JUDAS PRIEST – Hard Rock Event Center, Hollywood, FL May 3, 2019 concert review

Band – JUDAS PRIEST
Venue – Hard Rock Event Center, Hollywood, FL, USA
Date – May 3, 2019
Band members –
Rob Halford – vocals
Ian Hill – bass
Richie Faulkner – guitars/backing vocals
Scott Travis – drums/backing vocals
Andy Sneap – guitar/backing vocals
Glenn Tipton – guitars(on encore songs)
Band web site – Judas Priest Official Site
Thanks to Chipster PR for helping to make me attending this show possible!!!

A little more than a year ago JUDAS PRIEST released their massive album FIREPOWER and have been out on the road promoting it World Wide ever since. I saw the tour on the first leg through the USA where they had brought Black Stone Riders and Saxon with them. I thought that was it, I had my chance to see the mighty Judas Priest again and I’d have to wait and see if they’d do another tour, another album. Well lucky for us USA fans, the band decided to do yet another leg, what they claim is the final leg, of the FIREPOWER TOUR. I am fine with that!!!

So on May 3, 2019 that final leg was to kick off in Hollywood FL at the Hard Rock Event Center. The hotel is going through some major renovations so the “Event Center” is kind of a make-shift auditorium seating approximately 3500 people. If you check this leg of tour dates, it seems the band is playing to smaller venues. I found this curious as the first leg they were playing arenas. The show I saw was at NYCB Live in NY(which used to be Nassau Coliseum), which for a concert, holds probably 14-15,000 people. Combine this with pre tour social media chatter from the band about playing some obscure songs, and wow my curiosity was really peaked!!!

The show was opened by long time UK rockers URIAH HEEP. Now again, via social media, it was easy to see that Judas Priest guitarist RICHIE FAULKNER is good friends with the band, there is a picture floating around online that he was at one of the bands members wedding. Now I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about Uriah Heep other than they have been around since the 70’s. I was never really a fan and don’t really know their music, but of course I knew they existed! LOL! They put on a good 45 minute or so opening set. Let me tell ya, MICK BOX can still play that guitar!!!

OK so onto to the main act, JUDAS PRIEST. I knew we something was up when they opened with a new song, a song they’ve NEVER played before – from the album Firepower, a song titled Necromancer. ROB HALFORD, the legendary Metal God himself(and a bit of diva the last few tours, going through many wardrobe changes throughout the set)come out draped in a purple outfit, yes, I said PURPLE! LOL! He looked like one of those New Orleans VooDoo witch doctors, a pretty cool look and a great way to start off the show!

Followed by 2 songs the band hadn’t played since 2012, THE SENTINEL and HEADING OUT TO THE HIGHWAY, the crowd could sense we might be in for a wild ride…………..and we were!!!! I took videos of just about the whole show, and I’ll list them at the end of this review. So the opening few songs really set the tome for the rest of the night – many set list surprises which from a band that has been around as long as Judas Priest has, it’s quite rare. Most bands become complacent and “play to the masses”, performing concert “staples” and taking it easy. This version of Judas Priest is trying to do the opposite on this leg of the tour!!! I think that might be why we’re seeing them in smaller venues. So next up was another song off of Firepower making it’s live debut, SPECTRE. The surprises just kept coming, as (TAKE THESE)CHAINS was next! Holy shit! I always loved this song and find it hard to believe the band had never played it live before. A gem from SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE album, so cool!!!!!

More surprise tunes kept coming, JUDAS RISING(first time since 2012), OUT IN THE COLD(first time since 1986!!), TRAITORS GATE(from Firepower, first time played live), fucking STARBREAKER!!!!!(first time since 2012), STEELER(first time since 2009), HALLS OF VALHALLA, KILLING MACHINE, yes, Killing Machine!!!!, ALL GUNS BLAZING(first time since 1991). Wow, wow, wow!!!!! While it’s not Unleashed in the East set list, it’s still cool to see a band mix it up like this. Now, the songs that were NOT played, but usually are were – METAL GODS, PAINKILLER, and YOU’VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMING. Set list can be seen here – JUDAS PRIEST SET LIST for May 3, 2019

So, of course, have to mention the surprise appearance of Master GELNN TIPTON for the last 2 songs BREAKING THE LAW and LIVING AFTER MIDNIGHT. Kind of sad to see him struggle to walk around the stage but a heroic effort just to be on the stage at all, GO GLENN!!! I am sure all of us fellow metal heads wish for nothing more than a recover from that horrible disease he has, we are with you Glenn!!!!

The band sounded great. I already mentioned Rob Halford, of course, THE Metal God himself, and guitarist Richie Faulkner. A HUGE thank you to you Richie, your enthusiasm and drive has made the Judas Priest machine roll on with new life and direction. Richie is transforming into a major metal rock star!!!! ANDY SNEAP seems to be getting much more comfortable in his role and played a few more solos during this show. He is a more than a capable guitar player, check out his former band HELL if you can. The always awesome SCOTT TRAVIS still behind the kit, a virtual drumming machine and the longest tenured drummer in the band’s long history!!! Of course, you can not forget the ONLY original member, IAN HIL, on bass. Steady as always!

So yeah, this was a really cool show in an intimate setting so of course I am going to tell you to GO SEE JUDAS PRIEST if they roll into your town! You will be treated to many different flavors the band has to offer. Don’t miss out!!!!

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