all crappy iPhone photos by the Newt By Steve Newton The first time I ever saw Judas Priest was at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum on the Screaming for Vengeance tour in 1982. I remember the show well because a week or two before it I did one of my earliest heavy-metal interviews, with bass player Ian Hill. … Continue reading 33 years after the Screaming for Vengeance tour, Priest still sounds pretty rockin’ to the Newt
Tag: Hard Rock Casino Vancouver
Judas Priest’s setlist bodes well for British Steel (and Birmingham metal) in Vancouver
By Steve Newton Tonight's the night for Lower Mainland metalheads! Well, tomorrow's the night too, I suppose. Tonight and tomorrow (October 27 and 28) legendary heavy-metal act Judas Priest plays Hard Rock Casino Vancouver for what will be its first-ever non-arena Vancouver shows with singer Rob Halford at the fore. So only about a thousand folks each … Continue reading Judas Priest’s setlist bodes well for British Steel (and Birmingham metal) in Vancouver
Judas Priest mixes it up on tour, Rob Halford says Richie Faulkner “saved” the band
By Steve Newton Judas Priest has been headlining arena concerts in Vancouver since the Screaming for Vengeance Tour back in 1982, but this time around things are different. Local headbangers will be able to see the British metal legends in the comparatively cozy confines of the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver for two shows next week. “We’ve been … Continue reading Judas Priest mixes it up on tour, Rob Halford says Richie Faulkner “saved” the band
Rob Halford says that Priest, Maiden, AC/DC, KISS, Metallica, and Slayer have all stood the test of time
By Steve Newton Back in 2015 I interviewed Rob Halford in advance of Judas Priest's doubleheader at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver. When I asked him if there were any newer metal bands that had blown him away lately the 64-year-old "metal god" went off on a bit of a tangent. "They're all over the place, … Continue reading Rob Halford says that Priest, Maiden, AC/DC, KISS, Metallica, and Slayer have all stood the test of time
Rob Halford loves what Iron Maiden does with three guitars, but he’s “content” with what Priest does with two
By Steve Newton I interviewed Rob Halford a couple of weeks ago in advance of Judas Priest's upcoming shows at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, and we had a pretty nice chat. We go way back, to that time he called me up to promote the Defenders of the Faith tour in '84. At one point we … Continue reading Rob Halford loves what Iron Maiden does with three guitars, but he’s “content” with what Priest does with two
Steve Earle’s marathon Vancouver show a winner despite a-hole sighting
photos by the Newt By Steve Newton Steve Earle was his typically cool and collected self during his marathon set at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver last night, but there was one moment when his calm demeanour got left backstage. Just before his encore one overly enthusiastic fan scampered up on the empty stage to grab … Continue reading Steve Earle’s marathon Vancouver show a winner despite a-hole sighting
Steve Earle might cover Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top in Vancouver, but either way, it’s all good
By Steve Newton Back in the day you didn't have easy access to what songs your fave touring performers might be playing when they made it to your town. I mean, even when Steve Earle played the Commodore in Vancouver 15 years ago you weren't sure he was gonna do "Copperhead Road" until you maybe heard that … Continue reading Steve Earle might cover Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top in Vancouver, but either way, it’s all good
Metal gods Judas Priest to play first Vancouver shows with Rob Halford outside of a hockey rink
By Steve Newton I've been going to see Judas Priest play concerts at Vancouver hockey rinks since the 1982 Screaming for Vengeance tour hit the Pacific Coliseum, and, quite frankly, I'm sick of it. The acoustics are never any good, and you can never get close enough to see the sweat dripping off Glenn Tipton's fretboard unless you … Continue reading Metal gods Judas Priest to play first Vancouver shows with Rob Halford outside of a hockey rink
Whitesnake brings the power of Deep Purple to Vancouver
kevin statham photo By Steve Newton I never got to see David Coverdale sing “Burn” with Deep Purple–I wasn’t old enough to travel down to the Ontario Motor Speedway to see them coheadline California Jam with Emerson, Lake & Palmer back in ’74–so it was pretty cool to see him do it with Whitesnake at … Continue reading Whitesnake brings the power of Deep Purple to Vancouver
Whitesnake’s Purple Tour offers equal servings of Burn and Stormbringer, one bite of Come Taste the Band
By Steve Newton I was never that crazy about Whitesnake during it's mid-'80s heyday, when it went the power-ballad route with hits like "Is This Love". Sure, I enjoyed ogling Tawny Kitaen on the hood of a car as much as the next guy, but I much preferred Whitesnake in the late '70s/early '80s, when … Continue reading Whitesnake’s Purple Tour offers equal servings of Burn and Stormbringer, one bite of Come Taste the Band
Sooner or later it all gets real for Neil Young’s 26-year-old guitarist Lukas Nelson
By Steve Newton Willie Nelson celebrated his 82nd birthday on April 29, so when his son Lukas calls for an interview the next day, the first question has to be “So how was the party last night?” “It wasn’t much of a party,” he replies. “We just played poker, and a little golf.” If copious … Continue reading Sooner or later it all gets real for Neil Young’s 26-year-old guitarist Lukas Nelson
Lynyrd Skynyrd blows the motherf***ing roof off the Hard Rock with a southern-fried riff-fest for the ages
photo by Kevin Statham. All other less-impressive photos by the Newt By Steve Newton Four of the seven Lynyrd Skynyrd members pictured on the cover of the band's phenomenal first album are dead. That's unfortunate, obviously; tragic, even. But if you saw the band play last night you might be tempted to say "So what?" … Continue reading Lynyrd Skynyrd blows the motherf***ing roof off the Hard Rock with a southern-fried riff-fest for the ages
Robert Cray soars on spectacular sound at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver
photo by Kevin Statham By Steve Newton I've seen a lot of electric guitar-based concerts in the last 30 years or so. Heck, one of the main reasons I became a music journalist back in '82 was to see a lot of electric guitar-based concerts. (That, and to get free albums.) But I honestly can't recall … Continue reading Robert Cray soars on spectacular sound at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver