Post by cozyal on Jul 20, 2009 17:21:20 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]
By Cozy Al
It’s funny, Judas Priest are touring to support playing 1980’s British Steel release in its entirety & Coverdale was telling us that this year is the 25th anniversary of Slide It In. If you were to go back all those years, chances are – Certainly in the UK. – the only way you’d see the likes of these 2 bands together on one bill, would be at something like Donington Park’s, Monsters Of Rock festival (Now renamed Download), which in fact Priest played in ’80 as special guests of Rainbow, in the UK’s first ever Monsters of Rock Festival, in front of about 60,000.
Pic of stage just before Whitesnake hit the stage:
Tonight it was sad to see that the venue was a sign of probably both Michigan’s current economic climate & perhaps word getting out of David Coverdale not doing so well vocally on Whitesnakes current tour.
This place holds – according to the venues stat’s – 15,000 capacity, it was probably only about 80% full when Priest were in full flight tonight & probably around 40 - 50% when Whitesnake were on.
There was an opening act too Pop Evil, who I heard were pretty good but played a very short set. We missed them.
Whitesnake opened with Best Years from the Good To Be Bad release & it sounded pretty good overall.
Bad Boys next & it started to show with Coverdale tending to scream more than sing …, so far still alright though.
Then it’s Love Ain’t No Stranger & OK, now he’s starting to turn to the crowd to help out & the strain was evident. The one thing that DC is very smart about is to be surrounded with great talent. Both Reb Beach & Doug Aldrich have more than proved their talents way before joining WS & bassist Uriah Duffy & keys man, Tim Drury have both aptly slotted in too & all are excellent backing vocalists. Chris Frazier on drums is also a great talent too.
Slow & Easy next was preceded by DC’s statement on 25th Anniversary of Slide it In & again with this one he was almost frantically trying to get the crowd to carry the chorus … I think for sure, this was a predominantly Priest crowd here tonight, not evenly split & to be honest, he was out of luck for the most part with the crowd.
Newer song Lay down Your Love was next & I think this is a great track, but the same signs were all too present.
Next we get Reb Beach’ solo spot, all very nice thank you & then Doug Aldrich joins in … We already know these guys can play … Recordings with Winger, Dio, House Of Lords, N/Ranger & Whitesnake, etc …. What’s the point?
Cryin’ In The Rain is next up, classic song, but DC still struggles here & there & is almost desperate for the crowd to help … Chris Frazier gets a drum solo in the middle here too before they wrap the song up.
DC provides introductions of his band mates next, before they slow things down for Is This Love.
Give Me All You Love & Here I Go Again are thrown in as the set is coming to a close & last song of the WS set this evening was Still of The Night, which believe it or not wasn’t too bad. No encore here …
It’s a shame to say it, but DC really either needs to rest up his voice for a while or call it quits. Sad days …
Judas Priest, confession time & yes I’m a Brit rocker & yes, I’ve never got to see Priest live before … Long story.
Well, I now regret never having caught them live before as I was totally blown away! Wow! Judas Priest ROCKS!!!
The house lights go down & dry ice was creeping around the curtain still up, as we heard the band start behind & lights flashing & the band cranked into Rapid Fire before then taking no prisoners with Metal Gods!
Friends had told me that Halford these days was pretty stationary, center stage & crouched over singing face down to the stage floor. This seemed to be the case here as the set was starting out, but before long Halford was pacing the stage like staking his Detroit turf! He was facing the crowd & interacting well before too long.
Yes, there was a lot of face down & crouched over times but …, his performance of these songs tonight was great!
By 3rd song Breaking The Law, he had the crowd eating out of his hands & the band, totally solid, great stuff indeed!
Grinder next & Priest were totally in their stride here, before United got the crowd behind the band some more!
You Don’t Have To Be Old, To Be Wise up next is a great track – That wouldn’t be out of place on an AC/DC album, for those that don’t know the track. - & it’s clear that a Priest crowd, is a die hard crowd as they get into this big time.
With Living After Midnight, all the folks at the show that only know the hits, are in their element as the place erupts.
Opening with some funky bass from Ian Hill, The Rage is a great multilayered track & I have to say the way Tipton & Downing play off each other live is just great!
The Steeler followed by The Ripper, both have Halford pacing the stage, by now it’s his own, like anyone would argue! This guy can pull some pretty scary expressions for sure!
Prophecy from last years Nostradamus is very impressive & again, totally emphasizes a great bond between Tipton & Downing, a rare sight, the likes of which I’ve only really appreciated this much, when I’ve seen Thin Lizzy live.
Hell Patrol & Victim of Changes close the set & again, Victim …, shows so much versatility in these guys playing it is total entertainment. So, what could we expect in the encore that we knew we were due!
Freewheel Burning with Halford riding out with the traditional Harley pose, the crowd does not want them to leave & everyone is up & I think even the crowd from up on the hill here, have all come down into the pavilion, it’s packed!
Diamonds & Rust is next, another cover that Priest have made their own, rocks & closes the set & they leave the stage again … Isn’t there one track for sure that’s missing here?
They come back to close the night with a roaring Another Thing Coming with the crowd also giving it their all & Halford gesturing to his heart that he’s impressed. As they leave this time, he tells us not to lose the metal faith & that Priest WILL be back! I think the crowd was right with him …, from Rapid Fire!
A great gig indeed!
