We talk with Judas Priest about performing in Idaho, their new album, and what to expect at their show this weekend
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IDAHO FALLS — As the group celebrates 50 years of performing, the iconic heavy metal band Judas Priest is embarking on the second leg of their international Invincible Shield tour. Their next stop? Idaho Falls.
EastIdahoNews.com reporter Kaitlyn Hart spoke with the band’s bassist, Ian Hill, about the tour, their history performing in Idaho and what concert-goers can expect Saturday night at the Mountain America Center.
Thank you so much for meeting with me! So, Judas Priest will be performing in Idaho Falls on Saturday for what I can only imagine will be a fantastic show. Can you tell me a little bit about your new album, Invincible Shield?
It was released in February, I think, so it’s been out for a considerable time now. It’s a step up from Firepower. We did what we always do, which is to try to take a step forward with each album. It’s a typical British album, if you want to listen to it.
Have you ever been to Idaho Falls or anywhere in Idaho?
We have. It’s been a long time ago, though. Generally, we play Boise in Idaho, but I believe, in Boise, I don’t think we’ve been there for… wow. It’s probably five or six years at least. I don’t know why. It was always at the top of the touring cycle. This time around, it looks like we’re doing Idaho Falls, and we have been there before, but again, not for a while.
Well, we are very excited to have you. Idaho Falls has grown a lot in the last five or ten years. Can you tell me a little bit about the tour? What can people expect?
It’s going to be a typical British show, big noise, big lights, and special effects, what have you. You know, motorcycles, bits of the trucks move and things like that. And a great setlist. We try to mix the songs up between songs from the new record, fan favorites of course, but there’s nearly 300 songs to choose from. But we like to keep it sort of as familiar as we can. We try to pick songs the fans will be familiar with. There’s nothing worse than that tumbleweed moment when you finish a song, and people think, “What the hell was that?”
That’s actually where I was going next. Obviously, people love the classics, “Breaking the Law”, “Painkiller” and those sorts of songs. And you guys just remixed and remastered a new version of your first album, Rocka Rolla, Can you tell me about what it’s like to see that in the world again?
It is great, actually, because it was with our first record company, and they were only a small company, and I think they really relied on us to make the record company rather than the other way around back in the seventies. They hadn’t really gotten the financial clout to move us along. We left them, and we signed with CBS, who at the time was one of the largest entertainment companies, and you know, they didn’t like that too much. So we had absolutely nothing to do with that album until very, very recently, when Reach Music bought the rights…I haven’t heard all of it yet, I’ve heard little bits and pieces. From what I’ve heard, it really has modernized the whole thing, and cleaned the whole thing up, maybe breathed a little bit more.
Wow, that has to be such a cool feeling, to be able to hear and experience that all again. Is there anything else you want to say before the show on Saturday?
We’re looking forward to getting there. I can’t remember the last time we were in Idaho, cause we have done it, because I remember the name, but it’s been some time ago. So it’s always nice to really connect with our friends, you know. We’re really looking forward to getting up there and playing in front of you guys. We’ll see you then, and be safe in the meantime!
To purchase tickets to the concert, click here.
The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. with opening act Sabaton.