Where has the time gone by? Has it really 50 years Judas Priest have been rocking the world? Well it's actually been longer, but with the pandemic and the original show cancellation last year when guitarist Richie Faulkner had a heart attack onstage 9/27/21 (see "Painkiller" video at the moment HERE) it's now a few years after 50. Miraculously Richie was only 4 miles form one of the best heart hospitals in the USA and they saved him. Installing 5 different heart components making him now a true living metal heart guitarist!
So glad he made it! Especially since I just had total honor of having one of my photos in the new "Judas Priest 50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music Exclusive Box Set" (See photos HERE) and it was a full page photo of the Falcon from the WaMu Theater show here in Seattle 10.29.11.
I've been a fan since 1979 when my parents got me the "Unleashed in the East" live album for Christmas in 1979. Just like Kiss "Alive" it changed everything in my musical world. Vocals that went to the stratosphere and back, the dual guitar solos and the pounding rhythms ingrained that "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" in my brain. Then when "British Steel" released the next year in 1980 the Metal Gods were truly born to the masses.
Now how does such an influential band in the Metal world thats sold over 50 million records, toured the world a zillion times still in arenas and now celebrating their 50th year on this planet not already in the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame? I won't go there with my thoughts because that would be a whole other blog, but at least they are on the fan ballot this year and currently 6th, 4k votes behind the Top 5 that get in. Go now to and vote for the Priest HERE!
The band in 2022 is comprised of Rob Halford (Vocals), Ian Hill (Bass), Scott Travis (Drums), Richie Faulkner (Lead Guitar) and Andy Sneap (Guitar). A month ago the band released a statement that they were gonna tour as a 4 piece this tour and boy oh boy did the fans let out a backlash I've never seen in our Metal community. Judas Priest has always been know as the dual lead guitar kings and the fans spoke loud enough for the band to retract that idea and reinstate Andy Sneap in the live band. Good move Priest cause Andy rocked it on this night! Looked way more comfortable in his role this tour especially knowing the massive fan approval of him taking Glenn Tipton's spot due to his Parkinson's disease. Did you know Andy co-produced the last Priest album "Firepower"? He's also working on the new Priest album too.
The setlist was amazing. I mean really think about a band with nearly 20 studio albums, how do you create a setlist to please all the decades of fans? Rob and the gang did it with this 2022 tour! Here was the Everett setlist:
One Shot at Glory
Lightning Strike
You've Got Another Thing Comin'
Freewheel Burning
Turbo Lover
Hell Patrol
The Sentinel
A Touch of Evil
Rocka Rolla
Victim of Changes
Desert Plains
Blood Red Skies
Invader
Painkiller
Encore:
The Hellion/Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Breaking the Law
Living After Midnight
That is one hell of a setlist! The band sounded amazing, Richie was back burning up the fretboard and lets talk the Metal God Rob Halford. I mean for real? 50 years and how in the hell is his vocals nearly still on par with some of the most difficult range of songs he sings? Freak of nature for sure! I mean he's not got that full insane range now with age, yes he's 70, but holy crap he's still amazing and blow away so many vocalists of today in an auto-tuned world!
If you missed the show, Judas Priest will be back once the new album is released later this year. Stay up to date with the Metal Gods at judaspriest.com and remember to go vote for the band for the 2022 Rock Hall at vote.rockhall.com - View more photos on KISW's galleries HERE.
For even more Judas Priest show photos visit HERE.
Opening the show was our very Seattle own Queensryche. That had to be one of the best Queensryche "Todd La Torre years" shows I've seen. They absolutely crushed it with this setlist:
Queen of the Reich
Warning
En Force
NM 156
Empire
Walk in the Shadows
The Whisper
Operation: Mindcrime
The Needle Lies
Take Hold of the Flame
Screaming in Digital
Eyes of a Stranger
Queensryche also have a new album coming out very soon!
Stay up to date with them at: www.queensrycheofficial.com
View full show Queensryche photos HERE.