It may not have been the month-long residency many artists have undertaken in Las Vegas the past several years. But when Judas Priest and Queensryche arrived last week in San Antonio, they packed their buses for more than a one-night stay.
Back-to-back performances at the new Tech Port Center + Arena last Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving before approximately 3,000 fans each night in the 3,100-capacity venue near Lackland Air Force Base saw a combined 90 years worth of molten metal take flight.
Could any other city the world over claim that?
It’s OK. We’ll wait for your answer.
Perhaps that was just part of the reason Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford, while giving thanks to the late Joe Anthony for being the first disc jockey in the United States to expose Priest’s music in the 1970s and ‘80s to an American listening audience, said in part: “It feels so good to be back in San Antonio. It’s like home to me . . . the beloved Joe Anthony. Two nights here. It just goes to show that heavy metal is in the heart of San Antonio. It’s the heavy metal capital of Texas as far as I’m concerned.”
Queensryche vocalist Todd La Torre was not to be outdone on Night 2 when he said, “San Antonio is the most metal city.”
The dual nights followed a March 21 appearance by both artists at Freeman Coliseum. For non-math majors, that’s three visits to the Alamo City this year.
And it’s not like those on hand at Tech Port needed 50 years to realize Judas Priest is a special band. Nevertheless, the group’s reception of the Musical Excellence Award earlier in the month at the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, which saw Halford and original bassist Ian Hill reunite (one night only, for now) with guitarist K.K. Downing and ‘70s drummer Les Binks, was the cherry on top of the Birmingham, England, natives’ latest stop. It’s also something Hill discussed with Alamo True Metal here.
Celebrating 50 years of heavy metal and the 40th year of seminal album Screaming for Vengeance, the mighty Priest displayed a vast selection of hits including “Hell Bent for Leather, “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight,” deeper cuts “Between the Hammer and the Anvil” and “Judas Rising” along with the title track to its 2018 and most recent album Firepower, followed by that record’s “Never the Heroes.” Priest played the same identical set each night, but those who only attended Night 2 received an extra song in their classic cover of Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust.”
While it’s easy to say it’s not a complete Judas Priest concert without staples “Victim of Changes,” “Painkiller,” and “Metal Gods,” it was refreshing to see the five-decade mainstays throw caution to the wind, while riding on it, and change things up from previous tours.
But you can also say it’s definitely not a complete Priest showing without guitarist Glenn Tipton, who had been appearing for the encores in recent visits dating back to 2018 but whose bout with Parkinson’s disease undoubtedly prevented an appearance this time around. T-shirts were selling at the merch booth with sales from one specialty top going toward Tipton’s Parkinson’s Foundation.
Guitarist Richie Faulkner, sporting a fresh scar from his ruptured aorta endured onstage in September 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky, and subsequent 10 1/2-hour emergency open heart surgery, demonstrated that every show he plays from here on out is a major miracle of life as he continued to do what he does best on stage.
Veteran producer and guitarist Andy Sneap returned as well, while drummer Scott Travis subbed out his usual introduction of “Painkiller” for the title track to Screaming for Vengeance (ATM Facebook Live footage here).
No professional video was allowed of Judas Priest, but you can watch them via more ATM Facebook Live footage from the first night on “Genocide,” “Steeler,” “Between the Hammer and the Anvil” and “Halls of Valhalla.” Also check out “Beyond the Realms of Death,” “Judas Rising” and “Devil’s Child.”
Recognition from the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame can be a funny thing. It obviously means a lot to the musicians who put in the work and longevity. From a fan standpoint, it only seems to matter when an artist that is long overdue to receive such status doesn’t, thus setting off a chain of rebellious emotions that serves as the basis of heavy metal music in the first place.
Enter bands such as Iron Maiden. Motorhead.
And Queensryche.
Perhaps the latter will get there one day. To its lifelong fans, however, the place among the Rock Hall’s elite doesn’t need to be solidified officially because it already began with the band’s 1983 self-titled EP and full-length follow-up The Warning in 1984.
Queensryche spotlighted those two records among their opening tracks each night (see setlists below and in photo gallery), as evidenced by ATM footage on Night 2 of “En Force.” La Torre, original guitarist Michael Wilton, guitarist Mike Stone, original bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Casey Grillo kept the hits coming on “Take Hold of the Flame,” “Screaming In Digital” and finale “Eyes of a Stranger.”
