Judas Priest performed the 1980 track, “Rapid Fire”, for the first time in 7 years during a March 21 appearance at the Download Festival in Japan.
Footage of the live performance – and a recent rehearsal of the song from “British Steel” – has surfaced online in sync with the festival, which saw the band step in as new headliners at the event following a recent cancellation by Ozzy Osbourne as he continues to recover from a series of health issues.
Topping a bill that also featured appearances by Slayer, Ghost, Anthrax, Sum 41 and more, the Japan show followed Judas Priest’s sets at a pair of Download Festivals in Australia and a date in Auckland, NZ as part of their ongoing tour in support of 2018’s “Firepower” album.
Judas Priest will resume the trek with a two-month spring North American run that will begin in Hollywood, FL on May 3.
“Metal maniacs - Judas Priest is roaring back to the USA for one more blast of Firepower!,” says the band. “Firepower 2019 charges forth with new first time performances born out of Firepower, as well as fresh classic cuts across the decades from the Priest world metalsphere.
“Our visual stage set and light show will be scorching a unique, hot, fresh vibe - mixing in headline festivals, as well as the in-your-face venue close ups. We can’t wait to reunite and reignite our maniacs...The Priest is back!”
Produced by Tom Allom and Andy Sneap, ”Firepower” earned Judas Priest their highest-charting US album with its debut at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 last spring; the project was launched with the lead single “Lightning Strike.”
See also:
Judas Priest replaces Ozzy Osbourne as Download Festival Japan headliner
Judas Priest cancel South African concert appearances
VIDEO: Judas Priest perform Killing Machine for first time in 40 years
Ozzy Osbourne postpones UK tour launch due to illness
Search Judas Priest at hennemusic
