judas priest saxon tour 2024

  ​JUDAS PRIEST - SAXON - URIAH HEEP  European Tour   Monday 11th March - UK, Glasgow - OVO Hydro  Wednesday 13th March - UK, Leeds - First Direct Arena Friday 15th March - IRELAND, Dublin - 3 Arena  Sunday 17th March - UK, Bournemouth - BIC Tuesday 19th March - UK, Birmingham - RWA Thursday 21st March - UK, London - OVO Arena Wembley  Sunday 24th March - GERMANY, Frankfurt - Festhalle Monday 25th March - GERMANY, Munich - Olympiahalle Tuesday 26th March - GERMANY, Balingen - Volksbank Messe Wednesday 27th March - GERMANY, Dortmund - Westfalenhalle Friday 29th March – CZECH REPUBLIC, Prague – O2 Arena Saturday 30th March – POLAND, Krakow – Tauron Arena Monday 1st April – AUSTRIA, Vienna – Stadhalle Tuesday 2nd April – GERMANY, Ulm – Roxy Wednesday 3rd April – SWITZERLAND, Basel – St. Jakobshalle Friday 5th April – FRANCE, Lyon – Halle Tony-Garnier Saturday 6th April – ITALY, Milan – Mediolanum Forum Monday 8th April – FRANCE, Paris – Zenith Thursday 13th June - SPAIN, Barcelona - Sant Jordi Club  Saturday 15th June - SPAIN, Pamplona - Navarra Arena  Monday 17th June - SPAIN, Madrid - Palacio Vistalegre   Monday 1st July – GERMANY, Hamburg – Barclays Arena Tuesday 2nd July – GERMANY, Berlin - Max-Schmeling-Halle Thursday 4th July – GERMANY, Nurnberg – Arena Nurnberger Monday 8th July – GERMANY, Mannheim – Sap Arena Wednesday 10th July – GERMANY, Dresden – Messehalle FESTIVALS  Wednesday 19-22 June - SPAIN, Cartagena - Rock Imperium Festival  Saturday 29th June - FRANCE, Clisson - Hellfest  Friday 12th July - BULGARIA, Chirpan - Midalidare Rock  Friday 16/17/18th August - NETHERLANDS, Eindhoven -Dynamo Metal Saturday 24th August - UK, Newark - Stonedead Festival  HELL, FIRE & CHAOS USA TOUR   Tuesday 23rd April - Fort Lauderdale, FL - The Parker Wednesday 24th April - Tampa, FL - Hard Rock Event Center Thursday 25t April - Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live Saturday 27th April - Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre Sunday 28th April - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom Tuesday 30th April -  Morgantown, WV - The Metropolitan Theatre Wednesday 1st May - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre Thursday 2nd May - Jim Thorpe, PA - Penn’s Peak Friday 3rd May - Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Center Sunday 5th May - Boston, MA - Citizens House of Blues Tuesday 7th May - Long Island, NY - Patchogue Theatre Wednesday 8th May - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre Friday 10th May - Peekskill, NY - Paramount Hudson Valley Arts Saturday 11th May - Cleveland, OH - TempleLive  Sunday 12th May - Elkhart, IN - Lerner Theatre Monday 13th May - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew’s Hall Tuesday 14th May - Grand Rapids, MI - GLC Live at 20 Monroe Thursday 16th May - Marietta, OH - People’s Bank Theatre Friday 17th May - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart’s Saturday 18th May - Joliet, IL - Rialto Square Theatre Sunday 19th May - St. Charles, IL - Arcada Theatre Tuesday 21st May - Nashville, IN - Brown County Music Center Wednesday 22nd May - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater Friday 24th May - Springfield, MO - Gillioz Theatre Saturday 25th May - Wichita, KS - TempleLive at Scottish Rite Center Monday 27th May - Cedar Park, Texas - Haute Spot  Wednesday 29th May - Houston, TX - House Of Blues Thursday 30th May - San Antonio, TX - Tobin Center Friday 31st May - Dallas, TX - Glass Cactus Sunday 2nd June  - El Paso, TX - Speaking Rock Casino   VIP packages are also available consisting of:  Pre-show Meet & Greet with both bands  Signed Photo of each band Personal Photo Opportunities Exclusive Merchandise Item from each band Special VIP Tour Laminate

Tour dates 2024 .

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Saxon Announce U.S. Tour Dates w/ Uriah Heep: April-May 2024, Details

The Tour titled “Hell, Fire & Chaos – The Best Of British Rock & Metal” will be a 100% co-headline with both bands playing equal set lengths, with some cities Saxon closing and others Uriah Heep.

The Tour will take in the following cities with dates as follows:

Tuesday April 23rd Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker

Wednesday April 24th Tampa, FL – Hard Rock Event Center

Thursday April 25th Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live

Sunday April 28th Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom

Tuesday April 30th Morgantown, WV – The Metropolitan Theatre

Wednesday May 1st Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre

Thursday May 2nd Jim Thorpe, PA – Penn’s Peak

Friday May 3rd Englewood, NJ – Bergen Performing Arts Center

Sunday May 5th Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues

Tuesday May 7th Long Island, NY – Patchogue Theatre

Wednesday May 8th Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre

Friday May 10th Peekskill, NY – Paramount Hudson Valley Arts

Saturday May 11th Cleveland, OH – TempleLive at the Cleveland Masonic

Sunday May 12th Elkhart, IN – Lerner Theatre

Monday May 13th Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall

Tuesday May 14th Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe

Thursday May 16th Marietta, OH – People’s Bank Theatre

Friday May 17th Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s

Saturday May 18th Joliet, IL – Rialto Square Theatre

Sunday May 19th St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theatre

Tuesday May 21st Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center

Wednesday May 22nd Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater

Friday May 24th Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre

Saturday May 25th Wichita, KS – TempleLive at Scottish Rite Center

Wednesday May 29th Houston, TX – House Of Blues

Thursday May 30th San Antonio, TX – Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Friday May 31st Dallas, TX – Glass Cactus

More Dates to be added!

Tickets are available via general on sale Friday January 12th through all usual ticket outlets, with various pre-sales prior.

There will be a special Artist Presale for all followers on Facebook and Instagram from 10am EST TOMORROW (Tuesday 9th) – information will be posted then with ticket links via our website. www.saxon747.com

VIP packages are also available consisting of a pre-show Meet & Greet with both bands together, Signed Photo of each band, Personal Photo Opportunities, Exclusive Merchandise Item from each band and a special VIP Tour Laminate.

Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon recently interviewed Saxon singer Biff Byford. Byford talked about the bands up and coming album "Hell, Fire And Damnation" as well as the bands touring plans.

The two metal guys also give their take and review of the album

Hell, Fire And Damnation will be released on January 19, 2024 via Silver Lining Music

All Photos by Ned Wakeman

When asked to give a headline summarizing the new upcoming albums

"This album is a monster ! "

When asked to describe the musical direction of the new album 'Hell, Fire And Damnation'

"We just wanted to write the perfect rock song that's the goal you know to write the perfect metal song and the perfect album. So that's always our goal. So we're always trying to write better songs and get better sounds. I think this album's probably the best sounding Saxon album ever high-fi wise. We're just getting closer to perfection every album."

When asked about the lyrical inspirations on the new album

"Just thinking of stories that are interesting really that pop into my crazy head. Just things that interest me and obviously interest millions of other people as well. History is interesting and it's forever and it's forever renewing itself."

When asked about one of the tracks THERE'S SOMETHING IN ROSWELL and if he enjoys a good conspiracy theory

"I like a good conspiracy theory, they're great because it gets you thinking and uh you look at all the facts and uh should to make up your own mind.

