By Wayne Baggs
Wow, what a night. Seeing Judas Priest and Alice Cooper share the stage in Toronto was like a holy trinity of heavy metal & theatrical rock. From start to finish it was loud, grand, crazy, and everything you want out of a classic rock show.
Corrosion of Conformity opened things up with a punchy, gritty set — perfect warm-up before the legends hit. By the time Priest came on, the crowd was absolutely primed.
Judas Priest came out swinging. Rob Halford in that white spotlight, ripping into All Guns Blazing — it felt like the opening salvo to a war of sound. From there, the Painkiller-heavy set was brutal, relentless, perfect.
The twin guitar attack from Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap sounded brutal and tight, relentless and Scott Travis’s drumming rattled the floor.. “Breaking the Law,” “Electric Eye,” “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” — yeah, they dropped all the big anthems. The energy was huge. Halford’s voice showed some wear, sure, but man did he deliver. The tribute during Giants in the Sky (with Ozzy onscreen) was a touching moment, gave the set a bit of emotional heft. The encore (motorcycle entrance + Hell Bent for Leather into Living After Midnight) was exactly the kind of wild finish Priest deserves. And the rest of the band — guitars, drums — everything felt tight, fierce, alive. And that tribute to Ozzy during Giants In The Sky hit hard.
But then Alice Cooper came out and changed the game. Curtains dropped, the gothic set, the theatrics, the fog, the horror show — straight from the nightmares. From No More Mr. Nice Guy to School’s Out, it was a perfect balance of nostalgia, shock, and showmanship. The Ballad of Dwight Frye in the straightjacket — goosebumps. And of course, the guillotine — classic Cooper.
Together, Alice Cooper and Judas Priest put on a show that was equal parts theater and pure heavy metal fire. It felt less like just another concert and more like a celebration of rock history. Toronto fans showed up loud and proud, and the bands gave it right back. Honestly, nights like this remind you why live music is unbeatable.
BKonthescene 