Judas Priest have kicked off their latest North American tour in Montreal. See footage from the night below.
READ MORE: Judas Priest legend Rob Halford: “Coming out happened in the right way – it wasn’t premeditated”
Yesterday (September 13), the heavy metal band continued their support for 2024 album ‘Invincible Shield’ at Bell Centre, two months after a sojourn in Europe that concluded in July at Istanbul, Turkey.
The setlist for the night saw a mix of ‘Invincible Shield’ and fan favourites across nine classic albums.
The setlist for Judas Priest’s ‘Invincible Shield’ tour date in Montreal is (via Setlist.fm):
‘Panic Attack’
‘You’ve Got Another Thing Comin”
‘Rapid Fire’
‘Breaking The Law’
‘Riding On The Wind’
‘Love Bites’
‘Devil’s Child’
‘Saints In Hell’
‘Crown Of Horns’
‘Sinner’
‘Turbo Lover’
‘Invincible Shield’
‘Victim Of Changes’
‘The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)’ (Fleetwood Mac cover)
‘Painkiller’
Encore:
‘The Hellion’ / ‘Electric Eye’
‘Hell Bent For Leather’
‘Living After Midnight’
On the same day, the band issued the 50th anniversary edition of ‘Rocka Rolla’, which features a brand new mix by longtime collaborator and producer Tom Allom.
The effort sprang from the band learning in 2022 that the owner of label Gull Records – which released the band’s first two albums ‘Rocka Rolla’ and ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’ – was keen to sell them the master and publishing rights for the albums.
In a press statement, Halford shares about hearing the album’s original mix before the band released it in 1974.
“I took the record… and I put the needle onto the groove and I sat back. And I just slowly started to deflate, deflate,” Halford recalls. “I was so disappointed with the way it was sounding… All of us were – we’d all worked so hard to get to this place. And now this music that we know when we play live is roaring – the heavy metal is roaring even in those early primitive days – none of that was coming out of the speakers.”
Once the deal was made, the band got in touch with Allom to remix ‘Rocka Rolla’. “Allom is giving us a second chance here with the way that a lot of the elements were lost in ‘Rocka Rolla’,” says Halford. “And it’s also nice, like a really nice feeling, especially to attach it to what will be a 50th anniversary moment. It’s just a beautiful feeling.”
The remix is now available to stream on digital platforms, with vinyl and CD copies arriving on November 22. Pre-order via MNRK Heavy here.
Earlier this week, Halford shared his feelings about retirement. “I wouldn’t know what to do with my life if I suddenly couldn’t do this beautiful work. I need to do it,” he tells Iowa radio station Rock 108.
“It’s part of me that I need to do to live as a person because I love it so much. And I think I’m speaking for everybody in Priest. And that’s the leading light that pushes through. That’s what keeps you carrying on.”
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