Judas Priest and Steel Panther at the Tsongas Center – October 14, 2014

In 2011, we feared we’d seen the last of Judas Priest. They headed out on the Epitaph tour, their “last world tour.” With new guitar player Richie Faulkner, Judas Priest seemed to find a new energy that motivated them all to keep going. This summer saw the release of their first album with Faulkner on guitar, Redeemer of Souls. They’re currently on the road in the states supporting this album, with special guests Steel Panther opening the show.

Don’t forget to check out our interview with Judas Priest guitar player Richie Faulkner, conducted just a couple of weeks ago!

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Steel Panther

If “Weird Al” Yankovic decided to create a metal band, the result wouldn’t be too far off from Steel Panther. Steel Panther is made up of a group of extremely talented musicians who love the glam metal of the 80s, and have created a hilarious tribute to it. Take everything you know about bands from the 80s such as Poison and Van Halen, and amplify it all. The hair, the loud clothes, the raunchy lyrics, it’s all here, taken to an extreme. With songs like “Gloryhole” and “17 Girls in a Row,” they combine fantastic music with comedic lyrics. The whole show is quite entertaining, with lots of banter between members during the set.

While the band is fantastic, they draw a bit of a mixed reaction from the crowd. I think half the people get it, and find it amusing, while some may feel Steel Panther is mocking the hair metal scene, as opposed to paying tribute to it.

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Judas Priest

Tuesday night in Lowell, and the Priest is back! Bringing you 40 years of heavy metal….

Judas Priest was on fire tonight! Singer Rob Halford sounded as great as ever, and the band sounded great. There were a few technical difficulties, but other than that, it was a phenomenal show. Though I have a few personal favorites that I would have liked to hear in the set, the song selection was solid. Priest played four selections from their new album, Redeemer of Souls, as well as fan favorites such as “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight.” The album Defenders of the Faith is celebrating its 30th anniversary, so it was well represented with not only the title track, but also “Love Bites” and “Jawbreaker.” (Why not “The Sentinel”?!)

The arena was sadly only about two-thirds full. The fact that this was a Tuesday night after a Monday holiday probably didn’t help. The tour had also stopped in Connecticut only a few days prior, and as someone who’s seen Priest on all the tours since they reunited with Halford in 2004, I can say it’s been a handful of tours since they’ve played more than one show in New England. The people who were there, however, did not walk away disappointed! It’s a great feeling to know that they’re not hanging it up, and we’ll likely see them again before too long!

Don’t forget to check out our interview with Judas Priest guitar player Richie Faulkner, conducted just a couple of weeks ago!