Let the FIGHT Begin!

FIGHT w/Skull

RPM, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tuesday, June 13th, 1995

In case you didn't know, Rob Halford left Judas Priest in 1992 after twenty years of recording and touring to form a new band: FIGHT. Now touring in support of their second studio release, A Small Deadly Space, Halford is out to prove that FIGHT is for real. After this show, the phrase "Mission Accomplished" leaps to mind.

As I caught glimpses of Halford stretching his neck and touching his toes in the parking lot just before taking the stage, it was apparent that we were in for a fast and physical performance. Moments later, FIGHT took the stage and then proceeded to blow the crowd to pieces. They opened with a gut-wrenching rendition of "A Small Deadly Space" that left the collective screaming and pounding raised fists. Halford, sporting a new goatee, was moving all over the stage like a man possessed. He periodically walked down the lower stage and high-fived the pit that had formed below. Meanwhile, bassist Jay Jay did his best impersonation of a raving lunatic, stomping his way across the stage and making faces at the crowd. From here, it only got better. FIGHT stormed their way through "Legacy of Hate," "Into the Pit" and "War of Words." Every song was heavier and faster than the studio versions, which really was what made the show spectacular.

Of course what would Rob Halford be without Judas Priest? Despite having completely cut ties from the band, he still has enough common sense to throw in a few classics for the old school fans. With that in mind, FIGHT launched into an incredibly heavy version of the classic "You've Got Another Thing Comin'." I was really impressed with the job that guitarists Tilse and Mark Chausesse did on this song. They held their own on the difficult licks that K.K. Downing and Glen Tipton made famous. Following this tune would be tough, but the band was up to the challenge. They did "Immortal Sin," "I Am Alive," "Kill It," "Crazy" and "Mouthpiece" in quick succession. The proliferation of tunes from War of Words showed a willingness to establish a new set of classic cuts. Judging by the crowd reactions to these songs, it seems to be working.

What followed next was the highlight of the night. Once again, it was time for a Priest classic. But who could have guessed that it would be the ancient classic "Victim of Changes?" Despite a heavier feel to the first part of the song, Halford stayed true to form during the slow bluesy bridge, and then blew everyone's socks off by absolutely nailing the searing high note. After recording and touring for twenty-five years, the quality of his voice is truly astonishing.

Following this, the band took a bit of a break as Halford thanked the fans and declared "MTV sucks! MuchMusic rules! You guys don't know how lucky you are!" The band finished up with "Nailed to the Gun," and "Contortion" in the encore. I was mildly disappointed with the exclusion of "Blowout in the Radio Room" and "Human Crate," but the rest of the set was top-notch.

The opening act on this night was supposed to be Monster Voodoo Machine. After a late cancellation, local Toronto act Skull replaced them on the bill. They whaled through an incredible set that was a real lesson in how to take advantage of a great opportunity. They sounded something like a cross between Pantera and early Metallica. The definite highlight of their show was a lengthy track called "The Face of Brutality." After about six minutes the song started to wind down and the crowd began voicing its approval. The lead singer responded with a bristling "Not yet!" and Skull rocked out for several more minutes with some extremely thick, chunky guitars. (Their debut CD is set for release in August 95, so be there or be a big loser!

With all the anticipation surrounding this show, it definitely left the crowd at the same time satisfied and hungry for more. On this night, FIGHT once again showed off their ability to "Deliver the Goods."

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