Review by “Cozy Al” for www.rocknrolluniverse.com
Judas Priest + Whitesnake Live @ DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI - July 15th, 2009
[/glow] By Cozy Al
It’s funny, Judas Priest are touring to support playing 1980’s British Steel release in its entirety & Coverdale was telling us that this year is the 25th anniversary of Slide It In. If you were to go back all those years, chances are – Certainly in the UK. – the only way you’d see the likes of these 2 bands together on one bill, would be at something like Donington Park’s, Monsters Of Rock festival (Now renamed Download), which in fact Priest played in ’80 as special guests of Rainbow, in the UK’s first ever Monsters of Rock Festival, in front of about 60,000.
Pic of stage just before Whitesnake hit the stage:
Tonight it was sad to see that the venue was a sign of probably both Michigan’s current economic climate & perhaps word getting out of David Coverdale not doing so well vocally on Whitesnakes current tour.
This place holds – according to the venues stat’s – 15,000 capacity, it was probably only about 80% full when Priest were in full flight tonight & probably around 40 - 50% when Whitesnake were on.
There was an opening act too Pop Evil, who I heard were pretty good but played a very short set. We missed them.
Whitesnake opened with Best Years from the Good To Be Bad release & it sounded pretty good overall.
Bad Boys next & it started to show with Coverdale tending to scream more than sing …, so far still alright though.
Then it’s Love Ain’t No Stranger & OK, now he’s starting to turn to the crowd to help out & the strain was evident. The one thing that DC is very smart about is to be surrounded with great talent. Both Reb Beach & Doug Aldrich have more than proved their talents way before joining WS & bassist Uriah Duffy & keys man, Tim Drury have both aptly slotted in too & all are excellent backing vocalists. Chris Frazier on drums is also a great talent too.
Slow & Easy next was preceded by DC’s statement on 25th Anniversary of Slide it In & again with this one he was almost frantically trying to get the crowd to carry the chorus … I think for sure, this was a predominantly Priest crowd here tonight, not evenly split & to be honest, he was out of luck for the most part with the crowd.
Newer song Lay down Your Love was next & I think this is a great track, but the same signs were all too present.
Next we get Reb Beach’ solo spot, all very nice thank you & then Doug Aldrich joins in … We already know these guys can play … Recordings with Winger, Dio, House Of Lords, N/Ranger & Whitesnake, etc …. What’s the point?
Cryin’ In The Rain is next up, classic song, but DC still struggles here & there & is almost desperate for the crowd to help … Chris Frazier gets a drum solo in the middle here too before they wrap the song up.
DC provides introductions of his band mates next, before they slow things down for Is This Love.
Give Me All You Love & Here I Go Again are thrown in as the set is coming to a close & last song of the WS set this evening was Still of The Night, which believe it or not wasn’t too bad. No encore here …
It’s a shame to say it, but DC really either needs to rest up his voice for a while or call it quits. Sad days …
Judas Priest, confession time & yes I’m a Brit rocker & yes, I’ve never got to see Priest live before … Long story.
Well, I now regret never having caught them live before as I was totally blown away! Wow! Judas Priest ROCKS!!!
The house lights go down & dry ice was creeping around the curtain still up, as we heard the band start behind & lights flashing & the band cranked into Rapid Fire before then taking no prisoners with Metal Gods!
Friends had told me that Halford these days was pretty stationary, center stage & crouched over singing face down to the stage floor. This seemed to be the case here as the set was starting out, but before long Halford was pacing the stage like staking his Detroit turf! He was facing the crowd & interacting well before too long.
Yes, there was a lot of face down & crouched over times but …, his performance of these songs tonight was great!
By 3rd song Breaking The Law, he had the crowd eating out of his hands & the band, totally solid, great stuff indeed!
Grinder next & Priest were totally in their stride here, before United got the crowd behind the band some more!
You Don’t Have To Be Old, To Be Wise up next is a great track – That wouldn’t be out of place on an AC/DC album, for those that don’t know the track. - & it’s clear that a Priest crowd, is a die hard crowd as they get into this big time.
With Living After Midnight, all the folks at the show that only know the hits, are in their element as the place erupts.
Opening with some funky bass from Ian Hill, The Rage is a great multilayered track & I have to say the way Tipton & Downing play off each other live is just great!
The Steeler followed by The Ripper, both have Halford pacing the stage, by now it’s his own, like anyone would argue! This guy can pull some pretty scary expressions for sure!
Prophecy from last years Nostradamus is very impressive & again, totally emphasizes a great bond between Tipton & Downing, a rare sight, the likes of which I’ve only really appreciated this much, when I’ve seen Thin Lizzy live.
Hell Patrol & Victim of Changes close the set & again, Victim …, shows so much versatility in these guys playing it is total entertainment. So, what could we expect in the encore that we knew we were due!
Freewheel Burning with Halford riding out with the traditional Harley pose, the crowd does not want them to leave & everyone is up & I think even the crowd from up on the hill here, have all come down into the pavilion, it’s packed!
Diamonds & Rust is next, another cover that Priest have made their own, rocks & closes the set & they leave the stage again … Isn’t there one track for sure that’s missing here?
They come back to close the night with a roaring Another Thing Coming with the crowd also giving it their all & Halford gesturing to his heart that he’s impressed. As they leave this time, he tells us not to lose the metal faith & that Priest WILL be back! I think the crowd was right with him …, from Rapid Fire!
A great gig indeed!
Review by “Cozy Al” for www.rocknrolluniverse.com