Unlike the show in March, Queensryche also brought some terrific new music with them. Having released Digital Noise Alliance on Oct. 7, the band debuted “Behind the Walls” and “In Extremis” (ATM footage below photo gallery). The album marks the fourth already with La Torre on vocals, and fans should start getting used to hearing more of his material without the frontman almost apologetically telling an audience that the group is going to take a break from the classics and hits to unveil new tunes.
After all, La Torre is marking his own decade in Queensryche. So it’s about time fans more than simply try out his other albums The Verdict, Condition: Human and Queensryche and actually keep them in their own regular listening rotation.
At these Tech Port shows, La Torre’s delay throws were much less pronounced and shorter than the March concert at Freeman, mere mention of which in this space caused a seismic reaction among Internet trolls even though the words “lip syncing” were never uttered here. In fact, one of the few times the delay was especially recognizable this time came not via singing but rather when La Torre boasted at show’s end, “We are the one, the only Queensryche,” with the band’s name reverberating throughout the venue.
The Seattle veterans mixed things up both nights more than Priest. Having played “NM 156” and “Operation: Mindcrime” on the first night, Queensryche subbed out “Walk In the Shadows” and “The Needle Lies,” respectively, on Wednesday.
Here’s hoping they’ll go on a headlining tour next year that will feature even more of the past four albums — records yours truly had been listening to consistently long before Internet backlash spewed ATM’s way because Queensryche has always been a personal favorite no matter which of its vocalists is holding the mic.
How many haters could say that about their Queensryche fandom or say they’ve never missed a Queensryche visit to their town the past 17 years?
It’s OK. We’ll wait.
As the long-standing original members, Wilton and Jackson also shouldn’t have to apologize for making new music they should be proud of, nor in effect ask an audience to listen openly to new music. When fresh material mixes with the classic catalog the ‘Ryche possesses, there aren’t many bands that can say every album can hold a candle — or at least a flame — to its predecessor the way Queensryche can.
As if two consecutive shows by these heavyweights wasn’t enough, Night 2 brought out a who’s who of South Texas rockers that took in the action from the Tech Port’s lone suite.
Among the masses were Disturbed bassist John Moyer, Fates Warning/Sebastian Bach/Halford/ex-Riot drummer Bobby Jarzombek (who’s playing for country legend George Strait these days), Riot bassist Don Van Stavern, Heaven Below singer/guitarist and Lita Ford guitarist Patrick Kennison and Buckcherry drummer Francis Ruiz (see photo gallery).
What they heard — Priest’s Harley-Davidson on “Hell Bent for Leather” notwithstanding — was one of the loudest shows in recent memory. And that was before Priest unleashed its blowup Birmingham bull for finale “Living After Midnight.”
What several others heard were arguably the two loudest shows in the Alamo City since Covid-19.
Judas Priest and Queensryche were the right way to celebrate nine decades of music that will always stand the test of time. Not only were they the perfect antidote to drown out one’s annoying family members at Thanksgiving dinner since ears were still ringing 24 and 48 hours later. They were, and will always be, reasons to hold ‘em up high rather than hanging ‘em out to dry.
JUDAS PRIEST SETLIST: Hellion/Electric Eye, Riding on the Wind, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Jawbreaker, Firepower, Never the Heroes, Beyond the Realms Of Death, Judas Rising, Devil’s Child, Genocide, Steeler, Between the Hammer and the Anvil, Halls of Valhalla, Diamonds and Rust (2nd night only), The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown), Screaming for Vengeance. Encores: Hell Bent for Leather, Breaking the Law, Living After Midnight
QUEENSRYCHE SETLIST (Night 1): Queen of the Reich, Warning, En Force, NM 156, Behind the Walls, Empire, Operation: Mindcrime, In Extremis, Take Hold of the Flame, Screaming In Digital, Eyes of a Stranger
QUEENSRYCHE SETLIST (Night 2): Queen of the Reich, Warning, En Force, Walk In the Shadows, Behind the Walls, Empire, The Needle Lies, In Extremis, Take Hold of the Flame, Screaming In Digital, Eyes of a Stranger
