Photography & article
by Geoff Clowes

Metal Gods Judas Priest opened the third North American leg of their “Firepower” world tour on May 3, 2019 at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida.The night was a collection of tasty rarities and debuts rather than a greatest hits show.

With Andy Sneap stepping in for the ailing Glenn Tipton, the band was  tight and shredded from the opening notes of Necromancer through the final notes of Living After Midnight. The festivities started off with the live debut of Necromancer from the “Firepower” record as Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap traded licks most unholy. If the crowd was expecting fan favorites they were sorely disappointed by the next ten songs that were either tour debuts, live debuts, or not played live since May 26 of 2012. The songs were played with a freshness not usually seen in debuts and rarities. Rob Halford, clad in his signature black leather, showed little sign of his sixty seven years as he belted out tune after tune while Ian Hill and Scott Travis kept the beat on bass and drums respectively.

​Despite not recognizing many of the songs the crowd was into the show nonetheless and showed their respect with huge cheers and an air full of devil horns. Those that came to the Hard Rock Event Center to hear the hits weren’t disappointed, although they had to wait for the final three songs of the evening, two of them the encores. The encores were worth the wait as Tipton, suffering from Parkinson’s, rejoined his mates for the two final songs.

​The opening act was none other than fellow British metal rockers Uriah Heep. The prog-metal outfit kept to the metal hits and avoided the jammy prog songs - for which the audience was grateful - as they cheered and fist pumped the air for the one-hour set. Once again Judas Priest showed that they refuse to slow down, and despite a tweaked lineup and a  setlist of unknowns, they can still transform a venue into a guitar slashing Valhalla for the night.

Full setlist:
Necromancer (live debut)
The Sentinel (performed for the first time since May 26, 2012)
Heading Out To The Highway (performed for the first time since May 26, 2012)
Spectre (live debut)
(Take These) Chains (live debut)
Judas Rising (performed for the first time since May 26, 2012)
Out In The Cold (performed for the first time since December 16, 1986)
Traitors Gate (live debut)
Starbreaker (performed for the first time since May 26, 2012)
Steeler (performed for the first time since October 17, 2010)
Halls Of Valhalla
Killing Machine
No Surrender
Victim Of Changes
All Guns Blazing (performed for first time since August 19, 1991)
Hell Bent For Leather

Encore
Breaking The Law (with Glenn Tipton)
Living After Midnight (with Glenn Tipton)

Uriah Heep, opening for Judas Priest:

​Geoff Clowes is a South Florida-based live music photographer. He’s shot hundreds of bands over the years in three countries in venues giant and intimate; “but it's always the local shows in the small venues that I look forward to shooting the most.”

“Music photography allows me to indulge my passion for music, photography, and travel at the same time. I am truly blessed to be able to photograph the bands whose posters once adorned the walls of my childhood bedroom while also getting a pit view of the newest up and coming acts. None of this would be possible without the support of editors that believe in my art and an understanding family.”

Geoff brings with him a wealth of experience and a poignant black-and-white style that strikingly captures the passionate spirit of the artists he’s shooting. Follow him on social media and his website, Sage and Spirit Photography.