I'd like to think that there was something in Roswell, I'm more of a believer than a disbeliever but I'm not totally sold on it. In America they interviewed a lot of people on this and they did a survey and I think 95% of people thought there was something in Roswell, so that's where the song comes from. I mean Roswell's Ground Zero isn't it for UFO's, it um all sort of started in Roswell."

When asked if guitarist Paul Quinn participated on the new album

"Paul plays a couple of songs on the album and play solos on a few songs. We were making the album so fast and so inspired by making the album. We did it on the road in Europe on our Festival tour and Paul (Quinn) wasn't with us because he stopped touring. So Brian (Tatler) stood up in his place and uh you know he supplied a couple of great Rifts actually, so we're very lucky."

When asked about Paul Quinn's Health status

"Paul's health is it okay, he got a bit of rheumatism in his fingers when he plays a lot and he wanted to rest. I think he wanted a quiet life. Bein in a touring Rock Band is not really a quiet life."

When asked about if Saxon uses live tricks when performing

When we play live we don't use click tracks or anything. Everything you get is live. We might have a few noises on Nibb's (Carter) base pedals you know like sirens and Jet plans and things but just little effects but most what you get and what you hear is live."

Buy album here

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3ThTXcr

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3t89uku

Saxon Tour Dates: https://www.saxon747.com/tour

Hell, Fire And Damnation is an album which sees Saxon investigate all areas of history and mystery amidst ten of their most confident and thunderously powerful songs yet. Biff delivers his richest vocals in years, Nigel Glockler and Nibbs Carter on drums and bass respectively lay down the rhythmic law with bombastic power, and the guitars of Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler are fresh and fiery, a perfect complement to each other, carrying an overall energy and fury which will have fans salivating. Musically, Saxon bring it all to the table. There's a furious tribute to actual heavy metal in the denim & leather coated super-sprint “Fire And Steel”, a wonderful nod to the NWOBHM's birth in the electric mid-pace “Pirates Of The Airwaves”, but maybe the true treasure amidst the jewels is “There's Something In Roswell”, with the sort of expansive groove and embrace which deserves arenas.

Produced by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept and Priest guitarist) and Biff Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering, Hell, Fire And Damnation strides the perfect line between confident, current power, and gloriously irreverent flexing of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal muscle which Saxon co-created.

“I think this album’s one of the best he’s done sound-wise, and he’s done a lot of albums” Biff declares. “It has a really raw, vibrant sound...if you compress the total time making this album, it was four weeks tops…you can hear everything brilliantly, nothing’s overcomplicated, nothing’s over compressed. The guitar sounds are fucking immense, they’re just great, raw guitar sounds. And we haven’t done a lot of overdubbing on there, it’s just playing. I really, really like it.”

2024 promises to be a great year for Saxon, with the European tour alongside Judas Priest and Uriah Heep kicking-off in the UK in March, plus the arrival of the heavy metal masterpiece Hell, Fire And Damnation.

“Getting these shows in March 2024 with Judas Priest and Uriah Heep meant it made sense to push and get the album made faster,” says Biff, “so, we got on with it in haste and pulled it out of the bag. It was tricky, but I think it’s safe to say we managed it well.”

Oh, it’s safe to say alright!

HELL, FIRE AND DAMNATIONWORLD TOUR (Part 1)

11 March – OVO Hydro, Glasgow (UK)

13 March – First Direct Arena, Leeds (UK)

15 March – 3Arena, Dublin (IE)

17 March – BIC, Bournemouth (UK)

19 March – Resorts World Arena, Birmingham (UK)

21 March – OVO Arena Wembley, London (UK)

24 March – Festhalle, Frankfurt (DE)

25 March – Olympiahalle, München (DE)

26 March – Volksbank Messe, Balingen (DE)

27 March – Westfalenhalle, Dortmund (DE)

29 March – O2 Arena, Prague (CZ)

30 March – Tauron Arena, Kraków (PL)

1 April – Wiener Stadhalle, Vienna (AT)

2 April – Roxy, Ulm (DE)

3 April – St. Jakobshalle, Basel (CH)

5 April – Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon (FR)

6 April – Mediolanum Forum, Milan (IT)

8 April – Zénith, Paris (FR)

13 June – Sant Jordi Club, Barcelona (ES)

15 June – Navarra Arena, Pamplona (ES)

17 June – Palacio Vistalegre, Madrid (ES)

1 July – Barclays Arena, Hamburg (DE)

2 July – Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin (DE)

4 July – Arena Nürnberger, Nürnberg (DE)

8 July – Sap Arena, Mannheim (DE)

10 July – Messehalle, Dresden (DE)

More dates to be announced

For tickets and more information visit: www.saxon747.com

Hell, Fire And Damnation will be available in a variety of formats

Hell, Fire And Damnation Track Listing:

1. The Prophecy

2. Hell, Fire And Damnation

3. Madame Guillotine

4. Fire And Steel

5. There’s Something In Roswell

6. Kubla Khan And The Merchant Of Venice

7. Pirates Of The Airwaves

9. Witches Of Salem

10. Super Charger

BIFF BYFORD – Vocals

NIGEL GLOCKLER – Drums

DOUG SCARRATT – Guitar

BRIAN TATLER – Guitar

NIBBS CARTER – Bass

Produced by Andy Sneap and Biff Byford

Album mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap

Vocals recorded by Seb Byford at Big Silver Barn, York (UK); Drums recorded by Jacky Lehmann at Lampes Posthotel Old Cinema Restaurant Der Krug (Germany); Guitars recorded at Big Silver Barn, York (UK).

Follow Saxon on:

www.facebook.com/SaxonOfficial/

www.instagram.com/saxon.official

www.twitter.com/SaxonOfficial

www.youtube.com/PlanetSaxon

www.saxon747.com

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Judas Priest Announce 2024 European Tour with Saxon, Uriah Heep

The Metal Masters Tour begins next March

Judas Priest have announced a string of 2024 tour dates across Europe. The Metal Masters Tour kicks off on 24 March, 2024 at Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany and wraps up on 8 April, 2024 at Zenith in Paris, France. Special guests for the trek will be Saxon and Uriah Heep on select dates. Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons will be performing at the Mediolanum Forum show in Milan, Italy on 6 April.

Tickets for the Metal Masters European Tour will be on sale soon HERE . Judas Priest previously announced a bunch of dates in the UK and Ireland, which are on sale now. Check out the full tour itinerary below.

Monday 11 March – DVD Hydra, Glasgow, UK*+ Wednesday 13 March – First Direct Arena, Leeds, UK*+ Friday, 15 March – 3 Arena, Dublin, Ireland*+ Sunday, 17 March – Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK*+ Tuesday 19 March – Birmingham Resorts World Arena – Birmingham, UK*+ Thursday, 21 March – London DVD Arena Wembley, London, UK*+ Sunday 24 March – Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany*+ Monday 25 March – Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany*+ Wednesday 27 March – Westfallenhalle, Dortmund, Germany+ Friday 29 March – 02 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic*+ Saturday 30 March – Tauron Arena, Krakow, Poland*+ Monday 1 April – Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria*+ Wednesday 3 April – St Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland*+ Friday 5 April – Halle Tony-Garnier, Lyon, France* Saturday 6 April – Mediolanum Forum, Milan, Italy*0 Monday 8 April – Zenith, Paris, France*

New dates in BOLD * with Saxon + with Uriah Heep 0 with Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons

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JUDAS PRIEST Announces 2024 European Tour With SAXON & URIAH HEEP

Kicking off next March.

