Watch Judas Priest kick off their Firepower tour dates

Judas Priest

Last night, Judas Priest kicked off their 2018 North American tour in support of their new album Firepower.

They took to the stage at the Wilkes Barre Mohegan Sun Arena At Casey Plaza, Pennsylvania, and footage of the show has appeared online.

It was also the first show with guitarist Andy Sneap, who stepped into the fold after Glenn Tipton was forced to take a step back after his Parkinson’s diagnosis came to light.

Watch some of the video footage below.

Speaking with the Metal Hammer podcast earlier this month, frontman Rob Halford said he couldn’t see the band calling it a day any time soon.

“I cannot conceive of us ever saying, in 2022, at 3 o’clock, on a Wednesday afternoon, July, we’re gonna end,” he said. “I think more than ever now, we’re so joyed and grateful that we’ve been able to get this far from the support of our fans that you don’t say a farewell tour, you don’t say retire.

“I think slowly but surely we’ll just play less and less and less, but I can’t see that for the foreseeable future.”

Priest’s Firepower tour will continue on March 15 when they play Youngstown’s Covelli Centre. Following their run of North American shows, the band will return to the UK for a headline performance at Bloodstock.

Halford and Black Sabbath icon Tony Iommi are the cover stars of the latest edition of Metal Hammer, which is on sale now.

You can also read Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Prog free online with a TeamRock+ subscription.

Judas Priest 2018 Firepower tour dates

Mar 15: Youngstown Covelli Centre, OH
Mar 17: Uniondale Nassau Coliseum, NY
Mar 18: Washington The Anthem, DC
Mar 20: Newark Prudential Center, NJ
Mar 22: Uncasville Mogehan Sun Arena, CT
Mar 25: Ottawa The Arena At TD Place, ON
Mar 27: London Budweiser Gardens, ON
Mar 28: Oshawa Tribute Communities Centre, ON
Mar 30: Rama Casino Rama, ON
Mar 31: Detroit Masonic Temple, MI
Apr 03: Milwaukee Riverside Theater, WI
Apr 05: Green Bay Resch Center, WI
Apr 08: Bloomington Grossinger Motors Arena, IL
Apr 10: Casper Events Center, WY
Apr 11: Loveland Budweiser Events Center, CO
Apr 15: Kent ShoWare Center, WA
Apr 17: Portland Veterans Memorial Coliseum, OR
Apr 19: San Francisco The Warfield, CA
Apr 22: Los Angeles Microsoft Theatre, CA
Apr 24: Phoenix Comercia Theatre, AZ
Apr 26: Tulsa BOK Center, OK
Apr 28: Dallas Bomb Factory, TX
Apr 29: Sugarland Smart Financial Centre, TX
May 01: San Antonio Freeman Coliseum, TX
Jul 19: Athens Rockwave Festival, Greece
Jul 21: Plovdiv Hills Of Rock Festival, Poland
Jul 31: Munich Zenith, Germany
Aug 08: Dortmund Westfallenhalle, Germany
Aug 10: Bloodstock Festival, UK

Tony Iommi and Rob Halford on the past, present and future of metal

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.