Judas Priest performed at Vibra SP on Sunday night, the 20th. The acclaimed heavy metal band played a side show , with Queensrÿche , on a cold night with a hot performance full of hits and excited fans – as was to be expected when it comes to Rob Halford and his band. The two bands had performed at the Monsters of Rock 2025 the previous night, April 19th.
Queensrÿche and guaranteed success
The night began with Queensrÿche and the Brazilian Todd La Torre Geoff Tate , former vocalist and founding member.
Michael Wilton (guitarist) and Eddie Jackson (bassist) are the only remaining members of the original lineup, and that's what maintains the essence of Queensrÿche. However, it's worth highlighting La Torre's performance; he manages to reach high notes and has a vocal timbre similar to Geoff's – this may be well-received by fans, but it also detracts somewhat from the originality and identity of the new vocalist.
The show was grand, although almost the same as the one presented the previous night at Monsters of Rock. But let's face it, playing the classics and giving the fans what they want to hear is a guaranteed success. It was hit after hit, even though the most famous ballad, "Silent Lucidity," was missing.
The powerful Heavy Metal institution called Judas Priest
It was 9 PM when the main attraction of the night, the unparalleled and undisputed gods of metal, Judas Priest, took over the city of São Paulo once again, with one of the most intense shows, one that no headbanger dares to find fault with.
Also featuring the same setlist as their performance at Monsters of Rock 2025, Rob Halford and his bandmates exude the energy of 20-year-olds, presenting their tour promoting their recent album Invincible Shield – their nineteenth studio album.
Scott Travis masters the giant drum kit like a youngster with his toy. Richie Faulkner , despite being the youngest, is a guitarist who plays as if he were part of Judas Priest in the 70s. And guitarist Andy Sneap , who is filling in for Glenn Tipton on tours, boasts an impressive resume, having produced several acclaimed metal albums.
Ian Hill , the only founding member of the band still performing, seems shy on stage, but his legacy is evident. And of course, the embodiment of heavy metal, Rob Halford, at 73 years old, is an icon that many want to see, even those unfamiliar with his music, due to his personality and presence. Glenn Tipton, one of the founding members, diagnosed with Parkinson's disease , is no longer touring, but he is remembered with his iconic solos in a representation on the screen during the songs "Victim of Changes" and "Painkiller".
The gods of metal know how to balance the setlist well, not leaving out the hits everyone wants to hear, delivering a devastating mix of timeless classics like “Breaking The Law”, “Love Bites”, “Turbo Lover” and “Painkiller”, and songs from their latest album such as “Invincible Shield” – preceded by Rob Halford naming all the albums in the band's career, but excluding Jugulator (1997) and Demolition (2001), both with Tim “Ripper” Owens on vocals – “Crown of Horns” and “Panic Attack”, which opened the show.
Judas Priest puts on that predictable show, without major relevant changes for years, but remains unmatched and keeps the audience from ever tiring of watching. Who doesn't love seeing the iconic Rob Halford invading the stage with his Harley-Davidson during the classic “Hell Bent for Leather”? It's a show we've already seen ten times, and when it returns, we want to be there again – after all, the band guaranteed a comeback by putting " The Priest Will Be Back .
Check out the photos of Wellington Penilha :
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