It’s a big week in the Judas Priest camp. After the first leg of their already postponed 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour was abruptly postponed due to guitarist Richie Faulkner nearly dying onstage, the Metal Gods are back and ready to “deliver the goods” yet again, starting Friday, March 4 in Peoria, Illinois. A three hour trek for this lifelong Priest diehard, yours truly will be there for the can’t miss evening. Add Queensrÿche to the bill and you’ve got a heavy metal doubleheader for the ages. There remains one question: With 50 years and 19 studio albums to choose from, what will Priest play? Truth be told, the setlist (and a flawless one at that) will probably look mostly similar to that of the tour’s first leg. However, a man can dream! Here are the Top 10 Songs We HOPE They Play on This Leg of the Tour!
10. “Beyond the Realms of Death”
Last performed: December 17, 2015 at König-Pilsener-Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
This epic ballad off the groundbreaking Stained Class has long been a staple of Judas Priest setlists. In fact, it’s been performed a whopping 732 times, more than any other song off the album. This makes it all the more surprising that Priest essentially retired it from their setlist 7 years ago. I get it, some songs need a break. There were equal parts shock and outrage that they excluded “Painkiller” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” from the second American leg of the Firepower Tour. However, considering this is Priest’s 50th anniversary and a career retrospective, I think it’s time they bring back “Beyond the Realms of Death” in all its dramatic glory.
9. “Reckless”
Last performed: Never
Adulthood is realizing that Turbo isn’t nearly as awful as elitist dorks would have you believe. Is it cheesy? Sure. Cringeworthy? At times. It’s definitely a product of its time, and while some may view it as a Judas kiss (no pun intended), there were other bands putting out far worse and selling out harder at the time (Discharge’s Grave New World anyone?). Furthermore, there are some songs on here that are stone cold Priest classics, like “Out in the Cold” (which they dusted off for the aforementioned second American leg of the Firepower Tour) and “Reckless”, the latter of which has never been performed live. Of all the “should’ve been hits” in the Priest catalog, this might be the biggest one of all, as it was allegedly slated to appear on the Top Gun Soundtrack. If Priest really wants to start digging deep into their catalog, this would be a good starting point!
8. “Screaming for Vengeance”
Last performed: December 17, 2015 at König-Pilsener-Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
It’s become par the course for Priest to close their live sets with “Livin’ After Midnight”. Its anthemic chorus is bound to have every fan from front to back pumping their fist, banging their head, and singing along. But what if for once Priest switched it up and closed out with a different song? What would you want to hear? Personally, I’d love to hear them go out with a bang. “Livin’ After Midnight” is fun, yes, but lacks the speed, energy, and insanity of “Screaming for Vengeance”. After two hours of metallic onslaught, it’d be the perfect coup de grace, snapping whatever’s left of the audience’s collective neckbone. Plus, I just want to hear Halford hit that “SCREEEEEAAAAMMMIIINNNGGGGG!!!”.
7. “Night Crawler”
Last performed: May 26, 2012 at HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London, England
For the longest time, Painkiller‘s legendary title track was the sole representation of the 1990 metal masterpiece in Priest’s setlist. Better late than never, Priest have finally been making up for lost time, correcting this mistake. The second American leg of the Firepower Tour saw the return of “All Guns Blazing”, and the first leg of the 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour saw them play “Hell Patrol”, “A Touch of Evil”, and “One Shot at Glory” (not to mention, “Painkiller”). While they’re currently playing four songs off the album, I figure why not make it five? It’s been a decade since the band has recounted the terrifying tale of the “Night Crawler”. Some of us may have forgotten to “Beware the beast in black!”
6. “Fever”
Last performed: August 26, 1982 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisconsin
The last time Judas Priest played “Fever” live, Reagan was president, Phoebe Cates was the it girl, and a gallon of gas cost 91 cents. Time machine anyone?! In these tubular times when American rock radio still had one foot in commercial friendly AOR and the other in the growing heavy metal craze, Priest concocted a pair of songs on Screaming for Vengeance that touched on both dimensions: “(Take These) Chains” and “Fever”. Granted, “(Take These) Chains” was written by hit doctor Bob Halligan, Jr., but I digress. “Fever” is one of those perfect songs that comes along once in a generation: dreamy atmosphere, addictive melodies, stellar musicianship, and passion all around. It sure would be cool to hear Priest play it again 40 years later!
