w/ Sabaton | 7:30pm | 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights | All ages | $54.50 – $79.50
“Some bands just seem indestructible,” our Jim Ousley wrote when Judas Priest stopped by the Stifel Theatre in 2019, and “Judas Priest is somehow still managing to fly the flag for the blistering brand of British heavy metal they helped create.” This ain’t just a glorified cover band standing in for the real thing, either: the core of the Judas Priest lineup is still the same trio that dates back to the pre-fame 1970s—singer Rob Halford, guitarist Glenn Tipton, and bassist Ian Hill—plus drummer Scott Travis (whose tenure dates back to the ‘80s) and second guitarist Richie Faulkner (who’s been with the band since 2011). This is a lineup with chemistry and history befitting the band’s metal legend status.
These heavy metal flagbearers show no signs of slowing down, either. Many acts are just starting to hit our town for the first time post-pandemic, but this is Judas Priest’s third stop here since that 2019 show, with a September 2021 appearance in the breezy outdoor accommodations at Saint Louis Music Park (where they are returning once again this time out) plus a swing by the Family Arena in St. Charles in November 2022 as part of the band’s 50th anniversary tour. And they aren’t just road warriors resting on their laurels after five decades, either: Invincible Shield, the band’s nineteenth long-player, just dropped in March, and hit #2 in their native UK (their highest chart debut there in their storied career!), #1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Austria, and went top 10 in, well, basically the rest of Europe plus Japan. Not just a nostalgia trip, the album caught on with critics and garnered numerous 4-star reviews, with AllMusic saying the band is “still screaming at full power” and offering “exhilarating fun and lawless excitement.”
If recent setlists are any indication, expect for that “lawless excitement” to include classics like (yes) “Breaking the Law,” “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” and “Livin’ After Midnight” mixed with a smattering of Invincible Shield tracks and other fan favorites from throughout their behemoth of a discography. Be sure to arrive early to check out the war-themed power metal of Swedish quintet Sabaton. | Jason Green
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit CenteneCommunityIceCenter.com.
Judas Priest U.S. tour dates:
4TH MAY 2024 – WINGS EVENT CENTER – KALAMAZOO, MI, USA
5TH MAY 2024 – ST. LOUIS MUSIC PARK – MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO, USA
7TH MAY 2024 – VBC PROPST ARENA – HUNTSVILLE, AL, USA
9TH MAY 2024 – DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY – DAYTONA BEACH
11TH MAY 2024 – AMERIS BANK AMPHITHEATRE – ALPHARETTA, GA, USA
12TH MAY 2024 – MOBILE CIVIC CENTER ARENA – MOBILE, AL, USA
14TH MAY 2024 – PNC MUSIC PAVILION – CHARLOTTE, NC, USA
16TH MAY 2024 – HISTORIC CREW STADIUM – COLUMBUS, OHIO
17TH MAY 2024 – FORD CENTER – EVANSVILLE, IN, USA
19TH MAY 2024 – THE THEATER AT MGM NATIONAL HARBOR – WASHINGTON, DC, USA
21ST MAY 2024 – MVP ARENA – ALBANY, NY, USA
22ND MAY 2024 – EMPOWER FCU AMPHITHEATER AT LAKEVIEW – SYRACUSE, NY, USA
29TH SEPTEMBER 2024 – LOUDER THAN LIFE FESTIVAL – LOUISVILLE, USA
10TH OCT 2024 – 13TH OCT 2024 – AFTERSHOCK FESTIVAL – SACRAMENTO, USA