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Judas Priest, Saxon & Uriah Heep Announce 2024 European Tour

British heavy metal legends Judas Priest have announced a round of European dates with Saxon and Uriah Heep to complement their already announced UK trek together. Those shows will take place next year and run as follows:

With Saxon & Uriah Heep :

03/11 Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro 03/13 Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena 03/15 Dublin, IRE – 3 Arena 03/17 Bournemouth, UK – International Centre 03/19 Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena 03/21 London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley 03/24 Frankfurt, GER – Festhalle 03/25 Munich, GER – Olympiahalle 03/27 Dortmund, GER – Westfalenhalle (no Saxon ) 03/29 Prague, CZE – O2 Arena 03/30 Krakow, POL – Tauron Arena 04/01 Vienna, AUT – Stadthalle 04/03 Basel, SWI – Jacobshalle 04/05 Lyon, FRA – Tony Garnier (no Uriah Heep ) 04/06 Milan, ITA – Mediolanum Forum (feat. Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons ) (no Uriah Heep ) 04/08 Paris, FRA – Zenith (no Uriah Heep )

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JUDAS PRIEST Announces 2024 European Tour With SAXON & URIAH HEEP

Judas Priest have announced " Metal Masters 2024 " tour dates for Europe. They'll be joined by special guests Saxon and Uriah Heep for the dates, with Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons appearing on the date in Milan, Italy.

March 24 - Festhalle - Frankfurt, Germany 25 - Olympiahalle - Munich, Germany 27 - Westfallenhalle - Dortmund, Germany 29 - 02 Arena - Prague, Czech Republic 30 - Tauron Arena - Krakow, Poland

April 1 - Stadthalle - Vienna, Austria 3 - St Jakobshalle - Basel, Switzerland 5 - Halle Tony-Garnier - Lyon, France 6 - Mediolanum Forum - Milan, Italy 8 - Zenith - Paris, France

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   Gig Review : The Cruel Knives – UK April Tour ...

   boxset review : uk subs the albums 1979 –...,    german stadium rockers kissin’ dynamite unleas...,    chicago’s cardiac arrest premiere new tr...,    album review: darkthrone – it beckons us all...,    flotsam and jetsam release new single ‘i...,    the dead daisies announce new single, new albu..., jquery(document).ready( function($) { var retina = window.devicepixelratio > 1 true : false; if ( retina ) { jquery( '.site--logo img' ).attr( 'src', 'https://metalplanetmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/metalplanetmusicbanner-2020.png' ); jquery( '.site--logo img' ).attr( 'width', '1000' ); } } );, gig review : judas priest, saxon and uriah heep – wembley arena.

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Review by Paul Monkhouse for MPM

It was the Metal event of the year, three titans onstage together for a UK tour for the first time, the perfect package billed as ‘Metal Masters 2024’.

With Judas Priest, Saxon and Uriah Heep all riding high on the critical and public acclaim of their respective most recent albums, there was no doubt that heavy metal was back and as popular as ever. Further cementing this thought, the all-age audience that filled the cavernous interior of the North London venue saw generations of fans come together for the celebration, all ready for some high voltage, high decibel rock ‘n’ roll.

With an almost full arena, despite the early start, London veterans Uriah Heep launched into opening number ‘Save Me Tonight’ from new album ‘Chaos and Colour’, the fire and punch showing the band had lost none of its power. It was a breathless start and with the set perfectly placed to include newer numbers like ‘Grazed By Heaven’ amongst the classics, this career spanning outing was perfect for the committed and curious. It’s loud. Very loud. It’s also clear, the sound mix perfect and every crack of the snare or flourish on the keys heard by every single person in the place.

Despite how loud everything is, Bernie Shaw’s voice cuts through and his obvious enthusiasm is something that’s able to light up the arena, the ever-smiling Legend, Mr Mick Box by his side. The beating heart of all things Heep, the guitarist pulls out riffs old and new with equal aplomb, the ass-kicking ‘Free and Easy’ and an intoxicating ‘Gypsy’ that sees him dual with keys wiz Phil Lanzon showing that true class is timeless. Closing with the adrenaline rush of ‘Easy Livin” it was all over too soon, their short set just a tantalising taster for those new to their storied career. The may have not been the heaviest band on the bill, but Heep well and truly earn their place tonight, Box’s image surely one to add to the Mount Rushmore of 70’s Rock Giants and the band still showing the pretenders exactly how it’s done.

Saxon have waited to play Wembley Arena for forty-four years now and tonight that dream came true. Due to open for Rainbow at the venue in 1980, the Barnsley boys were seemingly too much of a threat to Mr Blackmore so he cut them from the show. This was them making up for lost time and they grabbed the opportunity with both hands and played a set for of classic anthems and absolute bangers from the new ‘Hell, Fire and Damnation’ release. Certainly, the titular album track was an impressive and forceful opener, the sonorous voice of Brian Blessed booming over the speakers before the band tore into its riff. This was an exercise in platinum standard British heavy metal, the seemingly ageless Biff Byford leading the troops in an all-out assault, the band firing on all cylinders and ‘new boy’ Brian Tatler having fitted in with the line-up so naturally you’d have thought that he’d been a member of Saxon since the start.

‘Motorcycle Man’ still has the ability to thrill, some four decades after ripping out of the speakers at the start of the seminal and career changing ‘Wheels of Steel’ album and ‘There’s Something in Roswell’ shows the mix of muscle and melody that Saxon have made built reputation on still bears true today. Given the fact they had to squeeze in so much into the length of the support slot, this smattering of fresh material was backed up by some all-time heavy hitting classics. With ‘And the Bands Played On’ and ‘Power and Glory’ followed by ‘Madame Guillotine’ a balance was found where everything shone equally as brightly, the rapier sharp fretwork of Tatler and Doug Scarratt, Nigel Glockler’s thunderous drumming and the constantly moving blur of Nibbs Carter on bass all the solid bedrock on which stand Byford’s extraordinary vocals.

Never once letting their foot of the gas, ‘Heavy Metal Thunder’, ‘Dallas 1 PM’, ‘747 Strangers in the Night’ and ‘Denim and Leather’ came in a rush of sound and fury. There’s never been any whiff of pretence with Saxon, their straightforward aim of entertaining and blasting out big songs a true reflection of their honest and hardworking ethic. Certainly, the band have dipped their toes in more than one historical subject, but this is down shorn of pretence of unnecessary frills and affectation, the quintet able to thrill arenas with ease but you could still imagine them laying waste to a bar with the sheer power of their music. Of that classic late 70’s / early 80’s era, few bands have had both the staying power or connection with the fans that Saxon have and by the time the last notes of closing one-two knockout punch ‘Wheels of Steel’ and ‘Princess of the Night’ are fading, the victory is assuredly theirs.

Judas Priest sound and look immense, their eardrum-bursting, retina-frying full-frontal assault making them one of the biggest and most legendary Heavy Metal bands on the planet. Leather and studded gods astride the globe like colossus, the quintet have become as part of the public conscience of what Metal is like alongside fellow Midlanders Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin and London wrecking crew Deep Purple. It’s quite a legacy, the history here of laying waste to large portions of the planet’s population for the past five decades, smashed home with a string of killer albums that saw them take on the world and win every time.

With the third in a string of modern-day classics in ‘Invincible Shield’ welcoming with a justly rabid enthusiasm by critics and fans alike, there’s seemingly no stopping the band and the temptation to rest on their laurels ground into the dust. Here was a band uninterested in cruising or going through the motions, instead, the veterans put heart and soul into every note.

The opening salvo of ‘Panic Attack’, ‘Another Thing Coming’ and ‘Breaking the Law’ are crushing, the trio like being hit by a freight train but with the songwriting skills that brings irresistible hooks and sheer force together in one perfect package.

