So on Tuesday (the 18th) I finally got to see Priest again, almost 14 years to the day I last saw them (Oct 24th, 1990). I was not disappointed. About 6000 (according to both local papers) metalheads turned out at the new arena to see the Metal Gods with fellow recent-reuniters Anthrax. The place holds about 15,000 but the upper deck was curtained off. The rest was PACKED. Hardly an empty seat to be seen - even all the private boxes were full! The crowd was LOUD too, which is a tad unusual for us subdued prairie folk. I'm pretty sure I was one of the loudest, as I still can barely speak today. Signing along to every song by both bands at the top of yer lungs and screaming for more in between plays havoc on the vocal chords, that's fer sure!
Anthrax played an energetic set (too short for this fan and many others) filled with their '80's era stuff. This was my first time seeing them live and I thought they were great. Nice and tight, full of piss and vinegar, and just plain fun. Joey's voice ain't what it used to be, but he avoided the tough parts by lowering the key. Got a bit breathless at times, but sounded pretty darn good anyways. Frank Bello is a madman on stage!
The set list (pretty much in order):
Among The Living
Got The Time
Caught In A Mosh
Madhouse
Anti Social
Medusa (my personal fave of the set - an my fave 'thrax tune for many years)
Indians
N.F.L.
I Am The Law
Dan played PRS's all night. One had TMNT decals all over it, and he used that for most of the set. His lead tone was good, but you couldn't hear his rhythm at all. Their soundman wasn't on the ball. His lead would start and then a few notes in his volume would go up. Sloppy. Scott played Washburns all night, except for a sweet looking Dean ML. Looked like Korina with a confederate flag pattern on it (just the stars and the X in black outline). He switched guitars a few times. Not sure what Frank played, but he hammered the shit out of that thing and never stopped moving around or singing along. The band said Winnipeg was the best Canadian crowd on the tour and that he didn't need to lie about shit like that. Cool.
After Anthrax left it was time for a piss and a reefer (I haven't smoked the shit in like 7 years, but this was a special occasion ) Ran into a few buddies I hadn't seen in years and had a blast chatting, but we hurried back in so as not to miss...
...the best fucking Metal band on earth!
What can I say about a group that has been my favorite since I was 12? A band that is the reason I took up the guitar 22 years ago? A group that got me into music and basically canged my life? Fuck yeah. That's what I can say.
Priest stormed the stage with a presence not many performers have. They got fucking mojo. Big time. They command your attention from the get go. All the reviews on the web about the Priest will give you an idea of the show - how The Hellion/Electric Eye starts things with off and how Rob comes out of the big eye behind the drums, how they all rock together during Breakin The Law, the Harley during the encore of hell bent For Leather, all of it. It's part of what Priest do. Some may call it cliche, but they invented those cliches, so they can do them night after night and still get respect.
Rob was more involved with the crowd than most reviewers have said he was at the shows they attended. He fed off it and revelled in it. They whole band did. Big smiles on their faces all night. Sound was bang on and playing top notch. Kids, this is how professional musicians do it.
The set list:
The Hellion/Electric Eye
Metal Gods
Riding on the Wind
A Touch of Evil
Judas Rising
Revolution
Breaking the Law
I'm a Rocker
Diamonds and Rust
Worth Fighting For
Beyond the Realms of Death
Turbo Lover
Hellrider
Victim of Changes
Painkiller
Encore (with Harley of course) :
Hell Bent for Leather
Living after Midnight
You've Got Another Thing Coming
Fucking incredible. Tipton played Hamers all night. He had a couple of those strange star-things. They were all white with black bevels, hardware and truss rod cover, but one had black dot inlays and one had black rectangle inlays. I want one so bad - total fret access! He had a weird upside down Warrior thing too which I'd never seen before. All black. Big lower fin for balance just like his stars. Had a couple of different Phantoms or what ever those Strat-ish guitars are. Mirrored pickguards rule! His playing was amazing. His lead in Beyond The Realms Of Death was almost note for note to the album!
KK played ESP's. I think he's had ESP make guitars similar to his Hamers and Gibsons, coz I'm pretty sure they were all ESPs. All V's. All the fretboards scalloped. He has a very cool new black one. King V-like body with chrome hardware, chrome metal tips on the fins, a Gibson-style headstock and V shaped inlays. Wicked. Of course, he had some red ones (the pointy with the Priest cross headstock and the roundhorn with the white pickguard). He had another one. Couldn't really tell if it was a transparent finish or if it was gold in color. Same pickguard as the red roundhorn. Had white binding on the body and neck. Gibson V style headstock.
Here's a link to some great pics where you can see everybody's axes pretty clearly.
http://www.mtscentre.ca/press_releases/content.php?press_id=88
Sorry for going on, but it's the fucking Priest, man!
posted October 18, 2005 18:09
posted October 18, 2005 21:23
posted October 25, 2005 05:31
