It is no secret that I am a big music fan. Especially the hard rocking, loud, heavy metal kind. I still attend many concerts and when I heard that Judas Priest was coming back to NYC for a stop on their Redeemer of Souls tour I just had to get tickets to party with one of my fav bands of all time. This was announced as a short tour of select cities to support their terrific new album, and considering back in 2011 they had pretty much announced that they were finished touring I was no way going to miss this. Being that they were going to perform at the still brand spanking new Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn it was a no brainer. Attain tickets at any cost. Jump on the subway and get ready to bang my head!

Judas Priest in concert! \m/ A spectacular show!!!

It was my first time at the Barclay’s Center. It still has the “new car look and smell” as it’s a fresh arena with terrific decor and amenities. Super easy to get to by subway and train as they all stop right in front of the place. Too bad the MTA sucks and it took us forever to get home that night as all the subways were delayed because of rail maintenance and whatnot. Still, that did not deter the heavy metal high I had after rocking out with the Metal Gods themselves. The Priest show had terrific sound, lighting, and effects. Great crowd too that were really into it. Rob Halford was in fine voice and still reigns as one of the legendary singers and frontmen of his generation. In fact, the whole band played with a controlled energized frenzy. From all the years playing together they are a tight and extremely talented unit. The addition of Richie Faulkner on guitar to replace the departed K.K. Downing seems to have added some youthful energy and is a terrific addition. There is nothing like the power and spectacle of a Judas Priest concert. The classic songs mixed in with the great new offerings, the pyrotechnics, the crowd singing along, and seeing Rob ride the Harley out onto the stage made for an amazing night of music. It never gets old.

As for the Barclay’s the seating was ok and we scored great seats with a killer view. The actual arena area seems way smaller than the sprawling Madison Square Garden and offers a more intimate feel. It was easy to walk around the whole place to check it out. I was surprised at how clean the many bathrooms were, and how friendly and helpful the staff is here. Even getting through security with the metal detectors was a breeze. Yup – metal detectors. Just like at an airport. All electronics and pockets emptied into a plastic container, and then walk through hoping you don’t set off any alarms. Guess it’s the world we live in now.

Holy crap is this place way expensive! Grossly overpriced beer and cocktails. Price gouging for sure. The beer selection is pretty lame too. Brooklyn Brewery and a few others along with crappy Budweiser. This is where The Garden is way better with their beers around the world menu. There are some great food options though as a Cuban sandwich I had was quite tasty. Just be prepared to spend your paycheck here when seeing a game or event. That, or just hand over your wallet and credit cards on the way in. Ah, life in NYC when going to enjoy a night out. No matter if it’s The Garden or Barclay’s they really get you.

Still, I would definitely come back here again for a game or concert. It’s a terrific addition to Brooklyn. Now if only the greedy owners and developers of Barclay’s would make good on quickly building the affordable housing units that were promised as part of this deal. It’s something the neighborhood and surrounding area really needs. It’s something many people need. Let’s see how long this will really take. I’m not holding my breath.

I would love to see Priest again if I have a chance during this tour, and I highly recommend to anyone that is a heavy metal fan to make sure they score tickets for it. Breaking the Law, Hell Bent for Leather, Love Bites, Victim of Changes, Metal Gods, and Living After Midnight are all here along with new entries such as Redeemer of Souls, March of the Damned, Dragonaut and more adding to a rocktacular night! Go see them while you can.

Judas Priest – http://www.judaspriest.com/home/