Comments on: Metal Masters Tour (Judas Priest, Heaven & Hell, Testament) at Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, CT) – 8/15/08

By: Judas Priest – A Touch Of Evil Live (2009) « Heavy Metal Addiction

Judas Priest – A Touch Of Evil Live (2009) « Heavy Metal Addiction — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:25:18 +0000

[...] Me Alive’ because it comes from my favorite Priest record DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH (1984). When I saw the band play live at Mohegan Sun last summer, I almost lost my mind when the band pulled this out four songs [...]

By: Carlos

Carlos — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:14:02 +0000

Just wondering. I was at the show…. where would I be-able to score a testament shirt from the formation damnation tour??? Ive been on e-bay… no-luck

By: CD Scavenger Hunt - 2 Months To Catch Up! « Heavy Metal Addiction

CD Scavenger Hunt - 2 Months To Catch Up! « Heavy Metal Addiction — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:14:49 +0000

[...] a low key day. My kids are usually good for taking mom to the local record shop for a gift card but they decided that Dad should get himself a new tour shirt from the Metal Masters show instead. A mysterious package was delivered that day from my estranged father in Texas. The package [...]

By: english dude

english dude — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:48:36 +0000

im from london and just happen to have metalheads as friends im a pantera fan and like a little kid rock i only went coz my girlfriend didnt want to go so me and a friend dave went he is trapped in the 1980s so he was in his element i knew a few songs but to be honest this was absolutly brilliant i am now a big fan of judas and want to see more of them the place was electric only one complaint the security were total hardasses about pictures and seating they even took my mates sd card we got it back but deleted damn however i got mine via a mobile phone i think its like 4000 miles to mohegan from london but judas made it worthwhile ps eat me alive got me going lol

By: Rob Rockitt

Rob Rockitt — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:01:16 +0000

That is too bad about your luck with this show Steve. I must admit that I am envious. This tour didn’t come anywhere near me. If it had, I would have bought primo tickets for it. No such luck. Cincinnati must be on some black ball list when it comes to some tours. Bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden always skip us.

By: Sean

Sean — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:02:47 +0000

Halford sings hunched over like that to put more pressure on his diaphragm so he can squeak the high notes out. I think the Halford has done a number on his voice over the years and that is why we are seeing the less vocally straining songs (I say less, as in compared with other Priest songs, not to any other band of course) and their new album is mostly mid range. If you noticed, he does Painkiller hunched over just about the ENTIRE time. That said, Halford voice is still fantastic for his age and possibly stronger than ever in his new adult range, just don’t expect him to be able to nail the end of Exciter in full chest voice anymore.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:28:01 +0000

Based on what I have read here, combined with a review from a friend of mine who saw this show in Canada, and a recording I have of the Camden, NJ show, whomever is doing sound for Testament clearly has bad hearing, or doesn’t know how to mix a band properly. the high-end problem existed at all three of these shows. Based on listening to the Camden show, Dio has definitely strengthened his voice, but halford’s voice is a little worse for wear. At the Camden show he couldn’t hit any of the notes in Dissident Aggressor. DA is one of my very favorite Priest tunes, but it was a shame to hear halford’s dodgy vocal delivery. I guess Motorhead didn’t play at the CT show? they did play at the Camden show and they absolutely killed. I know Motorhead is not everyone’s cup of tea, but they definitely bring it live every night!

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:22:51 +0000

Came down to CT from NH/VT to see Sabbath (always wanted to see the Dio line-up), and left wondering what I had done with all the Priest albums I had mothballed in years past. Extremely pleased with the Sabbath set, but nearly delirious after the Priest set.

I would put the Ozzy and Dio-era Sabbath albums on my short list of desert island discs, but have never been overly impressed by Priest until Friday night. I’m converted.

Enjoyed the silly trappings of both sets including the smoke-billowing demons in the Sabbath set, and Halford changing his jacket after every song (not sure if this is/was de riguer for Priest), but was more than impressed at the music, and the fact that both bands looked to be enjoying themselves immensely.

I agree with Tom above in his assessment of the Testament set. Too loud on the higher frequencies. Wish I could have enjoyed them more, as I’ve been into them since The New Order. I just couldn’t get into them after wishing I could escape the high-end feedback every 15 seconds.

I would add that from where I sat (Iommi/Tipton-side), the audience was: 1) one of the most enthusiastic I had seen to date at any show, 2) made up of more fathers and sons than I had ever seen (I sat right next to a young guy, who, at nearly 12, MUST have been enjoying his first show, 3) contained a huge percentage of people who looked as if they just strolled in from the Casino (though most were still there at the end of the show to my surprise), and finally 4) THE most polite group of metalheads I’ve ever had the pleasure of being in the company of… I worried more about getting coffee spilled on me than the typical Bud Light…

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:41:57 +0000

Great review.

I thought this was one of the best if not the Best Priest show I have ever seen and in the top 5 concerts I have ever seen.

Great old stuff. I had wished for more from Nos.

The crowd at this show was far more into the show, then almost any other Priest show I have ever seen.

I am usually the only person in my view who is full on insane and wildly animated (head banging, air guitar, drums, the whole deal), but at this show I was (pleasantly) surprised that I had some competition :-)

I suspect it was that there were alot of hardcore fans here, as it was the only show in New England and who else would make the trip from NH, VT or ME, but a real fan.

LOVED the show. I was weak and weary afterwards. Great FUN!

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:44:46 +0000

As with everyone else, I too was at the show. I was disapointed to see the turnout for Testament. These guys deserve more then an opening slot but to get on a bill with this much exposure, you can’t complain. The only thing bad I can say about the Testament slot was the sound. Absolutely horrid. I have no idea why they pumped so much high end for them. If it wasn’t for the fact that I knew the songs, I would have been lost. Just utter noise. Shame on the soundboard guy for letting that happen. I was on the floor right in front of the soundboard.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:07:55 +0000

I was at the same show at Mohegan, with my friend who was a voice major in college and a professional singer. I asked her about Halford hunching his shoulders and singing down into the mic, and she told me that it’s a common studio trick to relieve the tension in your upper back and neck and let you sing better. I noticed his voice was a little strained at times, so maybe this helped him get through the songs. They also didn’t pick some of the more vocally intensive songs that were my personal favorites like Victims of Changes or Beyond the Realms of death. They stuck to the thrashier songs, which are also great fun, but I think Rob may have hurt his voice a bit the last few years.

My friend was very impressed by Dio’s voice, claiming he had great professional technique and wasn’t likely to hurt his voice because of that. When I told her he’s probably done at least 200 shows a year for the last 35+ years, and he was at least 60, she was pretty impressed. I also got there late and missed most of Testament, but Sabbath and Priest both did a great job.

By: JLA

JLA — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:59:17 +0000

I was at the show and had some issues before the show started as well. I was so thankful that Heaven & Hell and Judas Priest were so great. I agree that they will ALWAYS be Black Sabbath, I just can’t get used to calling them H & H. I was slighly disappointed, as you were, that Rob was singing to his shoes half the night. Please know – Rob is my METAL GOD and I love him, but didn’t care for the shoe singing. But his voice was amazing as always! I put up with a TON of crap that night (it started with the drive to CT from RI), but I am glad that I went and I have to say it was worth all the aggravation!

I enjoyed reading your write up – put a huge smile on my face and brought me right back to being at the show!

Rock On! \m/