WATCH: Judas Priest perform ‘Tyrant’ for the first time in 35 years

Judas Priest have performed their 1976 anthem ‘Tyrant’ live for the first time in more than 35 years.

Author: Scott ColothanPublished 4th May 2018

The British heavy metal legends were playing the final show on the Spring leg of their Firepower North American tour at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday night (1st May) when Rob Halford introduced the track.

“This song is from ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’,” Rob said. “It hasn’t been played live for 37 years. We want to do this for you and only for you… so if we can remember, which I think we should, this is the ‘Tyrant’.”


The last time Judas Priest performed ‘Tyrant’ was at Greenville Memorial Auditorium in South Carolina way back January 1983. It was, however, a set list regular on Halford’s ‘Resurrection’ tour in 2000.

Legendary guitarist Glenn Tipton once again made an appearance in San Antonio performing on the encore tracks of ‘Metal Gods’, ‘Breaking the Law’ and ‘Living After Midnight’.

Glenn wrote and performed on Judas Priest’s 19th studio album ‘Firepower’, but in February announced he was bowing out of touring due to the progression of Parkinson’s disease, with Andy Sneap filling in for him.

He made his first appearance on the Firepower Tour at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey in March and has since made several further guest spots on the tour.

Judas Priest’s sole 2018 UK date takes place at Bloodstock Festival on Friday 10th August. Tickets are on sale from Planet Rock Tickets now.

The set list in San Antonio was as follows:

Firepower
Running Wild
Grinder
Sinner
The Ripper
Lightning Strike
Bloodstone
Saints in Hell
Turbo Lover
Freewheel Burning
Evil Never Dies
Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
Tyrant (First time since 1983)
You've Got Another Thing Comin'
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Painkiller

Encore:
Metal Gods (with Glenn Tipton)
Breaking the Law (with Glenn Tipton)
Living After Midnight (with Glenn Tipton)