. The five-piece band is also slated to perform at various festivals, including Rock USA, Rockfest, Rock of Ages and Wacken this summer before returning to the United States for the next leg of the “Judas Rising Tour.” Complete tour routing is below:

JUDAS RISING TOUR w/ Adelitas Way, Stone Broken and The Stir

Aug 24 – Atlanta, GA @ Smith’s Olde Bar *

Aug 26 – Huntsville, AL @ Sidetracks Music Hall

Aug 29 – Clarksville, TN @ O’Connor’s

Aug 31 – Little Rock, AR @ The Revolution Music Room

Sep 6 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room

Sep 7 – Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom

Sep 8 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

Sep 9 – Fargo, ND @ Sanctuary

Sep 12 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall

Sep 13 – Indianapolis, IN @ Vouge

Sep 14 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ Piere’s

Sep 15 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall

Sep 16 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s

Sep 18 – Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom **

Sep 19 – Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

Sep 20 – Jacksonville, NC @ Tarheel Concert Lounge

Sep 21 – Huntington, WV @ Planetfest at Riverfront Park

Sep 22 – Greenville, SC @ The Firmament

Sep 25 – Savannah, GA @ The Stage on Bar

Sep 27 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues

Sep 28 – Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum **

Sep 29 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ The Culture Room **

* Adelitas Way and Stone Broken do not appear

** Stone Broken does not appear

ABOUT FOZZY

Since the beginning, Fozzy has been about hard work, dedication and delivering great rock ‘n’ roll to their devoted fans worldwide; reminding them that music is all about invoking dirty, sweaty jubilation and doing it loudly! Comprised of Chris Jericho (vocals), Rich Ward (guitars, vocals), Frank Fontsere (drums), Billy Grey (guitar) and Paul DiLeo (bass), the band formed in 2000 to release their self-titled debut album. Throughout the years, Fozzy released six progressively popular records, including 2012’s Sin & Bones, which featured the hit single “Sandpaper” (more than 3 million views on YouTube) that found the band reaching a level of legitimacy that drew a mass audience to drink in their trademark heavy melodic groove. More recently, the hard rockers released their seventh studio album, Judas, which includes their explosive title track. “Judas” catapulted up the Active Rock radio chart, eventually sitting at #1 for five consecutive weeks, and the music video amassed over 18 million views. With that giant hit song in their arsenal and a similar trajectory being set for the band’s follow-up single “Painless” (#8 on Active Rock radio), Fozzy is taking its live experience back on the road for their wildly successful “Judas Rising Tour.”

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: fozzyannounces, judas, leg, rising, tour

Judas Priest Release First Single “Lightning Strike” From Upcoming Album “Firepower”

JUDAS PRIEST FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS WITH BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM – ‘FIREPOWER’

Judas Priest could easily rest on their laurels at this stage of their highly successful and influential career. However, the legendary metal band – singer Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis – refuse to do so as evidenced by the arrival of their eighteenth studio album overall – ‘Firepower,’ which can be pre-ordered via the link http://smarturl.it/Firepower.

Set for release on Friday, March 9th, 2018 via Epic Records – the album is comprised of fourteen tracks of pure and highly inspired metal. And to mark the occasion Priest has reunited with producer Tom Allom (the man behind the board for all of the band’s releases from 1979-1988, including such stellar classics as ‘Unleashed in the East,’ ‘British Steel,’ ‘Screaming for Vengeance’ and ‘Defenders of the Faith’) and with Grammy Award-winning producer Andy Sneap also helping to raise the sonic bar even higher.

“Tom Allom has got this classic metal thing,” explains Halford. “And Andy is a bit more of a ‘modern metal producer’ but his thinking is a little bit different to Tom’s. And I think to get this balance between that classic old school metal to what Andy’s world is was just a remarkable coalescence.” “Tom Allom has been with us since 1979, so his knowledge of ourselves and our music in general is immense,” adds Hill. And according to Travis Priest returned back to a recording method that worked incredibly well on the band’s earlier classics – “We went back to the organic way of recording where it’s all of us in a room and we got to play together.”

The album’s first single, ‘Lightning Strike’ will be available worldwide on Friday, January 5, 2018, and on the same day the song’s music video will be premiered (and can be viewed via http://smarturl.it/JPLightningStrikeVid). Full album pre-order and a PledgeMusic pre-order (https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/judas-priest) will also begin the same day which includes exclusive limited autographed colored vinyl, autographed vinyl test pressings, an exclusive Judas Priest t-shirt and an extremely limited number of Judas Priest autographed guitars.

