Priest Feast

[Psycho Circus]

Well, last night I went to the "Priest Feast" at the Apollo in Manchester. 3 of my all time favourite bands were playing; Testament, Megadeth & Judas Priest!....And at £37 a ticket, that's getting a lot of bang for your buck in my opinion. So, saying that, it should have been awesome. It was "alright", my feelings are mixed as I experienced betrayal and practically "bullying" from my metal bretheren......

I'd left work early yesterday and went straight to Manchester. After getting changed, I made it to the venue about 6pm and made my way to my upper tier seat and took in my surroundings (first time at the Apollo). I had a real good view and gazed down over the whole stage, already set up with Testament's gear. The actual concert hall is dreadful though. It's lined with a weird red brickwork, some gold grouted panelling above the stage and the seats are rock hard, covered in old sticky fabric that's probably been there since the f**king 60s. Anyway, Testament came on stage and played;

More Than Meets The Eye, The Formation Of Damnation, Henchmen Ride, Into The Pit, The New Order, Practice What You Preach, Persecuted Won't Forget, Sins Of Omission and I think D.N.R.

Testament were great, groovy, brutal and I had tons of room to stand up and headbang, just a shame that the place was half full at that point. You could see the band were really enjoying themselves too, especially Chuck Billy, which made it even more of a pleasure to watch them. Unfortunately, that's where my fun ended as the night was about to go downhill and only recovered slightly, when nearing the very end of the gig.     

Just before Megadeth came on, some dude started poking me, so I turned round. It was this bald Geordie bloke (think he was already drunk/stoned at that point) and he asked me if I thought Testament had sounded good. I said "I thought they were brilliant". He replied "f*****g sh**" and this was the start of him complaining all night inbetween every damn song!....Why buy a ticket and come if you're gonna slag all these bands off?? How can you even slate these 3 bands!? He then had some friends join him just as Megadeth started and I was stood up as they launched into the first track. Then, I felt hands pulling at my shirt and I got punched in the back! I turned round and tugged back, an it was the bald guy and his mate telling me to sit down or they'd "f**k me up". Sit down?? Sit Down!!?? It's f*****g Megadeth! How can anyone sit down!??  I did.... I did because I'd gone on my own and this guy was there with about 4 other ppl. So I would've been thrown out for a start if there was any trouble and then got my butt kicked outside. It ruined the night from then on in. The music was still good, but I was annoyed and couldn't enjoy myself like I wanted. For the next 3 hours I had my chair kicked and my hair pulled and got called a fag that didn't belong there because I was "too young"!?  (There were ppl younger than me there and I was wearin' a vintage Priest shirt from '84!) To top it off, some guy in front was smoking skunk all night and it reeked real bad. I couldn't believe how lax security was about it all. Just seat jumping apparently.

Megadeth played; Blackmail The Universe, Take No Prisoners, Wake Up Dead, Hangar 18, Holy Wars, Sleepwalker, Washington Is Next, A Toute Le Monde, In My Darkest Hour, Peace Sells, Symphony Of Destruction and Mechanix.

Megadeth were also top notch, my only gripe was that I couldn't see very well. Funny note also: When Megadeth's roadie was testing Chris Broderick's guitar, he played the riff from "Run To The Hills" which resulted in mass booing from everyone in the crowd.......it was sweet.       

Finally, after almost 30mins of waiting and many "Spinal Tap" moments with cables and rigging and lights and smoke.....Judas Priest!

JP played; Nostradamus, Metal Gods, Eat Me Alive, Between The Hammer & The Anvil, Dissident Aggressor, Messenger Of Death, Sinner, Hell Patrol, Breaking The Law, Rock Hard Ride Free, Electric Eye, Hell Bent For Leather, Painkiller, Devil's Child, Green Manalishi and You've Got Another Thing Coming....                     

Priest were great too, they sounded alot clearer out of the three bands also. Rob Halford had his Harley on stage aswell and I was quite glad that they only played 2 songs from this new concept album. My favourite thing about the entire night really, was watching K.K. Downing. He was amazing and made it seem like it was Priest of 20+ years ago, just really energetic, a joy to behold. 

[Torgo]

Yeah, I never understand people sitting down at metal shows.   And as for this moron who kept messing with you, don't forget that you can always go get event security to have him kicked out.    Back in the 90's I went  to see Slayer and some guy who was equally drunk & stoned got it in his head that I was hitting on his girlfriend.  Now, I'll admit, she was cute as all get out.  But she turned around to me and my friend prior to Slayer coming on stage and asked us how far we drove and everything to get to that particular show.  I always try to be friendly with people if I can but her moronic boyfriend comes walking up starting to poke me in the chest asking me who the hell I was talking to his girl and yadda yadda yadda.  It almost came to blows on his part but someone on security that night saw what was going to happen and promptly came over to intervene.  He kept running his mouth to security while I just stood there and didn't say anything. He got kicked out and his girlfriend wound up staying for the show and hanging with me and my friend.     Thankfully he wasn't waiting for us when the show was over with as I was expecting him to be.

