THE METAL MASTERS TOUR: JUDAS PRIEST ARE AWESOME, HEAVEN & HELL ARE AWESOMER
Monday, August 11th, 2008 at 12:45pm by Axl Rosenberg
In 2004, the Painkiller-era Judas Priest line-up reunited and blew Black Sabbath off the stage at Ozzfest, so I supposed it’s only fair that in 2008, Sabbath should return the favor on the Metal Masters tour.
Of course, swapping out Ozzy Osbourne for Ronnie James Dio didn’t hurt.
Don’t get me wrong – I’ve spent many more hours of my life listening to Ozzy-era Sabbath than Dio-era Sabbath. But as demonstrated at New Jersey’s PNC Banks Arts Center this past Saturday night, time has been as good to the 66 year old Dio as it has been bad to the 59 year old Ozzy: for one thing, the elvish legend Dio can still move around the stage rather than just clap his hands and occasionally do a frog hop, and for another thing, Dio’s voice still sounds fucking fantastic. Ozzy was never, technically speaking, a great singer, but now that he has to cancel every third performance due to losing his voice, Dio’s abilities just seem that much more impressive.
The other members of this incarnation of Sabbath – now, of course, known as “Heaven & Hell” – must be aware of what a force Dio makes them, because they seemed downright reinvigorated since Vince and I last saw them play with Ozzy – not only did Geezer Butler do some headbanging, but Tony Iommi actually moved, walking around the stage as he ripped through awesome extended solo after awesome extended solo. Sure, Bill Ward wasn’t on hand to participate, but who gives a shit? Vinny Appice is the fucking MAN, and his performance was nothing short of mind-blowing. It takes some balls to give your drummer time to solo when your set is only an hour and you’re not even the proper headliner, but Appice more than earned his moment in the spotlight. Situated behind a ginormous kit that surrounded him on all sides, there wasn’t a moment when he wasn’t absolutely slaying.
By the time H&H were done for the night, after blowing through every Dio-era Sabbath classic from “Mob Rules” to “Children of the Sea” to “Die Young” to “Heaven and Hell” to “I” and even fucking “Time Machine” from Dehumanizer, the crowd chanted for an encore – and booed when they didn’t get one. This band could have kept playing all night and no one would have left their seat. All of these guys are in the AARP, and yet they’re all as skilled as they ever were – like the anti-Metallica, they’re proof that getting old doesn’t mean you have to get lame.
After a fairly quick turn-around, Judas Priest hit the stage. They were, by no stretch of the imagination, bad, and they clearly still know how to put on a great show – the synchronized headbanging, Harley on stage, and ridiculous costumes are still part of the concert – they just couldn’t match Heaven & Hell’s jam band joie de vivre. Rob Halford’s voice still sounds awesome, but his somewhat bizarre habit of hunching over and singing to the floor sometimes made him seem disengaged from the audience he was there to entertain. Still, you’d have to be dead not to enjoy set highlights like “The Green Manalishi,” “Devil’s Child” and “Painkiller” (There was also the obligatory inclusion of radio hits like “Hell Bent for Leather” and “You Got Another Thing Coming” – not that I’m complaining.).
Alas, we missed openers Testament, which is fine since we’ve seen them multiple times in the past year, but we did arrive at the venue in time to check out the second half of Motorhead’s set. They played pretty much everything you’d expect, and I don’t think Lemmy actually moved once. Not that anyone in the crowd actually seemed to care.
-AR
Did Motorhead playmanything from the new album Motorizer?
Again,there’s nothing much to say about Motorhead that’s not been repeated over and over again through the years.I think they literally live up to their “We’ll sound the same next itme-but only a bit louder” image.
Lemmy Kilmister for President!!!
I disagree–I thought that as much as Heaven & Hell rocked, Priest thoroughly outrocked them. Dio sounded great and Iommi is a god among men, but I would have sacrificed some of their jamming for “Neon Knights.”
Priest played a killer set, sounded tight and changed the songs enough to sound better live without getting too self-indulgent. Definitely one of the best shows this year.
Of course Motorhead and Testament ruled as well.
Spot on – right down to the comment about Halford. I think the roof starting shaking with all of the noise people made after H & H finished. Testament sounded pretty good for the first half of their set, but the sound fell apart and “Formation of Damnation” sounded like crap.
True indeed, my dudes. My sentiments exactly, although I must add that I was a little creeped out by the ridiculous Spiderman-inspired leather outfit, complete with knee pads.
Saw em last yeah, and they killed!
But you Mean VINNY Appice right?!?!