With the impending arrival of ‘Firepower’ and its ensuing tour (which kicks off on March 13th), THE PRIEST IS BACK!

‘FIREPOWER’ TRACKLISTING:

1. Firepower
2. Lightning Strike
3. Evil Never Dies
4. Never The Heroes
5. Necromancer
6. Children of the Sun
7. Guardians
8. Rising From Ruins
9. Flame Thrower
10. Spectre
11. Traitors Gate
12. No Surrender
13. Lone Wolf
14. Sea of Red

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: judaspriest.com

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: album, firepower, judas, lightning, priest, release, ...

Judas Priest Announce New Mobile Game, ‘Judas Priest: Road To Valhalla’

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE NEW MOBILE GAME,
‘JUDAS PRIEST: ROAD TO VALHALLA’ IS AVAILABLE TODAY

Sony Music Entertainment and legendary heavy metal band Judas Priest announced today that “Judas Priest: Road To Valhalla,” a new mobile game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch is now available in the App Store.

Game download link to App Store here: http://apple.co/2uG3i3n

The app features stunning new visuals and gameplay set to the iconic songs “Halls of Valhalla,” “Breaking the Law”, “Turbo Lover”, “Electric Eye”, and “Painkiller” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming.”

Judas Priest: Road To Valhalla innovates by making isolated song stems (eg drums, vocals, guitar) from the 2016 ‘Battle Cry’ album available to players exclusively within the game. Using an innovative visual mechanic, players must fill “stem meters” to construct the full song and progress through each level of the game.

“When we set out to make this game, we wanted to give fans a new kind of visual listening experience” said Rob Halford, who also appears in a series of exclusive video clips throughout the game.

“For the first time, we are making individual stems of our songs available to fans to give them a new and interactive way to engage with some of the best songs from our catalog.”

Video trailer for game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ6bjtdH5s4

“Judas Priest: Road To Valhalla” is a joint collaboration between Judas Priest, Sony Music Entertainment, Trinifold Management LLC UK and Babaroga, a leading mobile game studio.

“Metal maniacs are you ready to join Judas Priest on the Road To Valhalla…..? We are excited to have you take charge and lead the way on the bike and the tour bus! Let the molten metal mayhem begin with the thrill of the ride! Can you claim victory on this perilous journey that leads you into Valhalla…?”

Have a blast and enjoy!
Rob, Glenn, Richie, Ian and Scott

Blu-ray Review “Teen Titans: The Judas Contract”

Starring: Christina Ricci, Miguel Ferrer, Taissa Farmiga, Jake T. Austin, Kari Wahlgren, Sean Maher
Director: Sam Liu
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Running Time: 84 min
Rated PG-13
Release Date: Apr 18, 2017

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Teen Titans: The Judas Contract” is the sequel to “Justice League vs. Teen Titans”. The DC Universe animated original movies have been stepping up their games. This one had a slightly more grown-up feel for our Teen Titans. The voice cast is great Stuart Allan returns as Robin, Taissa Farmiga as Raven, Brandon Soo Hoo as Beast Boy, Jake T. Austin as Blue Beetle, Kari Wahlgren as Starfire and Sean Maher as Nightwing. Some new talent includes Christina Ricci as Terra, Miguel Ferrer as Deathstroke, which is also his last role since he died earlier this year, Gregg Henry plays Brother Blood, Meg Foster as Mother Mayhem and even Kevin Smith plays himself in the film. It was a fun film and “Teen Titans” as a product is very hot right now! I give it a thumbs up for sure!

Official Premise: Led by Starfire, the Teen Titans – Beast Boy, Raven, Blue Beetle, Robin and the just-returned Nightwing – have built a cohesive team in their never-ending battle against evil; but their newest teammate, the mysterious, and powerful Terra, may be altering that dynamic. Meanwhile, an ancient evil, Brother Blood, has awakened, and familiar foe Deathstroke is lurking in the shadows – both waiting to pounce. Ultimately, the Teen Titans will need to battle their enemies and their own doubts to unite and overcome the malicious forces around them, in this twisting tale of intrigue, adventure and deception.

