PRIEST FEAST
Wembley Arena, London, UK - 21st February 2009
Line-up: Judas Priest, Megadeth, Testament
Review by Jon Wilde, (crappy phone) pics by Jon Wilde
You'd have to say this gig didn't get off to the best of starts. Doors supposedly opened at 5.00pm, and Testament were coming on at 6.30pm. Mrs Rock Realms and I therefore decided to roll up at about twenty past six with the misguided confidence everyone would be in the venue by then.
No chance!
With queues still stretching round the corner, we actually missed the first two-thirds of the Testament set. Have no idea what happened, but I suspect the muppets didn't bother opening the doors until 6pm. Grrr!
Testament were the only band of the three I haven't seen before, so I'm thoroughly p*ssed off we missed their full performance. We caught the last couple of songs, and they did sound fantastic, but the moment had kind of passed by then.
Paul Bostaph sounded simply astonishing. Along with Pete Sandoval, he has to be the best metal drummer in the world. He's so fast and accurate it's scary. Special mention should also go to Testament lead guitarist Alex Skolnick for jumping up and down when playing. Oi, Alex, you aren't in a boy band, you aren't in My Chemical Ro-pants, you are in a respected thrash group. Don't jump up and down, you look like a twonk! Rant over.
Megadeth's set was a tight-as-a-gimp-suit. Using a 'give the fans what they want' approach, 'Tout Le Monde', 'Hangar 18', 'Peace Sells', 'Skin O' My Teeth', 'Holy Wars... The Punishment Due', 'In My Darkest Hour', 'Symphony Of Destruction' rfiled over the PA system like test day at a firing range. 'Washington Is Next' from the United Abominations album was in there too, preceeded by a DM moan about America that reeked slightly of 'get her!'
Dave Mustaine, Chris Broderick, Shawn Drover, and James LoMenzo played the archetypal proefessional set. There's always a degree of fire missing from Megadeth when they play live, but it's simply because they are so awesome and put so much effort into reproducing the sounds from the albums. It's hard to criticize a band for being too good, but a little more character wouldn't hurt them.
Judas Priest's stage would impress the greatest scenery designers from Hollywood. With lifts, sliding doors, staircases, wind machines... it's a very impressive sight. The huge banners in the background change each time they play a song from a different Judas Priest era too. All very dramatic.
The music is of course magnificent. The songs from the Nostradamus album are a tad boring, but when you get 'Electric Eye' and 'Breaking The Law' blasting out at 120 decibels, you know the world is a good place once more.
The site of drummer Scott Travis spinning his sticks and throwing them in the air is always entertaining, especially when he drops them. The comedic rhythmic dancing Glenn Tipton, K. K. Downing and Ian Hill do perhaps less so, but Rob Halford entering the stage on a throne being pushed by the Grim Reaper is one of those images that will stick with you forever.
Overall, then, a good night slightly spoiled by a moment of sh*t people-management.
If you were at this gig and would like to add your comments, head to the Contact Rock Realms page and fill in the form.
