REVIEW: Alice Cooper, Judas Priest are a superb double act
Photo: Alice Cooper is currently touring with Judas Priest. Photo courtesy of the artist / Provided by press site
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — One of the most anticipated tours of the year is the co-headlining run from Alice Cooper, the godfather of shock rock, and Judas Priest, the British metal legends. Their month-and-a-half tour, with Corrosion of Conformity filling the opening spot, sees the two acts commanding the stage for 75 minutes each, and the bands are in near-perfect form. This reviewer caught them at three concerts in the Northeast — Bridgeport, Connecticut; Holmdel, New Jersey; and Saratoga Springs, New York.
At their recent tour stop at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, CoC kicked things off a few minutes before the ticketed time, and they grooved their way through a nonstop 30-minute set that was a fitting introduction for the thousands of people who had shown up on a pleasant early fall night for some metal and rock. Corrosion, a four-piece with a definite southern metal vibe, pounded its way through a handful of songs that felt like a quick buffet for the audience to pick and choose what they enjoyed. This reviewer enjoyed just about everything, and by the time they finished at 7:15 p.m., the crowd felt warmed up and ready to go.
This night, Judas Priest was in the middle slot, starting at 7:40 p.m. and finishing just shy of 9 p.m. Rob Halford, the lead singer extraordinaire, still has unbelievably strong vocals. He walked around the stage, decked out in black leather, holding the microphone with force and determination. He often sang with his head turned down and eyes closed, and his vocal instrument can still reach the upper-registers like no other singer on the metal scene. He even tackled the tough ones, like “Painkiller” and “A Touch of Evil,” with seeming ease.
Highlights of JP’s set included “Hell Patrol,” “Freewheel Burning” and “Electric Eye,” with this last song being a sing-a-long for the rowdy audience. Ian Hill, the original bassist for the band, commanded his position near the back of the stage, while guitarists Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap performed riff-tastic renditions of classic tunes right at the lip of the stage. Scott Travis didn’t miss a beat behind the drumkit.
The most well-known songs were squeezed into the tight set, including “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” “Breaking the Law,” “Hell Bent for Leather” and “Living After Midnight.” Vocally, Halford’s best song was “A Touch of Evil,” especially when he hit that classic line: “You’re possessing me.”
After a 40-minute set change, Alice Cooper took the stage with his strong, superlative band. This particular run of shows with Judas Priest sees Cooper changing things around, introducing the audience to the new “Alice’s Attic” set list and stage design. This reviewer has caught many of his tours over the years, and these new changes are awesome additions. He is digging deep into the treasure chest for some tunes that haven’t been played live in years.
The stage is set like an attic, filled with books and turning pages. Cooper emerged literally from the written word, ready to rock, wearing leather and holding his twirling cane. Surrounding him on guitar were the always excellent trio of Nita Strauss, Ryan Roxie and Tommy Henriksen (“Crossbone Skully”). Chuck Garric strummed along on bass, and Glen Sobel kept the beat going on the drums.
The band enjoyed playing the hit tunes, like “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “I’m Eighteen,” “Poison” and “Feed My Frankenstein,” but interspersed throughout the night were some rarities for the diehards: “Spark in the Dark,” “Dirty Diamonds” and “Brutal Planet.” This last one, “Brutal Planet,” was a highlight of the set. The song is a pounding industrial metal tune that feels more Ministry than Alice Cooper, and the band knew how to sell each and every lyric and guitar riff.
The one-two-three punch of “Ballad of Dwight Fry,” “Cold Ethyl” and “Only Women Bleed” was a welcome addition toward the end of the set. Cooper acts the part on these tunes, delivering evil and heartbreak side by side.
With these new additions, some beloved favorites had to be set aside, including “Billion Dollar Babies,” “Go to Hell” and “Snakebite.” But, honestly, the newly added tunes are every bit as stellar. “House of Fire,” for example, is such a solid song and probably could start the show; it has that much force and power.
Cooper is one of the most-loved legends on the rock scene, someone who constantly tours and never slows down. This latest outing with Judas Priest proves that he’s not just a singer rolling out the hits, but he’s willing to take chances, change things up, embrace some risks and completely blow away any expectations.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Click here for more information on Judas Priest. Click here for more information on Alice Cooper.
