On this day I kept hearing the Metal God (Rob Halford) singing one of my all-time favorite Judas Priest songs – Out In The Cold. Why, you may ask? Because it’s one of the coldest days to hit the Metroplex this year and I’m outside of the Allen Event Center hoping to catch the members of Judas Priest before the show (mainly 6-string virtuoso and Star Wars junkie Richie Faulkner). I had a few items for him that I collected waaaay back in the day when the movies came out and figured he might enjoy these old treasures.
Of course hanging out at the venue before a show can have its advantages, not only in meeting one of your music idols, but meeting other fans and music lovers. Hearing stories of when and where they first saw Priest and any encounters they had with the band. My first time was on the Turbo Tour in San Antonio back in 1986. I just remember how loud the crowd was and how no one sat down during the set. For the first 2 songs I could barely hear Rob’s vocals because we (the crowd) were singing with such a mighty force that I think our exuberance led to the “Priest…Live” album being recorded in Dallas. I remember the Metal God telling us that the show was being recorded for a live album and video. I was so excited when it came out but disappointment struck as I found they used the Dallas show. But inside I knew that the crowd in San Antonio was way too loud, and what more could a band ask for, right?
Speaking of the “Priest…Live” recording, I met a few people in Allen who were on the video. Two young ladies and another gentleman explaining what part of the show they can be found and what they remember about the show. I definitely need to go back and watch the video to relive the show and look for the celebrities that I met. Of course, as we are sharing concert experiences, who pops up out of nowhere - the Jedi Master of the Fret board himself, Richie Faulkner. He greets everyone, poses for pictures, answers questions and signs items, before heading back in to prep for the show. And yes, he left a bag of Star Wars goodies that a certain fan had for him.