Live In London (DVD)
SPV
By Fredrik Hjelm
"Judas Priest Metal!" - "Ripper" Owens screams in the microphone to a packed crowd of Priest fans at the Brixton Academy in London. That statement pretty much sums up this DVD. The tracklist for this show should make any hardcore Priest-fan happy..."Metal Gods", "Victim Of Changes", "Running Wild" and "Hell Bent For Leather" are just a few of the classic tracks performed by the Metal Legends this very night. Very few new tracks were played on the first leg of this tour (when this DVD was filmed), and why not do what you do best? The only new song I really care for is "Hell Is Home", which might very well become a Priest-classic years from now. I recall stating to Glenn and K.K. when I saw their show at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles, "You guys are still so Metal!" Glenn gave me this baffled look, so I elaborated to explain how everything from their synchronized movements on-stage (almost looking like a "Heavy Metal Cabaret") to their relentless music is just "so classic metal!"
Ripper fronts the band with a unique style and presence. It's not easy to fill the shoes of the Metal God! Ripper looks a bit tense at times but does a great job nonetheless. He has an amazing voice, sometimes sounds just like - you know who...
Some of the added features on this DVD are Demolition Time and Soundcheck - the latter more or less speaks for itself, and Demolition Time basically shows Glenn, K.K, and the boys telling funny stories from the road. There is also footage of the band meeting with their fans, interviews, and a few scenes with the guys playing pranks on each other. The most notorious being Glenn Tipton showing the inside of the tour bus and Ripper just happens to be taking a nap in the bunks with his pants (and underwear) down. A funny little tease for all the female Priest fans out there ...and perhaps some male fans too (if you know what I mean.)
And speaking of Ripper, and his "eternal curse"...I recall a fan asking K.K. backstage at the House of Blues show, "Are you ever gonna take Halford back?" And K.K. replied with a grin, "Well, even if we were planning to, I wouldn't tell you, would I?" I guess time will only tell.
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