5. “Rapid Fire”
Last performed: March 21, 2019 at Download Japan
It’s hard to pick a show opener when you’ve got so many kickass album openers in your catalog to choose from. In all seriousness, has any metal band opened their albums stronger than Priest? There’s “Freewheel Burning”, “Exciter”, “Sinner”…I could go on (and will in a following entry). But how about the full speed ahead opener to British Steel, “Rapid Fire”? With ragers like this to their name, it’s no wonder the likes of Metallica and Slayer came to be a few short years later. This proto-thrasher was sporadically played throughout the Firepower Tour and would be more than welcome on this upcoming round of dates!
4. “Delivering the Goods”
Last performed: March 21, 2019 at Download Japan
Take a second to think of your favorite hard rock song. Got it? Good. I can promise you it’s still not as killer as the opener to 1978’s Killing Machine, “Delivering the Goods”. This nonstop rocker sees the usually full metal Priest incorporating the down and dirty, four on the floor, bluesy hard rock of bands like Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, but wrapped up in a euro metal package. If I penned a song this catchy, it would be my de facto concert opener for the rest of eternity. But as I mentioned above, Priest has so many openers to choose from that they could essentially pick them out of a leather biker hat. Here’s to hoping they pick this one.
3. “Between the Hammer and the Anvil”
Last performed: March 23, 2009 at Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Yes, another Painkiller song. Why? The real question is, why not? “Between the Hammer and the Anvil” hits hard as hell, a figurative heavy metal strike to the cranium. The riff is gnarly, the lyrics are vicious, the solo is mind melting, and Halford’s closing “BETWEEN THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIIIILLLL!!!” is absolutely glorious. Plus, they’re already playing “A Touch of Evil” on this run. Wouldn’t it be cool if they preceded it with this one, just like on the album? That would be one hell of a transition! “The burning sermons will survive their curse” indeed.
2. “Jawbreaker”
Last performed: August 1, 2015 at Wacken Open Air
This is another one of those tracks like “Beyond the Realms of Death” that I feel at one point was a regular in the Priest setlist. At least that’s the impression I was under. According to the good folks at Setlist.fm, “Jawbreaker” was performed on the 1984 Metal Conqueror Tour in promotion of Defenders of the Faith, only to return some 30 years later for the Redeemer of Souls Tour. I’m not sure what that’s all about, as I’ve always felt the only song better on Defenders is “The Sentinel”, but we’ll have that debate another day. The point is, I don’t want to wait another 30 years to hear Halford’s ode to…uhhhh…hard candy performed live.
- “Stained Class”
Last performed: January 20, 1978 at Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge, England
“Long ago when man was king”, Judas Priest played “Stained Class” live a whole two times before retiring it for good. Mind you, both occurrences took place weeks before its namesake album was even released. The fact that this hasn’t been played at all since is beyond a tragedy. It’s criminal. I’m fully aware of what a hard song it is to sing, but I have faith in Halford. If he was able to pull of “Saints in Hell” for the Firepower Tour, I’m sure he could pull off this one. The man is 70 years old and still the undisputed greatest singer on the planet, hands down (with all due respect to Glenn Hughes, King Diamond, Dennis DeYoung, etc.).
Priest, if you’re reading this, you’d be making a lot of people happy if you played any of these songs. You’d especially make happy this 23 year old fanatic, who two years ago started this webzine on a whim, naming it after his favorite Priest album. Little did he know the beast that would unfurl, leading to hundreds of album reviews, exclusive photo opportunities, and interviews with his hard and heavy heroes. So whether or not you play any of these songs, the least I can say is thank you for your heavy metal motivation. LONG LIVE THE PRIEST!!!
Sinner, Ripper, Devil’s Child, Turning Circles, Sword of Damocles, Hellrider, Cathedral Spires, Death, Sea of Red and Caviar & Meths
Those 10 songs are great, but not for a concert celebrating all their big hits over the years. Reckless is a good offering from Turbo, but Locked In would be the go-to I think on that album. Screaming for Vengeance needs The Hellion and Electric Eye or it’s a fail for me, but I’d be okay with Riding on the Wind also. Freewheel Burning and Some Heads are Gonna Roll are classics from Defenders of the Faith. Before that I’d go with Heading Out to the Highway, Hell Bent For Leather, and Green Manalishi. All great tunes by JP!!
I had no idea they’ve ever played “Jawbreaker” live, but I sure hope they do once more! I’d also die a happy man if I saw them do “Dreamer Deceiver” at one point.