It seems harsh to complain about the set list when JP have actually dusted off four songs from the past for this latest tour - namely "Starbreaker" (not played since 1979), "Night Crawler" (not played since 1991 with Rob, or 1997/8 with Ripper), plus "Blood Red Skies" & "Never Satisfied" which the band have never performed live before (okay Rob has been doing the latter with Halford).
The band do know, and also get that there are die-hard fans out there that want them to play everything from "Dying To Meet You" to "One Shot At Glory", but in reality these individuals probably make up about 5% of any audience that they play to (especially on a big World tour like this one), so while a hundred or so people are going mad for "Island Of Domination" the majority of the crowd are scratching their heads & wondering where "Breaking The Law", "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Living After Midnight" & their other favourites are.
What the band need to do, and who knows - with this retirement from actual World tours, now might be able to do - is to play some lower key shows, just for the die-hards - dust down & rehearse a whole set of rare & unheard of old & obscure live songs & bill it as "An Evening Of Rare Priest!" (Let Us Prey / Call For The Priest, Delivering The Goods, Screaming For Vengeance, Saints In Hell, Reckless, Ram It Down etc).
Anyway, to say that they haven't actually made any effort to mix things up since Rob rejoined, is also an exaggeration, because since 2004 they have played the following songs along with the usual & expected classics:
2005: Riding On The Wind, Judas Rising, Revolution, Hot Rockin', I'm A Rocker, Deal With The Devil, Hellrider, Exciter, Worth Fighting For, Solar Angels & Desert Plains.
2006: Take On The World
2008: Prophecy, Eat Me Alive, Between The Hammer & The Anvil, Devil's Child, Hell Patrol, Death, Dissident Aggressor, Angel, Rock Hard Ride Free & Sinner.
2010: Rapid Fire, Grinder, You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise, The Rage, Steeler & Freewheel Burning.
Not to mention acoustic &/or electric versions of Diamonds & Rust as well.
One last thing I will say is that regardless of the set list on the Epitaph tour, in my opinion, Judas Priest are playing some of the best shows that I have seen from them (and I've seen them 17 times since 1983). I saw them 3 times in the UK this year & every time they just got better & left me wanting more.
Make the most of them while you still can!!!
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