Judas Priest Brings 50 Heavy Metal Years to Albany
By: Nicholas Dicocco
On Saturday, October 15th, 2022, the heavy metal gods Judas Priest made their presence known in Downtown Albany with a nearly sold-out 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour along with supporting act the mighty Queensryche. Yes, I said 50 Years! It’s incredible to think this legendary band has been killing it for 50 years and still sounds as good as they ever have. The metal floodgates were opened as Priest fans poured into the MVP arena.
The night started with an intense set by Queensryche. They opened with the classic song “Queen of the Reich” and played a bunch of songs from their Rage for Order album. As Queensryche played their final song and thanked the crowd, Priest fans knew it was only a matter of time now before The Metal God himself would make his way to the stage.
As the clock struck at 9:15 pm, the lights went out, and for a split second, there was complete silence. Then a colossal wave of roars from the crowd radiated through the entire building. Priest’s cross lit up the blackness in red as it rose from the ground of the stage to the top of the arena. Judas Priest made their way onto the stage and fiercely dove into the first song of the night “Electric Eye.” Judas Priest’s visuals during their shows are second to none. Their mixture of dark imagery paired with their amazing lighting setup makes the show truly a visual experience. Each song was visually different and each told a story. They played a bunch of hits such as “You Got Another Thing Comin,” “Jawbreaker,” “Judas Rising,” and “Firepower.” Toward the end of the night, they finished with “Screaming for Vengeance.”
The crowd on the other hand screamed for more and Judas Priest was happy to oblige. The loud muffler sound of a motorcycle emanated through the arena as Rob Halford screamed across the stage on his Harley and stopped dead center of the stage. He revved the bike loudly yelling for the crowd to give him all they had. The crowd responded with cheers as the rest of the band began “Hell Bent for Leather.” They also played “Breaking the Law.”
At the end of the night, Rob Halford raised his horns and showed his appreciation to the crowd. The night still isn’t over yet though. A giant prop bull was brought on stage with glowing red eyes. The band returned for one final song and of course, you can’t end a Judas Priest show without “Living After Midnight.” Everyone was standing at this point in the night singing along to a favorite and partied until the very last note. Rob Halford said thank you to everyone as the band triumphantly left the stage for the final time. Judas Priest left their mark on Albany, NY that night and I know being a fan that it was a night that no one will forget. 50 Years of Judas Priest and the legacy still lives on.
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