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JUDAS PRIEST & ANTHRAX Palace of Auburn Hills Feb. 19, 2002 By Ed McArdle
The Priest are back. Opening with the well-chosen trademark anthem "Metal Gods" this was very apparent from the get-go. Resounding chants of "Priest, Priest, Priest" echoed throughout the 3/4 full arena as the service began. Judas Priest answered the call and played for over two hours - every minute was great. Classic after classic poured out of the many amplifiers gracing the stage. Judas Priest vocalist Ripper Owens notices Mark Wahlberg in the audience wearing his same hat (Photo by Kay McEntee) The high points were the 1970's triple threat- "Victim Of Changes," "Diamonds & Rust" and the phenomenal "Beyond The Realms of Death" (the Judas Priest "Stairway To Heaven"). The melodic harmony guitars intermixing perfectly with the soaring vocals doing justice to vintage material that can be termed nothing but timeless music that never seems to lose its edge. Singer Ripper Owens' ear-piercing scream at the conclusion of "Victim of Changes" brought the loudest crowd reaction of the night, and deservedly so, since it was some elongated wail. Also included in the set were longtime staples "Heading Out To The Highway," "Hell Bent For Leather," and a song no Judas Priest concert would be complete without- the requisite "Breaking The Law." The pair of tracks aired from 2001's "Demolition" album were up to the high level for the hard and heavy connoisseurs. "One on One" and "Hell is Home" were intertwined with well-known lore making this a true testament to the band's 29 year, 14 album career. Fitting as much as possible on a 20-song setlist left many satisfied. There was still room for surprises like "Desert Plains," the long-absent "Turbo Lover" and the shocking occurrence of the evening - the unveiling of "United", a true tribute to the never-say-die Heavy Metal aficionados standing as one in attendance. Multiple encores came fast and furious culminating in the now 21-year-old sing-a-long "Living After Midnight." The band triumphantly exited the stage without performing the lone radio "hit" of their storied career- "Another Thing Coming." That further accentuated the power of Judas Priest, as they could not have possibly included everything the fans wanted, but played from their hearts and provided not a single dull moment. No complaints. At the end of the show it occurred that several things never thought to be seen at a Judas Priest show were clearly evident. Acoustic guitars, a singer wearing a backward baseball cap for a large portion of the set and strippers dancing among the band onstage. Yes, you read that correctly. Things have changed but only to a point. As out of place as these newfangled effects seemed, they did not detract in any way, shape or form from the performance of these legends. And most of what was loved by the die-hards back "in the day" stayed the same. The storybook rise of frontman Owens is well documented but comparisons aside, he proved that he is a "Rock Star" regardless of his predecessor's elite status. Though vocally a striking match for Rob Halford, Owens was a visual opposite. No leather in sight and altogether different stage moves. The Ohio native was his own man in this close to home finale show. The veterans of Judas Priest looked virtually the same in appearance and played their parts as the veteran kings of British Heavy Metal they are. The purveyors of the twin-guitar attack, Glen Tipton and K.K. Downing, traded leads like only they can. "Wild mountain thunder" Scott Travis pounded the backbeat like the veteran drummer he is, and standby Ian Hill stayed in the back laying down the required bass lines. And for those interested in the visual effects it was a 180-degree polar opposite from the glory days of the over-the-top 1980's. A far cry from the still much ballyhooed Wendler Arena stops in 1983 and 1984. No pyrotechnic fireworks or anything visually enticing, for that matter, aside from Owens taking the stage for encores in the traditional vintage Priest Harley. Opener Anthrax, the originators of the Rap-Metal mix, may have aged but have not lost a step. Bass player Frank Bello was all over the place just like it was 1985 again. Ian played with his usual unabashed energy and still wore shorts while wailing on the guitar. The opener "Among the Living" seemed appropriate, following Sept. 11th, when the band had their name in the headlines much more than they ever anticipated. Classic "Caught In A Mosh" was a highlight, with Owens joining the band to duet with Anthrax voice John Bush. It seemed odd that he had to be introduced to the crowd, but appearing onstage wearing jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, he looked much like a run-of-the-mill fan. A new song premiered as "Super Hero" will be released on their album this summer in an attempt to prove the band's relevance in the current scene. If this teaser is any indication, Anthrax still has what it takes in this crazy musical game. Choosing three plus cover songs to grace an hour set was a drawback for a band with nine albums to their credit in the last 18 years. An exception was the startling inclusion of an abbreviated version of "Solar Angels", played as a tribute to the headliners. Closer "Only" was the highlight- a rocker of the purest form containing all the elements that have kept Anthrax going strong through thick and thin. In this day and age of constantly changing musical styles and trends these type of 'throwback' Heavy Metal nights do not come along very often. So if you neglected to see Judas Priest and Anthrax turn back the clock and are reading this with interest, you should be asking yourself why you missed out on the fun. Links: The Official Judas Priest Site The Official Anthrax Site
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