Heavy metal icons Judas Priest begin a tour of arenas and amphitheaters this summer to observe the 30th anniversary of the iconic "British Steel" album, by performing the album in its entirety for the first time on stages across the United States. Judas Priest will be joined by Whitesnake on the 2009 US Tour. Judas Priest will play a warm-up show at the 2400 seat Murat Theater in Indianapolis, IN Before joining Whitesnake Wednesday July First at the 11,000 seat Family Arena in St. Charles, MO
“Are you kidding me?” replied lead singer Rob Halford in a telephone interview
with the Belleville News Democrat regarding the tour start in the Gateway City. “St. Louis is a great place to begin a tour, for anybody, but especially for us.”
Halford said that St. Louis has had a core fan base for the group over the decades, and the followers have been faithful to the group as well as his solo projects.
“I really don’t say this about every city, really,” Halford said, “but St. Louis is a great town for metalheads and for Priest. We have always had a fondness for that town, because the fans there are serious about their music, and are serious fans of us.”
So, will the guys be in town a day or two before the show for rehearsals or anything like that?
“Well, I couldn’t tell you where we’d be anyway,” Halford said. “I can tell you that you will probably be able to run into us at a local bar or out shopping for a couple of days. We love to be out among people, and thank God we have always been able to that.
“We as a band
collectively have never hidden in limousines with dark tinted windows,
and behind a wall of people,” Halford said. “We have always been
approachable. After all it’s the fans who pay the bills and make us
what we are isn’t it now?”
“We were looking to give this particular tour another kind of exciting event edge to it,” Halford said. “I think that's what we've got with presenting 'British Steel.’ It’s a great album to listen to in it’s entirety at home because all of the songs on the album hold their own, not just the hits. We are going to give the fans an opportunity that rarely comes along...for us or any other act: to be able to hear the entire project, in the order it was recorded, only live in concert.”
Halford is excited about the process, and how it’s going to come together on opening night of the tour.
“Well, I think it’s going to go off just great,” Halford said. “I am working on my parts, and the other guys are working on theirs as we speak. When we come together in St. Louis, it will all come together musically as well.”
Halford said that he doesn’t want the fans to think that all they are going to hear is “British Steel” on this tour.
“We will be
doing the album, but also our other favorites as well,” Halford said,
“and some surprises, too.”
Halford said that the band will continue touring the U.S. through the summer, and then be doing tours around the world afterward.
For next year, Halford said, he is planning a tour that features "Nostradamus" in its entirety, plus the hits.
“That’s a project that we are all excited about,” Halford said, “but first things first. We’re coming to town to rock the pants of you. We’ll be traveling with Whitesnake and Pop Evil. It’s gonna be a great night for metal heads and rock heads.”
Not only will fans be able to experience a night full of rock, but will also have the opportunity to support local and national charities in a raffle on which Judas Priest and Harley-Davidson are working together.
“On each date of the tour, we are selling tickets to win a custom designed and painted Harley Davidson that was made exclusively for this,” Halford said. "At the end of the tour in August or so, we will be giving the bike away. However, there are local charities in each market that will benefit from proceeds, so that a portion of the money stays in each community. That’s what we wanted when we agreed to do this.”