Rob Halford still has a voice that could shatter glass a mile away, his larynx an extraordinary thing as he prowls the stage either arms waving or with his head down, drawing every last roar out. To either side of him Richie Faulkner and super producer/touring guitarist Andy Snape slice and dice with every phrase and solo played, their work together capturing the visceral excitement that Priest have made their own. A big nod too must go to the ever reliable rhythm machines of Ian Hill and Scott Travis, the two providing the sheer muscle that keeps this gigantic beast moving ever forward.

New material like the emotive ‘Crown of Horns’ and a bruising ‘Invincible Shield’ fit in perfectly alongside such fan favourites like ‘Rapid Fire’ and ‘Turbo Lover’, some deeper cuts and older numbers really spicing up the set. Of course, there are some numbers that they absolutely have to play and the reception to set closers ‘The Green Manalishi (with the Two Prong Crown)’ and the brutal ‘Painkiller’ is suitably rapturous.

After their encore return for ‘Electric Eye’ and the trademark arrival of Halford on a motorbike for ‘Hell Bent for Leather’, things got even louder as the arena erupted in a roar as the singer introduced Glenn Tipton onto the stage.

Welcomed like a hero, the overwhelming warmth towards the guitarist was tangible, lifting the assault of ‘Metal Gods’ and ‘Living After Midnight’ to another plain entirely. There was no better way to close the night and to anyone who still insists that rock is dead, tell that to the multiple thousands who’ll witness this tour and they’ll soon be put straight. With a century and a half between the three bands, it’s proof positive that heavy metal is for life and will be for generations to come.

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Gig Review: Judas Priest / Saxon / Uriah Heep – Hydro, Glasgow (11th March 2024)

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What a night, and what an honour to be the opening show for Judas Priest’s mammoth  Invincible Shield world tour. And what a support package, with two fellow long-timers in tow to get the crowd rocking prior to the leather-clad headliners taking to the stage.

As Bernie Shaw stated early in the Uriah Heep set, there is approximately 150 years of band history between the three acts on stage tonight. Let that sink in. These classic bands have, on average, each been producing music for as long as I have been alive. It genuinely blows my mind to realise that Priest’s Rocka Rolla came out when I was not even a year old. Both they and Uriah Heep were formed in 1969, with Saxon being the comparative youngsters as they didn’t get together until 1975.

Given the ages of the bands, it’s no surprise that not a large number of founder members are stage tonight. The openers,  Uriah Heep , feature only guitarist Mick Box from that 1969 line-up and he looks, and plays, incredibly well. I don’t like to use the phrase “for his age”, but for crying out loud the man is 76 years of age. Regardless, stage left seems to be his territory and he rocks it with aplomb and a huge smile.

Now, I’ve heard of Uriah Heep and I know our photographer tonight has seen them umpteen times… but I haven’t. I also don’t think I’ve knowingly heard a single song of theirs before tonight, and for no real reason. I had it in my head they were kind of old 70s rock and not my kind of thing. And I was very, very wrong. Wrong enough that I was upset at missing out on two tracks due to their late start – technical issues with the keyboard, apparently – resulting in a truncated set. Taken as a collection of songs, their new material (they opened with the live debut of “Save Me Tonight” which, along with “Hurricane” that was also played for the first time, is on their latest release) fits right in alongside the classics.

All five members were smooth, unruffled and didn’t let the late start get to them. Hell, they seemed to be loving it and drummer Russell Gilbrook looked to enjoy playing “Gypsy” at least as much a the crowd enjoyed hearing it. The three- and four-way vocal harmonies were superb, and Shaw himself is like a barely restrained Bruce Dickinson in terms of vocal range and style.

Their all-to-short performance culminated in a blasted rendition of “Land of Hope and Glory” as the band took a bow like the headliners they very well could have been. I know some people who commented on our Facebook on the night said they were there, or were going to upcoming dates, mainly to see Uriah Heep. On the strength of the slot tonight I can absolutely see why, and I can definitely believe that they could slam together ninety minutes of great entertainment in their own right.

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The next big-hitter was  Saxon , this time featuring two founding members… though guitarist Paul Quinn no longer tours with the band, his slot taken by Diamond Head founding member Brian Tatler. Hey, if you’re going to get someone to cover for you, this is impressive – and he is of a similar vintage with Diamond Head themselves forming in the mid-late 70s. This left frontman Biff Byford as the only on-stage original member, and he really looked like he ruled the roost.

Biff is 73 and carries himself well, happy to stroll around the stage and, as with Shaw, his vocals were spot on. Sure, I bet he used to run around the place and climb the rigging, but he’s still got the stage presence, he still has the attitude, and the band still have the songs. Another band I’ve not seen live before, I had at least heard a couple of their songs prior to the show, but they exceeded expectations.

The Saxon uniform seems to be “black”, with Byford in his trademark jacket-of-many-buttons, often looking like he was lecturing rather than singing, especially during the opening track. It was like he was ensuring that the audience was up to scratch. I think we passed muster once he demanded we all get on our feet (the venue was 100% seated), and everyone did as they were told – “Scotland! You’re the home of the brave, so you should be the home of the standing!”

Like Uriah Heep, they mixed brand new material with classic cuts. Four songs received their live debuts, kicking off with their latest album’s title track. It’s a brave decision to be playing a shorter support slot and still fill it with a substantial amount of songs that many won’t know (but as Byford said, if you don’t have the album by now “just fucking steal a copy”). However, as someone generally unfamiliar with their stuff, I couldn’t on the whole tell the new songs from the classics. Which is a good thing, it all blended well together. Hell, “Fire and Steel” was one of the best tracks they played, a definite metal song through and through.

It was nice giving the crowd the choice of “Crusader” or “Dallas 1pm”. The crowd clearly voted with their voices for the latter, before Byford took a bit of time to talk about their history as a band, touring and Glasgow specifically. The Glasgow Apollo was mentioned (“a fantastic… shithole”), before the final run of tracks – each one a crowd favourite.

They played for a little over an hour and the time flew by. I’m glad I’ve ticked them off the list, but not as glad as I am that they’re still touring. Biff is a respected legend, and from this performance I can clearly see why. The rest of the band may not have been there from day one, but they play as if they have known each other that long.

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And on to  Judas Priest , arguably the only band with  no founding members still remaining, but that’s if you include the pre- Rocka Rolla era before they settled down into a semi-stable line-up. If you take that period as the starting point, then Rob Halford and Ian Hill are the two still treading the boards, though Glenn Tipton has been an ever-present in the studio. Halford, though, is very much the man in the public’s eye and, fairly or unfairly, seems to be the centrepiece of the band.

It’s a shame, therefore, that his opening salvo of lyrics to “Panic Attack” (a live premiere) were… lacklustre. After the intro to “War Pigs” and tour anthem kicking in, the band had erupted on stage in a very shiny ball of silver and spikes, launching into the new song. I was ten rows from the front, and slap in the middle (people always say the sound was different where they were, so I’m just giving you an idea), and wearing ear plugs so the sound quality wasn’t bad. But Rob’s voice was. Perhaps surprisingly, the legendary high notes were fine. It was more the mid- and low-ranges where he wasn’t hitting the target.

Thankfully things improved as the song, and the show, proceeded. It was the first date, and I doubt any amount of rehearsals really prepares you for walking out in front of an audience for the first time in however long. Once we went through “Rapid Fire” and onto “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, things had settled and my fears were allayed.

“Metal Gods” featured the now-familiar animation and Halford’s robotic walk, and by “Lightning Strike” the Hydro’s usual sound issues started to appear. While overall the sound was OK, the balance was all over the place, and the guitar solos were quieter than the rhythm and vocals when they should have been wailing front and centre. This was a theme for the evening, and probably more noticeable with my earplugs in.