“Teen Titans: The Judas Contract” comes as a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet combo pack. Special features are not jam-packed but worth taking a look. First up “Titanic Minds: Wolfman and Perez” is a documentary exploring the relationship of Marv Wolfman and George Pérez talking about Teen Titan history. “Villains United: Deathstroke” is a short featurette on the villain. There are two bonus cartoons in “From the DC Comics Vault”. Lastly, there is a sneak peek at the next DC Universe Original Movie, “Batman and Harley Quinn”, with the creators and voice cast.

CD Review: Judas Priest “Turbo 30”

“Turbo 30”
Judas Priest
Sony Music
3 Discs

Our score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

British metal legends Judas Priest are set to reissue their 10th studio album “Turbo”. Originally released in 1986 the album incorporated a variety of new technical inventions which allowed the band to challenge their creativity and push their sound as a band forward. “Turbo 30” is being released via Sony Music and features recreated album art work, a re-mastered version of the “Turbo” album and an unreleased 2 disc live recording from the bands 1986 “Fuel For Life” tour.

Having reviewed the bands last reissue/live release I was anxious to delve into “Turbo 30”. The band and Sony spare no expense to make sure these re-releases are top notch and not just an opportunity to sell their back catalog. From the quad fold packaging to the recreated artwork and original photos just the looks alone of this release are enough to make me recommend it. Disc one of three features a re-mastered version of “Turbo” featuring tracks such as “Parental Guidance”, “Locked In” and “Turbo Lover”. Despite being an analog purist the re-mastered version of the album did sound quite good however, were the release really shined was in the bonus two disc live recording. Much like the re-issue of “Defenders of the Faith” in 2015 “Turbo 30” includes an unreleased live performance from the albums subsequent tour. These live recordings sound amazing and just shred through your speakers as they capture the band in their natural environment. Not only do you get live versions of songs from the featured album but you also get fresh versions of some of Priest’s biggest hits including “Heading Out to the Highway” and “Breaking the Law” to fan favorites “The Sentinel” and “Electric Eye”.

As Priest albums go “Turbo” is probably one of the least re-guarded of the bands 17 studio albums however, the presentation and the inclusion of the unreleased live performance on this 30th anniversary edition make it a decent pick up. Even fans who may dislike the studio album portion of the release will appreciate the quality of disc 2 and 3 as the band sounds great.

Disc 1 Track Listing:
1.) Turbo Lover
2.) Locked In
3.) Private Property
4.) Parental Guidance
5.) Rock You All Around the World
6.) Out in the Cold
7.) Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days
8.) Hot For Love
9.) Reckless

Disc 2 Track Listing:
1.) Out in the Cold
2.) Locked In
3.) Heading Out to the Highway
4.) Metal Gods
5.) Breaking the Law
6.) Love Bites
7.) Some Heads are Gonna Roll
8.) The Sentinel
9.) Private Property
10.) Desert Plains
11.) Rock You All Around the World

Disc 3 Track Listing:
1.) The Hellion
2.) Electric Eye
3.) Turbo Lover
4.) Freewheel Burning
5.) Victim of Changes
6.) The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)
7.) Living After Midnight
8.) You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
9.) Hell Bent for Leather

DVD Review: Judas Priest “Battle Cry”

“Battle Cry”

Judas Priest
Epic Records Rated: Not Rated
DVD Running time: 94 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Judas Priest’s tour in support of their 17th studio album was one of the most extensive of the group’s entire career- consisting of 130 shows in 33 countries and offering a set-list that touched upon selections from nearly all of their classic albums. Fans can now relive the live Priest experience through “Battle Cry”. Recorded live on August, 1st 2015 at Germany’s Wacken Festival in front of 85,000, the live performance is available on 15 track audio CD as well as DVD and Blu-Ray which both feature an additional 3 tracks shot in Poland on December 10th 2015.

Though not the first live concert performance release from metal gods Judas Priest it is however the first live release from the band to cover material from practically every album including “Redeemer of Souls”. Everything a hardcore Priest fan could want is here and more! From such classic tracks as “Metal Gods” and “Victim of Changes” to newer tracks like “Battle Cry” and “Redeemer of Souls”. You serious get a little bit of everything with this release. One track missing that I had hoped would make the cut was that of the song “Love Bites” off of “Defenders of the Faith”. The band performed this song for the first time since 1986 during the opening night of the “Redeemer of Souls” tour in Rochester, NY and continued playing it off and on throughout the tours run. Despite my own personal favorite missing the stunning visuals and immense crowd and staging made me quickly forget about that one minor detail as there was just so much to take in. The band made a really great decision by selecting the Wacken Festival as it is really proving to be one of if not thee most premier heavy metal festival.

