If there were any sort of justice in this world, a band of Thin Lizzy's stature would have been headlining, not opening last night's hard rock extravaganza at Rogers Arena.
However, due to the unavoidable fact that the band's charismatic front man, Phil Lynott, passed away 25 years ago, that's exactly what happened. And despite having a bunch of epic tunes to select from, plus two core members from the band's late-70s glory days still rocking away, all the stagecraft in the world couldn't deflect from the feeling that this was a Thin Lizzy tribute band rather than the real thing. Shame, as unlike the band, songs like "Emerald" and "The Boys Are Back In Town" hadn't aged one iota.
There were probably more Black Label Society than Judas Priest T-shirts in Rogers Arena last night. Those fans' loyalty was rewarded by a blistering hour of trailer-park heaviness and relentless guitar fireworks from the band's founder and Ozzy Osbourne cohort, Zakk Wylde. A masterful musician, the set's highlight came when Wylde was left alone on stage to concoct an immense 10-minute shred that appeared to break all known records for how many notes could be played in 30-second bursts. Finishing on a high note with "Godspeed Hellbound," Wylde thanked the crowd, pointed to the sky and pounded on his chest to celebrate the moment. Bizarre and endearing at the same time.
While Black Label Society have many years of ferocious metal ahead of them, last night was allegedly the last hurrah in the Pacific Northwest for the legendary Judas Priest.
Officially named "The Epitaph Tour," the band has promised to call it a day after they play the last dates in Japan in February. Assuming that happens, this will be a band going out at the top of its game.
Singer Rob Halford, guitarist Glenn Tipton and bassist Ian Hill are all in their early sixties, but they all still sound superb. And all fit comfortably into their leather pants. It wasn't a high-energy performance from the follicly challenged front man. Rather, it was a performance steeped in the stately confidence that comes with a set list carved from the band's greatest hits and the love of a crowd brought up on the genre of music that they helped define.
Over the course of two hours, Judas Priest's farewell note read like a potted history of classic metal. Coming out of the gate with "Rapid Fire" and "Metal Gods," Tipton, Hill and recent arrival Richie Faulkner were straight into the choreographed guitar moves as giant jolts of pyro flame shot into the air behind the band. Fine singers 20 years Halford's junior would soil themselves even thinking about reaching the notes he hit on almost every song. From other bands, it would seem cliché. Coming from one of rock's true originators, it was leather-clad poetry.
The sound and the lights were great throughout, but the real star of the show wasn't the production, or even Rob Halford (whose appearance at one point in a silver hooded robe could only be described as ghetto fabulous Jedi). It was the endless collection of monster riffs lapped up by fans eager to strap on their air guitars and show their affection.
Halford didn't have to sing a solitary note through "Breaking The Law." He merely took conducting duties as the bellowing crowd provided all the vocals. "Painkiller" was the fastest and heaviest song played by anyone all night. The inevitable big finish, Halford riding on stage on a hard-revving Harley Davidson and tearing through "Hell Bent For Leather," produced as many beaming faces as banging heads.
Assuming that this was the last time Judas Priest grace B.C., it goes without saying that their music wasn't for everyone. They were noisy. They were heavy. They were never cool or sexy. They were never meant to be. That's what made them special.