The music, though… With 19 albums over 50 years to pull from, the classics overflowed though we did get a handful from the recently-released  Invincible Shield . A few songs got their first dusting-off in some time as well. “Love Bites” hasn’t been played live in almost a decade, though I admit it’s not exactly a favourite of mine being quite a repetitive number. “Saints In Hell” was a slightly more welcome archive retrieval, finally seeing the light of day for the first time since 2019.

The audience were definitely lapping up the better-known songs, though. “Turbo Lover”, “Breaking The Law” and “Screaming For Vengeance” had them rocking. By the time we approached the tail end of the main set, Halford took a breather to have a brief chat with the crowd. He actually brought up the Glasgow Apollo that Biff Byford mentioned earlier, only Halford’s story included chatting to Billy Connolly in a bar next door as well! He rounded off saying that he’s “not one to talk” which is a hell of a shame as I’m sure he’s got some great stories to tell.

The set ended with four bangers that you could probably guess, so I’m not going to spoil it for anyone who prefers to have a little bit of mystery before they go to the show themselves. The climax of the main set (pre-encore) was introduced by drummer Scott Travis, which made a nice change from the more mobile members of the band getting the spotlight. In addition, footage of Glenn Tipton was shown on the huge screens during a couple of the songs, which raised deserved cheers from the audience. We know he’d be there in person if he could.

Another quality night from Priest, if not the most accomplished show I’ve seen from them. The package, though, is incredible and showcases the longevity… hell, the  permanence , of quality music and those who make it. I doubt anyone going to see this tour will walk out disappointed.

Photos by Gary Cooper Photography

Published by Mosh

Father of three. Teacher of Computing. PADI divemaster. Krav Maga Assistant Instructor. Geordie. Geek. Nerd. Metal nut. I also own and run a website - you may have heard of it. View all posts by Mosh

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Judas Priest announce March 2024 UK & Ireland tour with Saxon and Uriah Heep

The Metal Masters Tour

Judas Priest have announced details of their first headline UK & Ireland tour in almost nine years.

Taking place in March 2024, the Metal Masters Tour will see Judas Priest play six arenas and they will be joined by very special guests Saxon and Uriah Heep at all shows.

Judas Priest’s tour opens at Glasgow OVO Hydro on Monday 11th March and visits Leeds First Direct Arena, Dublin 3Arena, Bournemouth International Centre and Birmingham Resorts World Arena before concluding at London OVO Arena Wembley on Thursday 24th March.

Part of a larger global trek, Judas Priest said: 'We are thrilled to start this world tour in the renowned traditional homes of heavy metal and can't wait to see our amazing family of Priest maniacs!'

Tickets go on sale from Planet Rock Tickets at 10am on Friday 5th May.

The tour marks the first time Judas Priest have played indoor UK concerts since their Redeemer of Souls Tour in November and December 2015.

Since then Judas Priest have headlined Bloodstock Open Air in 2018 and 2021 , however they were unable to tour the UK as they were locked into a contract as special guests on Ozzy Osbourne ’s No More Tours 2 tour.

Ozzy Osbourne announced his retirement from touring in January and the long-delayed UK tour was cancelled almost half a decade after it was first announced.

Following the cancellation, Rob Halford confirmed Judas Priest were working “frantically” behind the scenes to arrange a new UK tour.

Judas Priest are currently putting the finishing touches to their 19th studio album , which follows 2018’s critically acclaimed ‘Firepower.’

Saxon recently recruited legendary Diamond Head lynchpin Brian Tatler as their touring guitarist following the retirement of co-founder Paul Quinn .

Judas Priest, Saxon and Uriah Heep’s Metal Masters UK & Ireland tour dates:

Glasgow OVO Hydro – Mon 11th

Leeds First Direct Arena – Wed 13th

Dublin 3Arena – Fri 15th

Bournemouth International Centre – Sun 17th

Birmingham Resorts World Arena – Tue 19th

London OVO Arena Wembley – Thu 21st

Buy Judas Priest tickets

The greatest rock songs of all time:, 70) thin lizzy – ‘emerald’ (1976).

The 70 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time

69) Rush - ‘2112’ (1976)

68) pink floyd - ‘wish you were here’ (1975), 67) pink floyd – ‘time’ (1973), 66) led zeppelin – ‘when the levee breaks’ (1971), 65) led zeppelin – ‘since i’ve been loving you’ (1970), 64) journey – ‘don’t stop believin’ (1981), 63) def leppard – ‘pour some sugar on me’ (1987), 62) van halen – ‘jump’ (1983), 61) ufo – ‘rock bottom’ (1974), 60) the cult – ‘she sells sanctuary’ (1985), 59) rush – ‘xanadu’ (1977), 58) jimi hendrix – ‘voodoo chile (slight return)’ (1968), 57) aerosmith – ‘dream on’ (1973), 56) ufo – ‘love to love’ (1977), 55) black sabbath – ‘black sabbath’ (1970), 54) ac/dc – ‘for those about to rock (we salute you)’ (1981), 53) thin lizzy – ‘the boys are back in town’ (1976), 52) ufo – ‘doctor doctor’ (1974), 51) iron maiden – ‘fear of the dark’ (1992), 50) boston – ‘more than a feeling’ (1976), 49) blue öyster cult – ‘(don’t fear) the reaper’ (1976), 48) ac/dc – ‘you shook me all night long’ (1980), 47) iron maiden – ‘run to the hills’ (1982), 46) gun n’ roses – ‘november rain’ (1991), 45) pink floyd – ‘shine on you crazy diamond’ (1975), 44) gun n’ roses – ‘welcome to the jungle’ (1987), 43) rush – ‘tom sawyer’ (1981), 42) metallica – ‘one’ (1988), 41) metallica – ‘master of puppets’ (1986), 40) jimi hendrix – ‘all along the watchtower’ (1968), 39) gun n’ roses – ‘paradise city’ (1987), 38) the rolling stones – ‘gimme shelter’ (1969), 37) deep purple – ‘burn’ (1974), 36) bruce springsteen – ‘born to run’ (1975), 35) foo fighters – ‘everlong’ (1997), 34) metallica – ‘nothing else matters’ (1991), 33) eagles – ‘hotel california’ (1976), 32) deep purple – ‘highway star’ (1972), 31) black sabbath – ‘heaven and hell’ (1980), 30) iron maiden – ‘the number of the beast’ (1982), 29) tenacious d – ‘tribute’ (2002), 28) rush – ‘the spirit of radio’ (1980), 27) bon jovi – ‘livin’ on a prayer’ (1986), 26) ac/dc – ‘let there be rock’ (1977), 25) free – ‘all right now’ (1970), 24) black sabbath – ‘war pigs’ (1970), 23) led zeppelin – ‘rock and roll’ (1971), 22) iron maiden – ‘the trooper’ (1983), 21) black sabbath – ‘paranoid’ (1970), 20) the who – ‘won’t get fooled again’ (1971).

A Top 10 hit upon its release in 1971 as a trimmed down three-minute single, to truly understand the brilliance of 'Won't Get Fooled Again' you have to listen to the sprawling eight-and-a-half-minute album version. Pete Townshend wrote 'Won't Get Fooled Again' as a critique about power and revolution, and the song is loosely broken down into three thematic parts – the uprising in the first verse, the overthrow of power in the middle, and the new regime being a replica of the old regime later in the song, hence lines like "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

19) Deep Purple – ‘Child in Time’ (1970)

Loosely inspired by the Cold War and themes of inhumanity, Deep Purple's progressive rock opus is a musical odyssey of the highest calibre. Embracing the quiet/loud dynamic, throughout the all-too-short 10 minutes each band member is at the top of the game - from Ritchie Blackmore's searing riffs to Ian Gillan's emotionally wrought (and oft screeching) vocals to Jon Lord's ominous organs to the pulsing rhythms of Roger Glover and Ian Paice. A monumental and magnificent rock epic.