This release will make a great addition to any metal fans collection especially if they were able to catch one of the bands shows from this tour. It would have been nice though if they came packaged as a CD/DVD combo giving you both an audio and video option all in one purchase. It also would have been cool to include some behind the scenes footage from the tour along with the 3 additional tracks being the tour was such a large undertaking for the band. Minus those few small things and you have great live release.

DVD/Blu-Ray Track Listing:

1.) (Intro) Battle Cry
2.) Dragonaut
3.) Metal Gods
4.) Devil’s Child
5.) Victims of Changes
6.) Halls of Valhalla
7.) Turbo Lover
8.) Redeemer of Souls
9.) Beyond the Realms of Death
10.) Jawbreaker
11.) Breaking the Law
12.) Hell Bent for Leather
13.) Hellion
14.) Electric Eye
15.) You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
16.) Painkiller
17.) Living After Midnight

Bonus tracks:

18,) Screaming for Vengeance
19.) The Rage
20.) Desert Plains

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Music Tagged With: battle, cry, dvd, judas, priest, review, ...

CD Review: Judas Priest “Defenders of the Faith” 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

Judas Priest
“Defenders of the Faith” 30^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Columbia/Legacy
Tracks: 31 (3 Discs)

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Judas Priest’s “Defenders of the Faith” album Columbia/Legacy Records has released the “Defenders of the Faith” 30^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. The 3 disc release features a combined 31 tracks which lets listeners relive 1984, a year which had the band coming off a long list of successful album releases and continuing on with the Platinum selling “Defenders of the Faith” album. The 30^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition includes a newly remastered version of the original album, a 2 disc live performance recorded during the subsequent tour, special edition packaging and an 18 page booklet with rare photos from the Defenders tour.

Right of the bat I want to say that if you already have the original version of “Defenders of the Faith” skip this version or go out and track down an original vinyl copy of the album. I found the remastered version of the album to be quite thin with too much emphasis on Rob Halfords vocals. It would have been nice if the newly remastered tracks featured beefed up instrumentation to accompany the metal gods prowess however much of that seemed lost or non-existent. I found the real gem of this release to be the two disc live album which is included as a part of the deluxe edition. Recorded on May 5^th, 1984 at the Long Beach Arena the recording captures the band in their element. Not only do you get to hear most of the songs from the Defenders album in a live a setting but you are also treated to classic Priest tracks such as “Electric Eye”, “The Green Manalishi” and of course “Hell Bent for Leather” which includes Halfords signature motorcycle revving. Everything Priest is known for with their live performances is captured on these two discs making it for me the star if the release. Also included is some really cool die-cut packaging and a small booklet with a brief story from the band along with several live photos from the tour.

Though I wasn’t a fan of all the discs from the “Defenders of the Faith” 30^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition I found the live portion of this release more than made up for it. So if you are looking this album and want something a little extra then the Anniversary edition is the way to go however, if you are just looking for the studio tracks of songs like “Love Bites” and “Some Heads Are Gonna Roll” then make your way to the nearest record store and get yourself an original release of the album.

Track Listing:
Disc 1- Defenders of Faith (Remastered)
1.) Freewheel Burning
2.) Jawbreaker
3.) Rock Hard Ride Free
4.) The Sentinel
5.) Love Bites
6.) Eat Me Alive
7.) Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
8.) Night Comes Down
9.) Heavy Duty
10.) Defenders of Faith

Disc 2- Live at the Long Beach Arena 5/5/84
1.) Love Bites
2.) Jawbreaker
3.) Grinder
4.) Metal Gods
5.) Breaking the Law
6.) Sinners
7.) Desert Plains
8.) Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
9.) The Sentinel
10.) Rock Hard Ride Free

Disc 3- Live at the Long Beach Arena 5/5/84
1.) Night Comes Down
2.) The Hellion
3.) Electric Eye
4.) Heavy Duty
5.) Defenders of the Faith
6.) Freewheel Burning
7.) Victim of Changes
8.) The Green Manalishi
9.) Living After Midnight
10.) Hell Bent For Leather
11.) You’ve Got Another Thing Coming

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Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: 30th, anniversary, cd, defenders, deluxe, edition, ...

