Weiter zum Inhalt

29. Mai 2012

Judas Priest & Saxon & After All @ Lotto Arena, Merksem (BE) 23.05.2012

In the beginning of the 80’ies NWOBHM – New Way Of British Heavy Metal –  was one of the hottest music styles being represented also permanently in the leading positions of the international hit-charts. Two legendary bands of this era Judas Priest and Saxon were on the bill for this concert-night. That time the biggest concert halls worldwide were sold-out longtimes before the date and the freaks would have gathered numerously there already in the morning or even the night before to celebrate an ex ante party and have some drink together to get in the right mood. In 2012 the Lotto Arena in Merksem was the far smaller, but crowded venue. 

After All from Belgium had the lucky draw as opener. Pure raw power-metal at it’s best. Shouter Sammy Peleman roared the devil out of his soul by his high octave-voice. He and Dries Van Damme as the main lead guitarist were in permanent motion on stage pitching and managing easily to animate the fans to howl along with them, specially by ‘Betrayed By the Gods’. Wild Headbanging was to be announced.  Dries was playing melodic speedy duel-guitar solos with second guitarist Christophe Depree.  After approximately half an hour the party was over. By striking applause the hall-lights were shing again.

Saxon and there primitive rock-shouter Biff Byford was informing the manias that it was on Priest’s British-Steel and their Wheels-Of-Steel-Tour that they had played the last time together in Belgium. Biff has still got his long hair, but very hoary and off course wearing his hallmark the long black cloak coat. His voice  is still very powerful. They could not have started in better way by iconic ‘Heavy Metal Thunder’. The freaks altered the arena by their devotion and passion into a cult-temple, specially by the the bands popular melodies ‘Strong Arm Of The Law’, Wheels Of Steel’ and ‘Denim And Leather’. It was impressive how loud they were agitating as background-choir.  In 2012 besides Biff, guitarist Paul Quinn and drummer Nigel Glockler are still original members powering live on stage together with Doug Scarett on second guitar and bassist Nibbs Carter. They could have played on for hours by requests of the excited fans, but ‘Princess Of The Night’ was already the triumphant end song.

The Saxon-Eagles are still fantastic alive.

Setlist:

Heavy Metal Thunder

Hammer of the Gods

Power and the Glory

I’ve Got to Rock (To Stay Alive)

To Hell and Back Again

Strong Arm of the Law

Wheels of Steel

Denim and Leather

Princess of the Night

After a relatively short reconstruction-pause the venue was turned into dark. The freaks were seing an overdimensional reddish-lighted EPITAPH logo on the stage-curtain for the upcoming JP masterwork and out of the boxes was echoing ‘War Pigs’ by Black Sabbath. The insanes were acting as massive corporate lead-singers. When this song was faded out hellish Priest, Priest hosannas were calling the Metal-Gods on stage. Judas Priest started their to be sensational gig by the Intro ‘Battle Hymn’ and the opener ‘Rapid Fire’ And the stage was really conflagrant. Metres high fire flames were shooting into the sky on the stage-galleries. The creative light-designs were like day-light soo blasting and blinding the normally dark-loving metalheads. The sound was brilliant and over-the-top. Ian Hill as bass-monster and drum-spook Scott Travis were the murderess rhythm-fraction from the very beginning. Glenn Tipton was the demon on first lead-guitar. And Rob Halford was the good-humored vocal-angelus. And then there was the second relatively new bat Richie Faulkner.  A lot of die hard fans might have still been missing retired KK Downing on second axe, but Richie was definitively sucking blood from a young virgin maiden before show. He was highly-dynamic and doing hell of a job by his guitar-solos. The only thing was that he was way too much by his outfit, poses and styles of his guitars a clone of Mr. Downing. He should integrate in the future his own style and personality. The first killer-chanson was the hymn ‘Metal-Gods’. Robs voice was very powerful and he directed the auditorium as background-power-choir-force. The temple was a metallic madhouse. ‘Prophecy’ from the last master-epos ‘Nostradamus’ was a visiual highlight by the projection of the cd-artwork on the oversized back screen and the eye-blowing laser-show. Hell yeah! The guitar-duels of Glenn and Richie and the voice of Rob by ‘The Green Manalishi’ were to sizzle horripilation-atmosphere. ‘Breaking The Law’ and ‘Painkiller’ were killing as end of the regular set. By the last song Mr. Halford was not at 100 percent able to sing it like in the old-days multi-octave voiced, but he performed it by his up-to-date ability which was still phenomenal. The roaring sound of the motorcycle was announcing at the encores ‘Hell Bent for Leather’ and Rob was wheeling his cycle to the center of the stage. Pyro-flames and the lasers were fascinating again. After blowing ‘You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ the fans were to boohoo JP on stage again for their anthem ‘Living After Midnight’. Although the applause shaked the Lotto Arena like an earthquake this was the finale. The 5 priests were stirred and throwing guitar-picks and sticks as souvenirs and thank-you.

CAN THIS REALLY BE THE END OF THE LIVE PERFORMANCES?  

NO WAY & CHANCE JUDAS PRIEST!

Setlist:

BattleHymn (Intro)

Rapid Fire

Metal Gods

Heading Out to the Highway

Judas Rising

Starbreaker

Victim of Changes

Never Satisfied

Diamonds & Rust

Dawn of Creation

Prophecy

Night Crawler

Turbo Lover

Beyond the Realms of Death

The Sentinel

Blood Red Skies

The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown)

Breaking the Law

Painkiller

Encore 1:

The Hellion

Electric Eye

Hell Bent for Leather

You’ve Got Another Thing Comin‘

Encore 2:

Living After Midnight

 

Mehr lesen von After All, Judas Priest, Saxon