There is exactly one person (I think) who prefers the Dio-fronted Sabbath albums (well, the first two anyway) over the “classic” lineup. Me. I know that is sacrilegious, especially for someone my age. But his vocal dynamics – basically being able to sing a melody line that differs from the guitar riff melody – made them better than with Ozzy.
Dammint, I find myself ALMOST agreeing with Sammy…again.
I love me some Dio.
@Sammy-I like both eras of Sabbath, but I prefer them with Dio as well.
“Rob Halford’s voice still sounds awesome, but his somewhat bizarre habit of hunching over and singing to the floor sometimes made him seem disengaged from the audience he was there to entertain”
That’s because he was using a teleprompter.
Judas Priest didn’t hold a black candle to Heaven Y Hell…or to Iron Maiden earlier this summer, for that matter!
I love how anyone you like puts on these godly fucking descended from the ass of God shows and everyone you don’t like puts up a pitiful, sad performance.
God you two are idiots, Ozzy is worn and all, but he can still put on a great show and he DOES run around the stage, he doesn’t stand there like a lump not doing anything, having seen him live I can confirm as much.
Oh, and Dio’s got talent, but in my opinion he sounds more like a rocker chick than a rock legend as his voice has gotten even worse over the years, much as Ozzy’s did after his ATV accident.
I love Heaven and Hell, but seriously, at the Camden show people were sleeping during Heaven and Hell’s set. They played some of the slowest songs out of their catalog and really just bored the crowd. No Neon Knights, or Country Girl. Judas Priest, despite Halford nearly dying in the 95 degree weather, blew Heaven and Hell out of the water. I don’t know if maybe it was just because it was night one of the tour, or what… but Dio Sabbath just kinda didn’t deliver. Oh and Priest played Dissident Aggressor. Nuff said.
uh, no. Halford does not use a teleprompter. He’s getting older and it’s hard for him to hit those notes. so fucking what. they still destroyed.
and I liked them WAY better than HnH, even though the HnH guys kicked ass. hell, I loved motorhead too!
“Rob Halford’s voice still sounds awesome, but his somewhat bizarre habit of hunching over and singing to the floor sometimes made him seem disengaged from the audience he was there to entertain”
I knew I wasn’t the only one who noticed that. Saw em at Monsters of Rock and he did the same thing. I thought he was singing from a teleprompter too, until I noticed that he walked around and used that position all over the stage. He still sounds good, but a bit of eye contact with the audience would have been nice.
Dallas show 8/22/08 was a great one. Testament started at 5:30 sharp and played through 6 songs. 3 from the new one and three classic staples. Over the Hill, Practice and trial by fire. They mixed this up compared to what pre-written set lists I have seen.
Motorhead was tired and beat. I think the fact that they had the volume turned down a tad they didnt come across all that well. Although great in their own right, I would much rather see them in a smaller venue. They deserve better. Killed by Death!
Heaven and hell had an awesome stage setup. Ripped through cuts from H&H, Mob Rules and Dehumanizer along with a few other cuts. Solo from Iommi and Appice were great. They were tuned up very loud. Going through their own setup and the house speakers made for one mind blowing set. Dio warmed up quick and gave it all he had. Make no mistake this man is eligable for SS and he still kicks ass. Sound man confirmed that Sabbath may be fined for this show they top out over 137 dB’s.!!!!!!
Priest again tears it up in arena type venues. Great looking stage, and Halford though tired and aging fast, gives it his all every night. He looked for crowd intervention and he got it! He still hits the notes but sounds tricks reverb and echo to give it that 70’s 80’s era touch. Playe only one song (dawn of creation/Prophecy) from new LP. Wish they
would of played a few more but it was a great starter. Kicked a few from Britch steel, defenders, Screaming and Painkiller to name a few. Scott Travis is an absolute beast on the kit.
That being said: Paul Batspoff , Mickey Dee and Vinnie Appice as well as Soctt Travis(RACER X, FIGHT) is more than enough reason to catch this show.
6 hours of mind blowing metal. Mix it with some frosty beverages and you will be one hurting unit next more but you will have a special memory to pass on to the grand kids.
Great , Great show…….
Keep the Torches lit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Halford is most definitely (and annoyingly) using a teleprompter, and I’ll wager that there are at least three scattered here and there on stage and up on the platforms.
It rained at the Phoenix show and a tech ran out to clean off the wind blown rain with a rag.
The teleprompter at front stage is obvious, it has aglare hood and looks different than the monitor speakers adjacent to it on each side.