Concert Review: “Redeemer of Souls Tour” with Judas Priest & Steel Panther @ Main Street Armory, Rochester, NY

“Redeemer of Souls Tour”
Judas Priest, Steel Panther
Wednesday, October 1^st 2014
Main Street Armory, Rochester, NY

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

After a 2 year hiatus from the music scene the metal gods themselves Judas Priest are back on the road supporting their latest album release titled “Redeemer of Souls”. The tour kicked off on October 1st in Rochester, NY before a near capacity crowd and though opening night didn’t go as smoothly everyone was hoping for both Priest and opening act Steel Panther were at the top of their games.

As the doors to the vast Main Street Armory opened fans quickly flooded the venue in anticipation of the evening’s events. As the evenings advertised 7:30 start time rolled around and quickly turned in to 7:45, 8:00, 8:15 etc. It wouldn’t be till almost 8:40 that opening act Steel Panther would take the stage. The band which has been taking a lot of heat since it was announced they would be part of the tour initially didn’t win over the Rochester crowd as they took the stage to a sea of boo’s. It was unclear if the late start was the fault of the bands or of the promoter however despite the unpleasant welcome the band shrugged it off and blasted through an 11 song set which touched on each of the bands 4 releases. Vocalist Michael Starr handled his vocal duties like a true veteran and in between songs attempted to regain the crowds trust through the bands normal joking and goofing on one another. This seemed to work as the band left the stage to cheers and applause the total opposite of how the night began.

After a few minutes a large Judas Priest banner dropped from the rafters signaling that the wait was almost over. After a brief intro the arena was filled with smoke and lights as Rob Halford and company ripped into the song “Dragonaut” which is also the first track off the band newest album. Halford seemed a little unsteady at first and was using a cane however by the end of the first number it appeared as though it was just a prop as he lurked back and forth with ease the rest of the night. The band played a variety of songs from their vast catalog such as “Victim of Changes”, ‘Turbo Lover” and “Love Bites” which hasn’t been in the set since 1986. The band’s sound was tight and well rehearsed with Rob’s signature scream being in top form. The newest member of the band guitarist Richie Faulkner seemed even more comfortable and certainly did his part to elevate the night’s excitement. Before calling it a night the band treated the audience to two encores which were both greeted with deafening roars and devil horns thrown high into the air.

When the night was finally over and the venue was silent it was easy to say that despite a few small setbacks the tours opening night was a success. Both Priest fans new and old were given everything both bands had and then some as it was a great night of music. If the tour is coming to your area make sure to get your tickets as soon as you can as there are very few bands out there right now who can rival the power and fury of the one and only Judas Priest.

Steel Panther Set List:
1.) Pussy Whipped
2.) Party Like Tomorrow Is the End of the World
3.) Asian Hooker
4.) Just Like Tiger Woods
5.) Gold Digging Whore
6.) Girl From Oklahoma
7.) Community Property
8.) Eyes of the Panther
9.) 17 Girls in a Row
10.) Death to All but Metal
11.) Party All Day (Fuck All Night)

Judas Priest Set List:
1.) Battle Cry Intro
2.) Dragonaut
3.) Metal Gods
4.) Devil’s Child
5.) Victim of Changes
6.) Halls of Valhalla
7.) Loves Bites
8.) March of the Damned
9.) Turbo Lover
10.) Redeemer of Souls
11.) Beyond the Realms of Death
12.) Jawbreaker
13.) Breaking the Law
14.) Hell Bent for Leather

Encore:
15.) You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
Encore 2
16.) Living After Midnight
17.) Defenders of the Faith

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: armory, concert, judas, main, ny, panther, ...

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Tag: judas

FOZZY Release Anthemic New Single “I STILL BURN” – Landmark Hit “Judas” Reaches Gold Certified

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE RESCHEDULED 50 HEAVY METAL YEARS TOUR

FOZZY ANNOUNCES CAPTURING JUDAS LIVESTREAM!

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE 50 HEAVY METAL YEARS TOUR 2020

Judas Priest Announce Spring/Summer 2019 North American Tour

Guitarist K.K. Downing Discusses His New Book “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest”

Book Review: “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest” by K.K. Downing w/ Mark Eglinton

Fozzy Announces the Next Leg of the “Judas Rising Tour”

Judas Priest Release First Single “Lightning Strike” From Upcoming Album “Firepower”

Judas Priest Announce New Mobile Game, ‘Judas Priest: Road To Valhalla’

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