The co-headlining tour featuring Judas Priest and Alice Cooper took over the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, Texas, on Sunday, October 25th. For once, our Texas weather was perfect…clear skies and a cool breeze set the tone for a flawless outdoor show. I received approval to cover the event at the last minute, but I couldn’t have been more excited, especially since my dad joined me for this one. Judas Priest has always been one of his favorite bands, and watching him experience it live was something special. For me, Alice Cooper will always hold a place close to my heart…they were one of the first acts I ever photographed, and their team continues to deliver an unforgettable performance every time. The energy throughout the venue was electric… fans filled the stands, drinks in hand, eager to grab merch and soak in a night of pure rock and roll.
Judas Priest kicked off the night, and honestly, I was blown away. I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that Rob Halford is seventy-four…there’s just no way. Whatever’s in his coffee, I need some. Standing there photographing such a legendary figure felt surreal honestly… moments like that remind me why I love what I do. Everything about their set was flawless as well…the sound, the lighting, the visuals, even the outfits were on point. The band celebrated the 35th anniversary of Painkiller, opening strong with “All Guns Blazing” and rolling through a powerhouse set of fan favorites like “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” “Breaking the Law,” “Night Crawler,” and “Gates of Hell.” One of the most emotional moments came during “Giants in the Sky,” a heartfelt tribute to rock legends we’ve lost…Eddie Van Halen, Lemmy, Freddie Mercury, and, to my surprise, the incredible Jill Janus of Huntress. Seeing her name up there hit hard; she deserves to be remembered more. The tribute closed with a screen filled with Ozzy’s face, and not going to lie, it got me teary-eyed. The energy stayed high all night…Rob even rode out on stage on a motorcycle to tear through the final songs. It was pure metal magic from start to finish, and when the screen behind them flashed “The Priest Will Be Back,” there was no doubt they meant it.
Alice Cooper followed, and as always, chaos and theatrics took center stage. No one does it quite like him…his shows are part concert, part twisted theater, and entirely unforgettable. The set opened with “Who Do You Think We Are” and tore through a powerhouse lineup of classics including “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “I’m Eighteen,” “Feed My Frankenstein,” and the hauntingly beautiful “Only Women Bleed.” True to form, that’s when things got darkly playful…Alice’s wife being “killed” on stage, who later returns to kill Alice down the line. LOL. Their chemistry is unmatched and reminds me so much of Ozzy and Sharon…a true rock and roll love story with a wicked twist. The visuals were insane, the band was flawless, and every costume accessory and prop felt perfectly timed. Even though I wasn’t there for the full set after shooting, I’ve covered them enough times to know the magic they bring every single night. It’s performance art drenched in rock history. I left that night feeling extremely grateful…grateful to do what I do, grateful to share it with my dad, and grateful that music still has the power to reignite that spark within me. Some nights remind you exactly why you fell in love with all of this in the first place…and this was one of them.
Judas Priest (Photos By Krystiee Lee)
Alice Cooper (Photos By Krystiee Lee)
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