The Metal Gods proudly raised the Invincible Shield in Niagara Falls on Saturday night in a celebration of the beauty and glory of our beloved Heavy Metal.
OPENING ACT: Sabaton
If you’ve never seen a concert at the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, go check their calendar and don’t miss the chance of visiting one of the best venues of the current Canadian landscape. It’s a beyond phenomenal venue with a great seating chart and excellent view from wherever you end up seating (or standing, if the concert you attend saves some space upfront for a small pit), therefore the perfect choice for the one and only Metal Gods JUDAS PRIEST, plus their more-than-special guests SABATON, to kick some serious ass during the second show of the new leg of the Invincible Shield Tour North America 2024. My friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi (who by the way had his photos shared by the Metal Gods themselves on their official Instagram) were obviously there to worship the Metal Gods in another night of the purest form of heavy music you can think of, and let me tell you that the show was beyond memorable, simply mind blowing from start to finish.
Once again, Swedish Power Metal brigade SABATON was the chosen band to warm up the avid Priest fans at a sold out OLG Stage, showing how strong the partnership seems to be between the two bands. Not only that, Sabaton are also becoming a fan-favorite worldwide, attracting countless fans to the show at the Falls this Saturday, and once they started playing it became crystal clear why they’ve already gathered such an immense fanbase. The band spearheaded by the charismatic Joakim Brodén was on fire during their entire show, delivering a solid hybrid of Heavy and Power Metal infused with warlike themes. Songs like Ghost Division, Stormtroopers, and in special the last three songs, Primo Victoria, Soldier of Heaven and To Hell and Back, inspired all fans at the venue to jump up and down nonstop, to raise their fists and horns, and to singalong all songs with Joakim and his henchmen, all of course boosted by a stage that transpired wars and battles. If you’re seeing any concerts of this tour, make sure you arrive in time for Sabaton even if you know nothing about them, because their live performances are as explosive as a hand grenade.
Setlist
The March to War
Ghost Division
The Last Stand
Swedish Pagans
The Red Baron
Bismarck
Stormtroopers
Carolus Rex
Resist and Bite
The Attack of the Dead Men
Primo Victoria
Soldier of Heaven
To Hell and Back
Band members
Joakim Brodén – lead vocals, keyboards
Thobbe Englund – guitars, backing vocals
Chris Rörland – guitars, backing vocals
Pär Sundström – bass, backing vocals
Hannes Van Dahl – drums, backing vocals
After a quick break, it was time for the Metal Gods JUDAS PRIEST to raise the Invincible Shield for the second time on this leg of the tour, one day after their also ass-kicking concert in Montreal, and let me tell you that what I had the pleasure of witnessing in Niagara Falls this Saturday was one of their best performances ever. After the flag dropped during the intro to Panic Attack, it was a wild and frantic feast of undisputed Heavy Metal by Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner, Andy Sneap, Ian Hill and Scott Travis, leaving every single person at the OLG Stage absolutely disoriented after all was said and done. As a result, the fans at the pit went completely mental from the very first second of the show, igniting some sick mosh pits until the very end, something not so common for a band like Judas Priest. Well, when you start the show with some fast-paced masterpieces like Panic Attack, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Rapid Fire, Breaking the Law and Riding on the Wind, I think it’s fair to expect some action in the pit. To be fair, the pit during Rapid Fire was so intense it looked like a Death Metal pit, just to give you an idea of how rowdy the crowd was.
I believe there are three reasons for the band to be so tight, so heavy and so precise at this point of their 50-year career. First and foremost, Mr. Rob Halford, the one and only Metal God, the heart of the band, is delivering stellar vocal performances night after night at the age of 73, something so unbelievable it makes me wonder if he’s an actual god. I mean, guys like Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson are definitely role models for anyone who wants to enjoy a healthy and fun life after you turn 60 or 70. In other words, if I get to Halford’s age with one fifth of his energy, I’ll be a very happy man. Second, Richie Faulkner is now the soul of Judas Priest, blasting our ears with his electrifying riffs and solos nonstop, which I’m sure makes Glenn Tipton very, very proud of how he’s helping carry the band’s legacy forward. And third, Scott Travis continues to hammer his drums majestically, becoming the band’s engine, and all that power and speed always translates into more action on and off stage.
Even the slower songs like Love Bites and Crown of Horns brought a lot of energy to the show, plus of course some heavy classics like Sinner and Turbo Lover; however, as expected, it was during the most hard hitting songs of the night, their new anthem Invincible Shield and the most metal song of all time, the unparalleled Painkiller, that the crowd had the biggest reactions of the entire show, with the pit during Painkiller going out of control to the point there were almost a few fights inside of it. It was a beautiful, memorable moment by a band that is not only celebrating 50 years of Heavy Metal, but that is the ultimate depiction of Heavy Metal. For instance, when a renowned guitarist like Rob Barrett of Cannibal Corpse is in attendance of the show as a fan, you can have a good idea of the importance of Judas Priest to the world of music. The encore with the timeless classics The Hellion/Electric Eye, Hell Bent for Leather and Living After Midnight simply proved that, and it didn’t matter if it was a 60, 70 or 80-year old veteran or a three-year old kid (who not only got the sunglasses of the vocalist for Sabaton, but also a pick, a setlist, and a special post on Instagram by Judas Priest), everyone at the OLG Casino was mesmerized by the Metal Gods in another celebration of the beauty and glory of Heavy Metal.
Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
Invincible Shield Tour Anthem
Panic Attack
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Rapid Fire
Breaking the Law
Riding on the Wind
Love Bites
Devil’s Child
Saints in Hell
Crown of Horns
Sinner
Turbo Lover
Invincible Shield
Victim of Changes
The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Painkiller
Encore:
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Living After Midnight
We Are the Champions (Queen song)
Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Andy Sneap – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 