REVIEW: Judas Priest blast NJ to smithereens; Queensrÿche light the fuse
Photo: Queensrÿche opened for Judas Priest at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Photo courtesy of the band / Provided by The Orchard with permission.
NEWARK, N.J. — The metal gods aligned at the Prudential Center Wednesday, March 30 when Judas Priest and Queensrÿche made their way — finally! — to the Garden State for three hours of ear-splitting, devil-horn-raising fun. The packed arena was subject to an onslaught of heavy metal sound and lyrical mastery from two bands who have been going strong for decades.
Queensrÿche started the concert at 7:30 p.m. with a tight one-hour set that relied on some of the band’s major hits over the years. There’s no better way to get the blood pumping than cheering for tunes like “Warning,” “Empire” and “Operation: Mindcrime.” The band’s frontman, Todd La Torre, sounded perfect with his rousing belting, and his blisteringly high vocals were accompanied by Scott Rockenfield’s percussive power and the thump-thump-thumping of Eddie Jackson’s bass. Also can’t say enough about Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren’s guitar work throughout the 60-minute set.
Highlights of their set were “NM 156,” “Walk in the Shadows” and the closer, “Eyes of a Stranger.” They played before a backdrop of stained-glass window curtains — being metal gods and all — with La Torre bouncing around the stage and ascending risers to get the crowd to fist-pump along with the infectious rock beats. It didn’t take much coaxing because the throngs before Queensrÿche were ready to rock.
For those who cannot get enough of these rockers, they have a headlining show in the Hudson Valley tonight, April 3.
After a relatively short intermission, Judas Priest blasted onto the stage with “One Shot at Glory,” showcasing Rob Halford’s still-in-perfect-form vocals. The metal attack was on and wouldn’t relent for the next 100 minutes plus. Each Priest tune is epic in its lyrical storytelling, guitar mastery and soaring vocals, meaning they often journey on for 10 minutes or more per song.
Following this no-holds-barred opener, Priest gave the audience a “Lightning Strike” followed by one of their mega-hits, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.” The band was decked out in their trademark leather, and the stage looked like a back alley in an industrial city in the United Kingdom, circa 1975. It all felt right and appropriate for a band celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Highlights of the set included “Turbo Lover,” one of the band’s best; “A Touch of Evil,” which had the most impressive Halford vocals of the night; and “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown),” arguably one of the best Priest songs of all time.
The energy of the concert was palpable. Halford is not one to take to the microphone and make jokes. He grabs hold of the audience’s attention (perhaps their throat, too) and never stops until the bitter end. Richie Faulkner was clearly having fun, pointing at the crowd and thanking them for the metal love (a health scare with Faulkner delayed this concert from fall 2021), so the acknowledgment was particularly poignant.
The concert started to wind down with some well-placed gems: Judas Priest’s transfixing cover of Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust” and “Painkiller,” an anthem that closed out the main set. The encore was multifold, featuring “Electric Eye” and the motorcycle-revved-up “Hell Bent for Leather,” and then finally the surprise that the crowd was hoping for: Glenn Tipton joining the band for “Metal Gods,” “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight,” a fun closing to a rocking good time in Newark, New Jersey.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Click here for more information on Queensrÿche. Click here for more information on Judas Priest.
