Judas Priest Newcastle City Hall October 1978
In many ways Judas Priest as the ultimate heavy metal band. When they returned to the City Hall in October 1978, their image had developed from the standard heavy rock band with flowery shirts and flares, and they we starting to become heavy metal gods. Rob Halford in particular was starting to wear more studded leather gear, with undertones of S&M, and he was using his incredible vocal range to greater effect on songs like The Ripper in which he would scream the vocals in his high pitched operatic style. I don’t remember at which point, or on which tour, Rob started to ride a motorbike on stage, but it wasn’t that long after this. 
A couple of years later Priest released British Steel, an album which in many ways defines the heavy metal genre. More than any other band I saw in concert, Priest developed from what I would class a solid rock band like many others in the mid 70s, to a top rate metal band, pushing at the boundaries and setting a standard that many others would attempt to match over the years, and to this day. This change was very evident in their live performances, which saw them graduate from clubs, through ballrooms to concert halls (and soon onward to arenas). Along the way I witnessed them deliver an excellent, and well received, performance at the Reading festival in 1975. Support for the late 1978 tour came from the multi talented Lea Hart who has been a producer, singer, songwriter, and (currently) manager (of Maiden’s Paul Di’Anno). Hart had been in Slowbone, and went on to join Fastway in the 80s.
13 Jun
Judas Priest Newcastle City Hall October 1978
Posted June 13, 2013 by vintagerock in Judas Priest, Queensryche. Tagged: concert, concerts, folk, gigs, heavy metal, metal, music, pop, punk, R&B, rock n roll. 1 Comment
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Posted by Mitch on June 17, 2013 at 10:48 am
Priest stopped off at Newcastle City Hall twice as part of the Killing machine tour – 25/10/78 and an extra date was tagged on at the end of the tour on 19/11/78.
I was at both shows and Lea Hart was support on each occasion.
Set list was –
Exciter
White Heat Red Hot
Sinner
Killing Machine
Rock Forever
Beyond The Realms of Death
Running Wild
Evil Fantasies
Delivering The Goods
The Ripper
Victim of Changes
Starbreaker
Encore 1 – Genocide
Encore 2 – Take on the World / Tyrant
Setlist was the same at both shows apart from encore 2 which was only played at the second show.