MUSIC

Verizon Wireless Theater  presents Judas Priest.

To celebreate the 30th anniversary of our album 'BRITISH STEEL' we are very pleased to announced we will be performing the whole album in its entirety during our US 2009 Summer Tour plus some other Priest classics!!!

Judas Priest are pioneers of the heavy metal genre and were forerunners of the ‘New Wave of British Heavy Metal’ movement, laying the groundwork for the speed and thrash metal of the 80s and 90s. The band was formed in Birmingham, England in 1969 by guitarist John Perry (who died shortly after and was replaced by by Earnest Chataway), bassist Bruno Stapenhill, drummer John Partridge and singer Alan Atkins.

In 1970, guitarist Kenneth Downing and bassist Ian Hill join, and in 1972 Rob Halford and drummer John Hinch join too. A second guitarist, Glenn Tipton, was also added to the lineup in 1974 as compensation for their record company’s (Gull Records) suggestion to add another instrument to the first album.

Atkins was replaced by singer Rob Halford and the band would go on to record 14 albums from 1974 through 1990. Their second album Sad Wings of Destiny is considered as one of the most influential album for metal, along with Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut album.

Their “twin axe attack” was not particularly popular at the time, but became a trademark for the group and would inspire other bands to do the same. Halford left the group in 1993, going in a new direction with his new, short-lived metal band, Fight.

With Halford gone, the future looked bleak for the band, but after numerous searches for a suitable replacement, they found something special in tribute band front man Tim “Ripper” Owens.

We are proud to announce that we will be touring in the US with Whitesnake for most of the dates.