Judas Priest performs in Rockford on Sept. 27, 2024.
By Ian Storck
The BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford, Illinois saw metal icons Judas Priest and Swedish power metallers Sabaton roll through on a Friday night with their second leg of the Invincible Shield Tour. The successful first run of the Invincible Shield Tour, promoting their latest album release which was also met with critical acclaim, led to a variety of new dates hitting untouched cities.
Sabaton as the opening act was an explosive introduction to the show, with the camouflaged members aggressively leading off with “Ghost Division,” followed quickly by one of their biggest hits “The Last Stand.” If singer Joakim Brodén didn’t inform the audience directly, the history buffs amongst the crowd would begin to recognize the historical tales told by each Sabaton song. Many tracks focusing on World War II and epic battles of history are told through the vibrant power metal that is Sabaton’s signature style.
Sabaton performs in Rockford on Sept. 27, 2024.
The crowd was jumping and singing along to most tracks, and even when they broke out their homeland’s language for the Swedish version of “Carolus Rex” the fans cheered and sang along as best they could. Their performance was powerful and exciting, leaving little moments to spare as they rocketed from track to track. The triumphant “Primo Victoria” led to the close of the set before they performed the epic “To Hell and Back.” Many of the crowd members seemed to be familiar with Sabaton, joining in on some of the catchy, triumphant choruses that their style brings to the table. They seemed saddened when the set ended, though they still had a legendary performance in store for them.
As the towering Judas Priest logo is erected above the stage, the lights rise up for the reveal of the legends themselves. Bursting onto the scene with “Panic Attack,” from the newest album, Rob Halford and company unleash classic heavy metal upon the crowd in Rockford. The classic track “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” got the crowd moving and kept them on their feet for more classics, like the much-too-short “Breaking the Law.”
Judas Priest performs in Rockford on Sept. 27, 2024.
The 73-year old Halford forever remains the “metal god,” as he receives cheers reciting that moniker between songs. The legendary vocalist remains on point for these wild, belting screams, backed up by mainstays Ian Hill and Scott Travis on bass and drums, respectively. Guitarists Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap keep to the front of the stage, shredding as much as required for every song, with several spotlights illuminating Faulkner for the intro riffs to much of the set.
50 years of music condensed into one set is no easy feat, but Priest pulls a variety of tracks from their extensive discography. Their latest, and nineteenth, album Invincible Shield does get its time to shine, with “Crown of Thorns” and “Invincible Shield” joining “Panic Attack.” The set wouldn’t be complete without “Turbo Lover,” or the encore performances of “Electric Eye” and “Living After Midnight,” which saw the crowd singing along to the catchy chorus. Still brimming with talent and energy, and a massive discography to boot, this tour is a must for fans of the icons Judas Priest.
Photos and Review by Ian Storck – IG @i_storck
