Well, just got back and have to say thats one of the most powerful and enjoyable gigs I've been to in a while!!!!! Both bands were excellent and the sound was something else - clear yet very,
VERY, loud.
The Scorpions kicked off and it was the Scorpions of old, with just as much zest as the first time I saw them over 20 years ago!!
They put on a great show of mainly classics mixed with the odd new track, My only gripes were that Rudolf Schenker's guitar was a little higher in the mix than Matthias Jabs's guitar (at least from where I was standing - left centre stage) and they didn't play 'No One Like You' ( although 'Loving You Sunday Morning' was a welcome inclusion).
Judas Priest kicked off with 'The Hellion/Electric Eye' and straightaway, we're back to our youth and headbanging with the best of them (not what ya expect for guys heading towards middle age, but you've just gotta when the
Electric Eye riff kicks in). The sound is ok and improves as the set progresses but didn't seem to have the bottom end 'thump' that the Scorps sound had.
The set includes all the classics along with some new(and noticeably heavier) tracks. No 'Freewheel Burning' and I would have liked to have heard 'The Sentinal' which is one of my JP faves, but everything else was as it should be right down to the Harley!!!!
Unfortunately, their performance wasn't as good as the Scorpions IMHO. There seemed to be a lack of chemistry between KK Downing and
Glenn Tipton. Normally, they are joined at the hip, but they seemed to be keeping out of each others way somewhat - not what I've come to expect of Priest. Another gripe is Rob Halfords delivery. While the voice just gets more powerful with age, since he flurted with more hardcore material, he seems to sing to the crowd less. Don't get me wrong, his interaction with the crowd was great, but when singing, he seemed to just prowl around singing at the floor a lot of the time - I may just be getting old!!!!!
Strangely, It was at times like watching the live performances in the film 'Rockstar'!!! I know it's rumoured to be based on Judas Priest's story and watching some of the stuff tonight, they can't deny it - right down to Rob Halfords entrance - top of a lift, above the drummer and then walk down metal stairs, except Halford didn't fall on his ass like Mark Wahlberg!!!!
Overall though, these are minor gripes from what was an overall metaltastic gig!!!
I need to go and rest my neck................
Hybrid Mode
