One has been a pillar of metal music since the 1970s. The other is one of his valiant successors who, having experienced more downturns during his career, still continues, with good faith.
And when you combine the two for a European tour, it's like a trip back in time for fans: clearly, forty years ago, the combined bill of Judas Priest and Saxon would have overflowed the capacity of the Paris sports center Bercy, which has since become the Accor Arena.
That said, it is still a well-filled Parisian Zénith transformed into a giant pressure cooker which welcomes the two British teams on Monday evening, for the last stage of their European journey.
Saxon and its 13 titles at full speed
Saxon begins 10 minutes ahead of schedule, which allows him to play for an hour, and to belt out 13 titles at full speed, two thirds of which are classics. It starts strong with the thunderous “Hell, Fire And Damnation”, from the latest opus of the same name.
Singer Biff Byford, still in a military frock coat despite the sauna atmosphere, harangues his troops and the public, his voice not changing despite the weight of the years (the fellow still shows 73 years on the clock).
At his side, the newcomer, Brian Tatler on guitar, rarely come to Paris before with his original group, Diamond Head, knits solid six-string parts.
Among the new releases, “Madame Guillotine” is by far the most interesting. And, from halfway through his show, Saxon folds the match by offering only classics lined up in a row, from “Heavy Metal Thunder” to “Princess Of The Night”, including the obligatory “Crusader” and “Wheels Of Steel.” Nothing really new, but damn effective in unblocking your ears!
For Judas Priest, black leather is obligatory
Before his concert, while the roadies are busy installing his equipment, Judas Priest unfurls a long curtain all to the glory of the music he plays, proclaiming among other things "unity is strength" and characterizing the spectators as “defenders of metal”.
And it is in this atmosphere of decibelic
high mass
that the Priest delivers this evening a new sermon of approximately 1 hour 40 minutes.
The group released its new bible, “Invincible Shield”, just a month ago, the first epistle of which, “Panic Attack” is delivered straight away once the five musicians are on stage.
Rob Halford, barely a year younger than Biff Byford, but with immensely superior vocal power, immediately seduces the photographers with his shiny lamé jacket, ideal for getting the spectators' eyes to follow him, but difficult to wear to the office.
For him, like his friends, black leather is obligatory and, with the exception of him, hair is worn long, even very long, even for guitarist Andy Sneap, with shorter hair during the group's previous visit to the same place, in January 2019.
From the depths of hell, an old title rarely played
“You've Got Another Thing Comin'”, served for years as an encore, jumps here to second position in the repertoire, before an angry “Rapid Fire”, whose return is very pleasant. The screens show images or films whose link with the proposed title sometimes seems nebulous, but bravo for the choice of “Nosferatu the Vampire” from 1922 to illustrate “Love Bites”.
As with every tour, Judas also fishes out from the depths of hell an old title rarely played during his career, and this time it is “Saints In Hell”, dating from 1978, which is thus entitled to an unexpected resurrection. Nice, but maybe not a real classic anyway…
It’s because we also have to perform some new songs, like the very melodic “Crown Of Horns” or the shattering “Invincible Shield”, without forgetting the essentials, like “Breaking The Law”, “Turbo Lover”, the dantesque “Victime Of Changes” with the guitars as sharp as ever and the impressive rises in the treble of Halford, or the furious “Painkiller”, the opportunity to hear for the only time of the evening the drummer Scott Travis motivating the crowd.
Judas Priest, one of the last apostles of metal
After the Fleetwood Mac cover, “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)”, which concludes the show, the musicians are absent for only two minutes, quickly returning to deliver the premonitory “Electric Eye” which, from 1982, spoke still already satellite surveillance…
The average Zénith fan, who shakes his head furiously and sings all the choruses, does not ask so many questions, appreciating the sonic orgy which continues, via the hymn to leather that constitutes “Hell Bent For Leather”. , the heavy “Metal Gods”, and the ultimate “Living After Midnight”.
Especially since, the height of joy, one of the founding members of Judas Priest, the always very popular guitarist Glenn Tipton, absent from tours since 2018 and the announcement of his Parkinson's disease, enhances the latest titles with his presence , adding a third layer of guitar to already strong pieces! It's certain, Judas Priest remains one of the last apostles of pure metal...
Editor's note:
4/5
"Invincible Shield",
Judas Priest in concert during the Heavy Weekend festival, June 23 in Nancy.