Another time at a Primus show in 1996 I unwittingly got pushed into a mosh circle and some Bruce Lee looking dude kicked me square in the ribs. 

Anyways,   I saw the Metal Masters tour last year which was Testament, Motorhead, Heaven and Hell & Judas Priest.  It was great but I wish that Testament had been allowed to play longer than 30 minutes. The moment I can get to see them on their own this year at a club or something I'm going to definitely do that.  But all of the bands were great.  I didn't really care for Judas Priest's latest album Nostradamus but thankfully they only played the good song off of it.

As for Megadeth, the last time I got to see them was back in October of 07 which was the last night of the American leg of their United Abominations tour.  Great show and they had all of their T-shirts marked down to only 10 bucks since it was the last night. 

[lester1/2jr]

I saw Testament a few times back in like 90-91.  Always liked those guys

[Mr. DS]

I love Testament and I think Chuck Billy has one of greatest voices ever in thrash. 

All the reasons Circus listed are why I don't go to concerts any more.  Theres too many drunk and stoned douchebags out there trying to ruin everyone's good time.   Also the idiots who flail their arms around in pits deserved to be stomped out permanently. 

[Psycho Circus]

I love Testament and I think Chuck Billy has one of greatest voices ever in thrash. 

All the reasons Circus listed are why I don't go to concerts any more.  Theres too many drunk and stoned douchebags out there trying to ruin everyone's good time.   Also the idiots who flail their arms around in pits deserved to be stomped out permanently. 

Well, it's not going to stop me going to anymore anywhere else. I've been to quite a lot of concerts now, an had some great times, so I was due a bit of a bad experience at some point.

Totally agree with you DS, when it comes to Chuck. His voice is so cool. 

[BeyondTheGrave]

Most metal shows that at bigger venues with seats suck. I went to see Megadeth and the person sitting next to reeked BADLY. Just of pure crap. The person in front of me kept looking back like it was me. I saw a couple a kids who were in headbanger mode getting yelled at by the people behind them because they were standing up.

My mom went on the Metal Master tour last year too. She went to see Motorhead. Guess that were my music influence comes from.

[Trevor]

Another time at a Primus show in 1996 I unwittingly got pushed into a mosh circle and some Bruce Lee looking dude kicked me square in the ribs. 

Ow!   

[Ash]

Another time at a Primus show in 1996 I unwittingly got pushed into a mosh circle and some Bruce Lee looking dude kicked me square in the ribs. 

Ow!   

I imagine it looking something like this:  

[lester1/2jr]

I was very into the hardcore scene here in boston in 87 -91 or so.  they had crazy mosh pits but it stopped being fun when it became like organzed violence, mainly by skinheads and jocks against metalheads and punks.  I didn't get it.  it's like if you are so tough why don't you pick on someone your own size?  So i stopped going to the shows

[Torgo]

Totally agree with you DS, when it comes to Chuck. His voice is so cool. 

Chuck Billy is known throughout the metal community as being one of the nicest and coolest personalities around.  A friend of mine got to see Testament a couple years back at The Jax in Springfield, VA and he got to hang out with the band after they were done playing. He said that everybody in the band was incredibly cool but that Chuck Billy really stood out to him as a grounded individual.

I'm glad that he was able to beat that serious cancer scare a few years back and that Testament were able to regain their footing and start releasing great music once again,

[Psycho Circus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIenc0YfCpU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeA_p-bKRkE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTX3tOX4IMU&feature=related

[zombie no.one]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeA_p-bKRkE

not bad audio considering, sounds like they nailed that.

that really sucks about those meat-heads annoying you though. sound like a bunch of complete idiots. youve got to be a pretty sad case to pay to go to a gig and then start slagging off the bands then picking on someone...

[BeyondTheGrave]

I was very into the hardcore scene here in boston in 87 -91 or so.  they had crazy mosh pits but it stopped being fun when it became like organzed violence, mainly by skinheads and jocks against metalheads and punks.  I didn't get it.  it's like if you are so tough why don't you pick on someone your own size?  So i stopped going to the shows

That still happens here in NYC and probably other places where their tough guy "jock" hardcore. I don't go to a lot NYHC show because their just asses. I went to the Black N Blue Bowl which is in a big ass venue with bands like MabBall,Agnostic Front and Terror and it was awful. No re-entry and it got unbearable hot, people who do karate moves in the the pit. I saw who (Which was a band Breakdown) I wanted to see and left fast.

Their plenty of of other shows with those type of bands that just sucked for me but it would take to much effort to write it all down.

Its a case love the music dislike the scene.

[Psycho Circus]

Sidenote: I don't understand why everyone seems to think that "Electric Eye" is a great JP concert opener, plus how "Hot Rockin'" is held in such high regard??

They are good songs, but on "Screaming For Vengeance" all the other songs are far, far superior to "Electric Eye". The "Point Of Entry" album has two stunning lost classics in "Heading Out To The Highway" and "Desert Plains", again far better than "Hot Rockin'".