With no shows to go to, it's been a long while since I posted. By chance yesterday I walked by one of my shelves and saw my audience audio master tapes for Slayer (with Testament opening) at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie NY on February 15, 1991 and I realized today was the 30th anniversary so I got inspired to digitize and upload to Youtube in celebration.
As always most of these tapes were recorded with a mono Radio Shack Realistic cassette recorder that I snuck in and had to keep out of site while recording - so take these recordings for what they are and remember 30 years ago we couldn't bring an iPhone with professional recording equipment built in with us to shows.
I actually won these tix on WPDH (Poughkeepsie's Home of Rock n Roll). If I remember correctly, and I may not be, I think they gave away 10 pairs at once and knowing most folks who listened to 'PDH probably weren't Slayer fans, they were the easiest tickets I ever won. First attempt, they answered the phone and got my pair.
This was a great show and because I was recording it, I didn't brave the pit. I was sitting in the metal bleachers in the back (which during the Slayer encore breaks you can hear the audience stomping). Like many shows at the Civic Center, as soon as it ended we headed around back to try and meet the bands and I met Chuck Billy of Testament and got his autograph (which when I find, I'll post along with this).
I had just turned twenty in that December two months before this show, now I'm fifty...damn...time flies, but I'll still be going to shows once they start up again.
Hope you dig this and if so, please subscribe to my Youtube channel where I'll try to post the rest of these tapes on a more regular basis.
I've reviewed Alice Cooper quite a few times before and because I have a bit of a backlog of recent shows I'm trying to post photos and videos about, this one will mainly be a videos and photos review for Alice Cooper this past Thursday, August 8, 2019, at Bethel Woods in Bethel, NY.
Other than a few notes, I'll let the two videos and 40 or so photos do the talking below. At this point it seems like Alice hits the area about twice a year and it's always a great new stage show and changed up setlist. For this show I shot a video of one of the classics, "No More Mr. Nice Guy", as well as one they haven't played in over a decade, "Desperado". Here's the links to those two videos and if you dig them, please subscribe to my Youtube channel. "No More Mr. Nice Guy:"
"Desperado:"
Halestorm opened the show and I have a full video and photos review of them (click here) if you want to check those out, but you'll also see in the photos below that Lzzy Hale stuck around and came out for the encore of "School's Out." This is just one of those great summer bills. Motionless in White opened the night, but unfortunately we missed them although I heard only good things from those where were there. So as I said, not much talking this time, enjoy the videos and photos and subscribe to my youtube channel and join our Facebook page. Keep rockin and enjoy.
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I didn't expect to be seeing Judas Priest for a third time on the current "Firepower" tour (on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at the Palace Theater in Albany, NY), but unlike most legacy metal bands on the road these days, Priest keep changing up the setlist as the tour goes on. Also I won tix from Z93 DJ Tigman during his daily Big Hair Scare - make sure you tune in and give him a listen - Tig is THE ambassador of metal in these parts!
Back to the setlist changes, when this leg started in early May in Florida, fans were shocked to see 2/3 of the 18 song setlist were tour debuts with numerous songs not having been played in decades or ever! Then within this leg of the tour, the band continues to throw in new surprises - one of which we would get tonight!
I've reviewed Priest before and much of what I said then I will say again - the band sounds amazing and Halford's vocals are fantastic.
Opener Uriah Heep were on point as well (there's video and some shots of them towards the end of this review.)
This was the second night of a two night stand in Albany. The Saturday night show was a sell out. This show appeared to be about 2/3 full but the crowd was loud and rabid.
So let's take a walk through the setlist and I'll share some pictures and videos I shot that will let you know what it was like to be there.
The show opened with "Necromancer", one of 4 tracks off their newest album "Firepower" played this night.
Halford's entrance was fantastic - backlit in shadow to be revealed to be in an outfit that I can only describe as half Heavy Metal Willy Wonka and half Screamin' Jay Hawkins!
"Heading Out to the Highway" off of "Point of Entry" was next and here's a video I shot of that one:
Next up was the sole track from my favorite Priest album, "Defenders of the Faith" with a killer "The Sentinel"
"Spectre" was next followed by the classic (and only track from) "Screaming for Vengeance" with "(Take These) Chains". Here's the video I shot of this one:
"Judas Rising" from "Angel of Retribution" was then followed by "Out in the Cold" from "Turbo".
It's great to see the band touching on all areas of their 50 year career with selections from 12 different albums on this night.
"Traitors Gate" came next followed by the "Sin After Sin" track "Starbreaker."
Then came the first "British Steel" track of the night, "Steeler," which led into "Halls of Valhalla" from "Redeemer of Souls"
"Tyrant" off "Sad Wings of Destiny" (my 2nd favorite Priest album for those keeping track) then made a fantastic appearance followed by "No Surrender" and then the biggest surprise of the night, "Hot Rockin'" which had not been played since exactly 14 years to the day!
Very cool, but I didn't get the video of it. I checked YouTube to see if I could link to someone else's but as far as I can see, it's not yet uploaded by anyone. My buddy filmed the whole show, so once that gets uploaded, I'll put in a link here in case it becomes some kind of tour one off 14th anniversary playing that doesn't get repeated.
Next was the "Victim of Changes" which is always an amazing highlight of any Priest show and I'm so glad it's back in the set. Here's my video of it:
They finished the main set with a killer "All Guns Blazing" from "Painkiller"
There was a quick break and the band came back and did a non stop play through of the hits for the encore - "Hell Bent For Leather", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".
Surprisingly no "You've Got Another Thing Coming" on this tour - but with all the fantastic deeper tracks, I don't think anyone missed it - perhaps only those who were seeing Priest for the first time, but you got the impression that was not the case for just about the whole crowd.
As I stated earlier, Uriah Heep opened the show. Looking at setlist.fm, I see they did a nine song set.
I only knew their biggest hit "Easy Livin' (which they ended with and below is the video I took of it) and walked in during their seventh song "Look At Yourself", but that and "Sunshine" which followed before "Easy Livin' sounded great and the crowd loved them, giving them a standing ovation at the end of the set!
The rest of their set was "Grazed by Heaven" to open.
Too Scared to Run
Take Away My Soul
Rainbow Demon
Knocking at My Door
Gypsy
It was a great way to spend a Sunday night and as I always say after leaving a Priest show, I can't wait til the next time!
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