18) Metallica – ‘Enter Sandman’ (1991)

The opening track and lead single from Metallica's 1991 self-titled album (aka 'The Black Album'), 'Enter Sandman' opens with Kirk Hammett's plaintive guitar playing before crushing guitars and sonic fury are unleashed on the listener. True it's not as raw as some of Metallica's earlier songs, but 'Enter Sandman' is a heavy metal masterclass that fuses nightmarish lyrics with thunderous music and searing riffs.

17) Led Zeppelin – ‘Whole Lotta Love’ (1969)

Colossal sounding, dirty-as-hell, gloriously lewd and sonically experimental, 'Whole Lotta Love' needs very little introduction. Jimmy Page's iconic riff is one of the purest and most timeless riffs he ever created with Led Zeppelin, while John Paul Jones and John Bonham give the track poise, rhythm and muscle. However, it's Robert Plant who manages to grab the headlines with his sexually charged and highly lascivious lines like "Way down inside", "I'm gonna give you every inch of my love" and, of course, "I wanna be your backdoor man!"

16) Motörhead – ‘Ace of Spades’ (1980)

Motörhead purists might argue that there are better songs in the band's formidable musical arsenal, but 'Ace of Spades' is easily Lemmy, Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and "Fast" Eddie Clarke's most popular and enduring tracks. Pure musical alchemy, 'Ace of Spades' opens with Lemmy's pummelling bass intro before crashing drums and whirring guitars enter the fray and Mr Kilmeister spouts gambling themed lyrics in his idiosyncratic guttural growl. Exhilarating and electric.

15) AC/DC – ‘Highway to Hell’ (1979)

The second highest placing Bon Scott-era AC/DC song on our countdown, 'Highway to Hell' is three-and-a-half minutes of primal, powerful and perfect guitar-drive rock. Like so many riffs in AC/DC's legendary repertoire, Angus Young's riff is truly timeless, while Bon Scott is at his commanding best. With 'Highway to Hell', AC/DC once again proved that simplicity is often the key to rock n' roll brilliance.

14) AC/DC – ‘Thunderstruck’ (1990)

Powered by scintillating riffs from Angus and Malcolm Young, rabble-rousing chants, screeching vocals from Brian Johnson and muscular rhythms from Chris Slade and Cliff Williams, 'Thunderstruck' is the sound of AC/DC at their most electrifying and one of the standout moments of the post-Bon Scott era. Such is its popularity, 'Thunderstruck' was the first AC/DC track to surpass one billion views on YouTube.

13) Gun N’ Roses – ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ (1987)

Of course, it wouldn't be a Greatest Rock Song poll without Gun N' Roses' signature song 'Sweet Child O' Mine' rearing its head. The 'Appetite for Destruction' anthem is so all-pervading and ubiquitous that even Slash says he "cringes" when he hears his iconic riff in public, however, ignoring the over-exposure, there's no doubt that 'Sweet Child O' Mine' is a rock classic.

12) Iron Maiden – ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ (1982)

Iron Maiden's fifth song to appear on our countdown is 'The Number of the Beast' classic 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'. Performed on every Iron Maiden tour – except the Maiden England World Tour and The Book of Souls World Tour – for the past four decades, the Steve Harris penned seven-minute epic details the macabre story of a prisoner about the be hanged. Not only is it one of Iron Maiden's greatest songs from their legendary back catalogue, it's also one of the greatest rock songs of all time.

11) Deep Purple – ‘Smoke on the Water’ (1972)

Ritchie Blackmore's instantly recognisable guitar riff on 'Smoke on the Water' was voted the Greatest Rock Riff of All Time by Planet Rock listeners five years ago, and the seminal song has duly been voted into the Top 20 on our new poll. Blackmore noted years later that he took inspiration from Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven, and he owes the deceased composer a lot of money. Thematically, 'Smoke on the Water' was inspired by the devastating fire at the Montreux Casino in Switzerland in December 1971 where the band had decamped to record what would become their sixth album, 'Machine Head.'

10) Meat Loaf – ‘Bat Out of Hell’ (1977)

The opening track on Meat Loaf's debut album of the same name, as statements of intent go, they don't get much better than 'Bat Out of Hell.' The brilliantly bombastic track's lyrics were described as "a rock 'n roll sci-fi version of Peter Pan" by songwriter Jim Steinman, while musically it's gloriously overblown and the perfect vehicle for the late-great Meat Loaf's theatrical and impossibly powerful voice. An irrefutable rock magnum opus.

9) AC/DC – ‘Back in Black’ (1980)

Opening with one of the greatest riffs in rock history, AC/DC's title track from their blockbuster 'Back in Black' album was written in response to the death of Bon Scott. New frontman Brian Johnson was asking not to be morbid when penning the lyrics, and, duly, the track is a celebration of the rock legend. Johnson noted years later: "I just wrote what came into my head, which at the time seemed like mumbo, jumbo. 'Nine lives. Cats eyes. Abusing every one of them and running wild.' The boys got it though. They saw Bon's life in that lyric."

8) AC/DC – ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ (1977)

The seventh AC/DC song to feature in our Top 70 is the band's riff-heavy hard rock anthem 'Whole Lotta Rosie.' Written by Angus Young, Bon Scott, Malcolm Young, 'Whole Lotta Rosie' details a mind-blowing one-night stand Scott had with a Tasmanian woman called Rosie. A mainstay of AC/DC's live shows since it was released (only 'The Jack' has been performed live more), more recent performances of 'Whole Lotta Rosie' have featured a giant inflatable Rosie on the stage's backdrop.

7) Alter Bridge - ‘Blackbird’ (2007)

The only song from the 21st Century to feature in our Top 20, 'Blackbird' is the crowning glory of Alter Bridge's second studio album and arguably the highpoint of their illustrious career so far. Lyrically poignant, Myles Kennedy wrote the lyrics for 'Blackbird' about the death of his close friend Mark Morse. Kennedy said: "It's really about seeing the suffering he was going through and hoping he would find his solace soon and be free from all of that." The eight-minute track also features a colossal guitar solo from both Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti that was voted the third greatest guitar solo ever by Planet Rock listeners in 2019.

6) Led Zeppelin – ‘Kashmir’ (1975)

The towering musical behemoth that is 'Kashmir' is Led Zeppelin's second-highest polling song from their fabled back catalogue. A track so good that it has you thumbing at the thesaurus looking for suitable superlatives, it's no surprise that the surviving members of Led Zeppelin regard 'Kashmir' as one of their career zeniths. Jimmy Page said of the track: "The intensity of 'Kashmir' was such that when we had it completed, we knew there was something really hypnotic to it, we couldn't even describe such a quality…. It sounded so frightening at first."

5) Pink Floyd - ‘Comfortably Numb’ (1979)

David Gilmour's transcendental playing on Pink Floyd's 'Comfortably Numb' was voted the Greatest Guitar Solo of All Time by Planet Rock listeners in 2019, and the song itself is rightfully in the upper echelons of our Greatest Rock Songs poll at Number 5. Penned by Roger Waters and David Gilmour, 'Comfortably Numb' is one of the defining moments of their songwriting partnership, yet such was the friction between the two during the recording process that Gilmour later noted it represents "the last embers of mine and Roger's ability to work collaboratively together." Poignantly, 'Comfortably Numb' was the last song Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and the late-great Richard Wright performed together at Live Aid in 2005.

