Photos by Andy Argyrakis

From the second Judas Priest started in the early 1970s through the late 2000s, K. K. Downing was half of the double guitar onslaught who helped lay the foundation of the entire heavy metal movement and he was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the rest of the band in 2022.

But other than that one-off reunion, American audiences haven’t gotten a taste of his “British Steel” since the tour surrounding 2008’s “Nostradamus,” which upon the announcement of the somewhat recently formed KK’s Priest coming to the Arcada Theatre, resulted in a rapid sell out.

In addition to getting the chance to hear searing selections off the debut “Sermons Of The Sinner,” the latest long player “The Sinner Rides Again,” plus the original group’s cyclone of classics, it also brought about a reunion between Downing and singer Tim “Ripper” Owens, who replaced Rob Halford on Judas’ “Jugulator” and “Demolition.”

The results were nothing short of mind-blowing as KK’s Priest stormed through its own “Hellfire Thunderbolt,” “One More Shot At Glory” and “Reap The Whirlwind,” possessing both the hunger of starting up and the seasoning of superstar status.

Downing and company were quite generous in recalling many Judas Priest rarities and regulars, including adrenalizing renditions of “The Ripper,” “Night Crawler,” “Beyond The Realms Of Death,” “Hell Patrol” and other anthems from the dark side.

However, none was more than thrilling than a balls to the wall version of “Breaking The Law” as those packed inside the Arcada proudly raised a fist, then screamed their way towards “Victim Of Changes” and an encore that found everyone embracing the long-awaited return of the genre’s leading guitar god.

A supporting set by L.A. Guns, fresh off the “Black Diamonds” album, featured guitarist/Guns N’ Roses co-founder Tracii Gun and front man Phil Lewis, who was the first to admit he was battling a scratchy throat, but got through it well enough.

Together with the latest line-up, they nonetheless commanded attention throughout a hard rock overview of Sunset Strip standouts “Electric Gypsy,” “Sex Action,” “Never Enough,” “The Ballad Of Jayne” and “Rip And Tear.”

The expansive evening even provided a glimpse into the head banging future of Burning Witches, the all-female Swiss power metalers who laid down a pummeling yet hook-filled onslaught in the tradition of Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, and certainly most fittingly on this occasion, the one and only Judas Priest.

For additional information on KK’s Priest, visit KKDowningOfficial.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Arcada Theatre include Warrant (Mar. 16); Dionne Warwick (Mar. 22); Art Of Anarchy (Mar. 23); Ultimate Elvis Experience featuring Shawn Klush and Cody Ray Slaughter (Mar. 24); Nightrain (Mar. 28); The Chain and Petty Union (Mar. 29); Thunderstruck (Mar. 30); Little Texas (Apr. 4); Lynch Mob (Apr. 5); Geoff Tate (Apr. 6); The Righteous Brothers (Apr. 10); Grand Funk Railroad (Apr. 11); Taylor Dayne (Apr. 13); The Sixties Show (Apr. 14); The Ultimate Doors (Apr. 18); Uli Jon Roth (Apr. 19); Al Di Meola (Apr. 20); The Greatest Piano Men (April 21); A Neil Diamond Celebration (Apr. 25); Escape and Anthem’s Grand Illusion (Apr. 26); A Flock Of Seagulls (Apr. 27) and The Graduates (Apr. 28). For additional details, visit ArcadaLive.com.

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