4) Lynyrd Skynyrd – ‘Free Bird’ (1973)

The only Lynyrd Skynyrd to make our Top 70, the Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins penned 'Free Bird' is the band's signature song and truly one of the finest tracks in rock history. Delivered in Van Zant's trademark southern rock drawl, the track opens with him singing "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?", hinting at a man unable to settle down. Just past the midway point, 'Free Bird' morphs into a crescendo of glorious guitar solos and frenetic instrumentation – an life-affirming aural onslaught that still sounds as fresh now as it did almost half a century ago.

3) Rainbow – ‘Stargazer’ (1976)

The standout song from Rainbow's seminal 'Rising' album, 'Stargazer' sees the inimitable, late-great Ronnie James Dio narrate the ominous story of a wizard whose attempt to fly by constructing a tower to the stars leads to the enslavement of countless people. A musically complex, powerful and majestic heavy metal tour-de-force, 'Stargazer' flaunts the imperious talents of the respective Rainbow band members, from Dio's astonishing pipes to Cozy Powell's titanic drums to Ritchie Blackmore's mercurial guitar playing. Nothing short of a masterpiece.

2) Led Zeppelin – ‘Stairway To Heaven’ (1971)

Number 2 on our Greatest Led Zeppelin Songs poll in September 2018 to mark the band's 50th anniversary, 'Stairway To Heaven' is also at No.2 in our Greatest Rock Song poll. Clocking in at just over eight minutes, every second of 'Stairway To Heaven' is iconic; from the opening, Renaissance-tinged finger-picked guitars and recorders to Jimmy Page's legendary solo and right through to Robert Plant's ultimate, plaintive "and she's buying the stairway to heaven" refrain. A true timeless classic that will be listened to in centuries to come.

1) Queen – ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (1975)

Having previously finished at No.2 in our previous Greatest Rock Song poll a decade ago , Queen's timeless and ubiquitous rock epic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' has climbed to Number 1 in 2022. Multi-layered and ambitious in musical scope, the Freddie Mercury penned 'Bohemian Rhapsody' has topped the charts twice in the UK and has been introduced to new generations of fans via 1992's Wayne's World and the 2018 Queen biopic of the same name, Bohemian Rhapsody.

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• Judas Priest

JUDAS PRIEST Euro Tour 2024

May 26, 2023 EvilG Festival/Tour News , Heavy Metal 0

JUDAS PRIEST, the iconic British heavy metal band, has revealed additional European tour dates for next year. The “Metal Masters 2024” trek will feature fellow rock bands SAXON and URIAH HEEP, extending their previously announced U.K. and Ireland shows. The tour is set to begin on March 11 in Glasgow, U.K., and will culminate on April 8 in Paris, France.

Tour dates:

March 11 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro March 13 – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena March 15 – Dublin, Ireland – 3 Arena March 17 – Bournemouth, UK – International Centre March 19 – Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena March 21 – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley March 24 – Frankfurt, Germany – Festhalle March 25 – Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle March 27 – Dortmund, Germany – Westfalenhalle (no SAXON) March 29 – Prague, Czech Republic – O2 Arena March 30 – Krakow, Poland – Tauron Arena April 1 – Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle April 3 – Basel, Switzerland – Jacobshalle April 5 – Lyon, France – Tony Garnier (no URIAH HEEP) April 6 – Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum (with PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS; no URIAH HEEP) April 8 – Paris, France – Zenith (no URIAH HEEP)

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Judas Priest

• April 19, 2024 Setlist

Judas Priest Setlist at Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, USA

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Tour: Invincible Shield Tour statistics Add setlist

• Song played from tape War Pigs ( Black Sabbath  song)
• Song played from tape Invincible Shield Tour Anthem
• Panic Attack
• You've Got Another Thing Comin'
• Breaking the Law
• Lightning Strike
• Devil's Child
• Saints in Hell
• Crown of Horns
• Turbo Lover
• Invincible Shield
• Victim of Changes
• The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) ( Fleetwood Mac  cover)
• Song played from tape The Hellion
• Electric Eye
• Hell Bent for Leather
• Living After Midnight
• Song played from tape We Are the Champions ( Queen  song)

Edits and Comments

26 activities (last edit by SectRaider72 , 20 Apr 2024, 11:52 Etc/UTC )

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• The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) by Fleetwood Mac

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Prudential center.

• Sabaton Start time: 7:30 PM 7:30 PM
• Judas Priest This Setlist Start time: 8:55 PM 8:55 PM

Judas Priest Gig Timeline

• Apr 08 2024 Le Zénith Paris, France Start time: 9:00 PM 9:00 PM
• Apr 18 2024 Toyota Presents the Oakdale Theatre Wallingford, CT, USA Start time: 9:00 PM 9:00 PM
• Apr 19 2024 Prudential Center This Setlist Newark, NJ, USA Start time: 8:55 PM 8:55 PM
• Apr 21 2024 Santander Arena Reading, PA, USA Start time: 8:55 PM 8:55 PM
• Apr 24 2024 Cross Insurance Center Bangor, ME, USA Start time: 8:55 PM 8:55 PM

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Judas Priest - Metal Masters Tour 2024 mit Saxon

JUDAS PRIEST haben eine Europatour für 2024 angekündigt. Unter dem „Metal Masters“-Banner spielt die britische Heavy-Metal-Legende drei Konzerte in Deutschland. Dazu kommen jeweils in Tourstopp in Österreich und der Schweiz.

JUDAS PRIEST haben ein hochkarätiges Vorprogramm

Mit den New-Wave-of-British-Heavy-Metal-Kollegen SAXON und URIAH HEEP ist ein hochkarätiges Vorprogramm dabei. Wobei SAXON beim Tourstopp in Dortmund nicht auftreten werden. Das aktuelle JUDAS PRIEST-Album, „Firepower“ , war 2018 erschienen. Ob passend zur Tour mit neuer Musik zu rechnen ist, gab die Band noch nicht bekannt. Der Vorverkauf für die Konzerte startet am 31. Mai 2023.

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Judas Priest - Metal Masters Tour 2024 mit Saxon Tourdaten

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Watch: JUDAS PRIEST Kicks Off U.S. Leg Of 2024 'Invincible Shield' Tour In Wallingford, Connecticut

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the U.S. leg of their "Invincible Shield" world tour last night (Thursday, April 18) at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.

PRIEST 's 18-song setlist included three songs from the band's latest album, "Invincible Shield" : the title track, "Panic Attack" and "Crown Of Horns" .

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Panic Attack 02. You've Got Another Thing Comin' 03. Rapid Fire 04. Breaking The Law 05. Lightning Strike 06. Love Bites 07. Devil's Child 08. Saints In Hell 09. Crown Of Horns 10. You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise 11. Turbo Lover 12. Invincible Shield 13. Victim Of Changes 14. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover) 15. Painkiller

16. The Hellion / Electric Eye 17. Hell Bent for Leather 18. Living After Midnight

Fan-filmed video can be seen below.

In a recent appearance on The Break Down With Nath & Johnny podcast , JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill was asked who in the band has the final say when it comes to picking a setlist for the PRIEST live shows. He responded: "Well, it is probably Rob [ Halford , PRIEST singer], really. But then again, we've got a whole spectrum now. You've got the younger element with Richie [ Faulkner , PRIEST guitarist]. He's the same age as my eldest son. And then comes Scott [ Travis , PRIEST drummer] and you've got Glenn [ Tipton , PRIEST guitarist], of course. He can't do it anymore [due to his battle with Parkinson's disease]. [But] he's still sharp as a pin between his ears. Then Andy [ Sneap , PRIEST touring guitarist] and Rob and myself. So you've got a full spectrum there of ages. So everybody has their own favorites and their own types of JUDAS PRIEST song. We all sort of [go], 'Yeah, like that. No, don't like that one.' And then we'll go. If someone's adamant that they really don't wanna do something, well, you don't wanna do something, and vice versa — if someone really wants to do a particular track, you do it. Like I say, you've got the ring-fence tracks there that you've gotta do — the 'Breaking The Law' s and the 'Living After Midnight' s and things like that, that you have to do. It's what brings people to the shows, basically. And then you've got your other sort of classic PRIEST songs, which is a little bit easier because you can swap and change those between — do a month maybe using one song, change it to another one of a similar kind. And then try to get some new stuff in there — three, maybe four maximum is about as much as you can get at any one time. I'm sure there'll be more than that, that we'll go through. And just swap and change as we go."

Asked if there are any songs that he can think of straight off the top of his head, in the PRIEST back catalog that he really loves to play live but never has, Ian said: "Ah, there's one that we have played live that we haven't played for a while and that's 'Dissident Aggressor' . I still say that's probably my all-time favorite song. It's just so raw — it's just pure rock, really. It's one of those songs that, even in the studio, I can remember it being — it's two guitars, bass, drums and vocals. And I think there might be one extra guitar on there through the lead break. Other than that, it's totally raw. It's exactly as it would be on stage. And I love that song, apart from it being a great song. And there's always other things. We've never really done 'Before The Dawn' — from the other point of view, the other end of the spectrum, if there's a quiet part in [the show]. These days people tend to prefer the more upbeat stuff rather than the quieter pieces. But that would be cool to do as well. It's only about two and a half, three minutes long anyway, so it wouldn't take much time. But there's loads in there — there's loads of them. 'Sinner' we haven't done, so it'd be great to do that again. We haven't done that for a while. But we'll see."

In a separate interview with Metal Pilgrim , Halford spoke about the setlist for the European leg of PRIEST 's tour with SAXON and URIAH HEEP . He said: "We've had this conversation before as far as trying to put the setlist together. And after 19 studio albums, it's, like, 'Oh my God. Where do we go?' If we didn't play 'Breaking The Law' , there'd be a riot. If we didn't play 'Painkiller' , there'd be a riot. There are certain songs that you are indebted to your fans to play, because they're part of the fabric of who you are as a band. Without naming names, there are certain bands where you know you wanna hear that song when you go to a show. So there's a portion of the setlist that already writes itself. Having said that, yeah, we are gonna go quite deep, and we found some songs from previous albums that we're gonna work with and we're gonna bring out. So there'll probably be at least two or three deep cuts on this setlist."

Rob continued: "At any given moment, we've got 60 to 70 songs we can play — at any given moment. And then we're gonna add more into the mix. It's fun to see the texts and the e-mails flying through: 'Well, I'll give you this one if you give me that one.' 'Cause you've gotta find a balance. When a band plays on stage, every single bandmember has to agree on the set list. There's no place for, 'Oh, dude, I've gotta play this one.' There's no place for that. You've all gotta be believing in that particular song as you go through the show. And it's gonna be fantastic. And this is gonna be a really eventful tour as we're about to kick off in Europe, with our friends SAXON and URIAH HEEP ."

Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST , which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Original guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner .

"Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande 's "Eternal Sunshine" .

Prior to "Invincible Shield" 's arrival, PRIEST 's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel" , which reached No. 4.

PRIEST 's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" is JUDAS PRIEST 's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower" , as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.

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Review & setlist: Judas Priest was silly at MGM Music Hall Thursday, but gloriously so

Judas Priest, with Sabaton, at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Thursday, April 25

A cynic might argue that Judas Priest has proved its point by now. The foundational heavy metal band, never particularly respected by the rock and roll establishment, can play  American Idol  without losing its credibility. Its prodigal frontman can come out at a time and in a corner of the music world not known for its queer allyship without losing its fanbase. It can get inducted ( kinda ) into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame without losing its rebel-outsider status. It can celebrate its 50th anniversary in the business and still roar.

It’s that last one that feels like the reason Judas Priest hasn’t packed it in. If it were simply about demanding acceptance, then the onetime pariahs and cultural boogeymen would have no worlds left to conquer. But their motivation seems to be both larger than that and more personal, and Thursday at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway, they spread the metal gospel to those who needed to hear it, from longtime fans who were there during the band’s late-’70s/early-’80s heyday to at least one 10-year-old already amped on the visceral thrill of metal.

When Judas Priest last played Boston in October 2022 , it was an overdue make-good after several health scares within the band and, oh yeah, two years of the COVID pandemic had scuttled a planned golden-anniversary jaunt. This time, there was a new album (this year’s  Invincible Shield ) to tour, and once a mission-statement banner fell to reveal all five musicians packed tightly on the drum riser before fanning out across the stage, “Panic Attack” charged forward to serve as a strong opening, fleet and slashing like Priest in their prime.

Even so, it was one of only three songs from  Invincible Shield  the band played, and a set so light on new material is generally less about selling the new album than about appeasing fans and burnishing their legacy. That was evident when they followed the opener with vintage cuts: the grudge-keeping snarl of “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” the sheer velocity of “Rapid Fire” and “Breaking The Law,” where singer Rob Halford left the title chant to the crowd. “Love Bites” rode on an implacable pound kicked off by two repeated whacks of the floor tom that sounded like beating on sheets of tin, and the breakneck, shuddering “Invincible Shield” was like barreling down a highway in an 18-wheeler going 80.

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Judas Priest also saluted some of its forebears and peers, whether directly or indirectly. In addition to the customary blaring of “War Pigs” to announce their imminent arrival, the bludgeoning “Victim Of Changes” tipped its hat to Black Sabbath, albeit with rather more histrionic vocals from Halford. His operatic sweep was abandoned in favor of Bon Scott’s grunting squeal in “Devil’s Child,” which from the title to the chord riff to the forward-pushing drum thump was pure AC/DC. Meanwhile, with its heavy minor-key chug and Halford’s low, throaty croak, a cover of Fleetwood Mac Mark I’s “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)” sounded like nothing so much as Judas Priest.

So did Judas Priest itself, no guarantee after half a century and with two guitarists whose tenures don’t predate the 2010s. But Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap aced the assignment, from the wheedling solos to the locked-in twin rhythms of songs like “Turbo Lover” and “Electric Eye.” They became a two-headed dragon towards the end of “Sinner,” feeding off of one another and locking in with both their leads and the chugging chords.

If all of it could be seen as gloriously silly, then “glorious” was still occasionally in the mix, especially towards the end when Halford rode his motorcycle on stage for the headlong “Hell Bent For Leather” and whacked Sneap faux-dramatically on the shoulder with a riding crop several times during the song. And if closer “Living After Midnight” is ultimately nothing more than an anthemic party song, it still hit like a ton of British steel.

Openers Sabaton offered galloping old-school metal bolstered by singer Joakim Brodén’s power grumble, while adding rousing warmongering voluntaries and imagery (a drum riser mocked up as a tank here, a smoke-spewing chemical-weapons fumigator there) that might have raised some eyebrows if Brodén wasn’t lighthearted enough about it to also exploit it for the occasional fart joke.

Setlist for Judas Priest at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, April 25, 2024

• Panic Attack
• You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
• Breaking The Law
• Lightning Strike
• Devil’s Child
• Saints In Hell
• Crown Of Horns
• Turbo Lover
• Invincible Shield
• Victim Of Changes
• The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)
• Electric Eye
• Hell Bent For Leather
• Living After Midnight

Marc Hirsh can be reached at  [email protected]  or on Bluesky @spacecitymarc.bsky.social.

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