LIVE: JUDAS PRIEST / ALICE COOPER – Charlotte, NC, USA – September 20, 2025

Venue: PNC Music Pavilion

City: Charlotte, NC

Date: September 20, 2025

Review and Photographs by: James Zambon (https://jameszambon.com)

Corrosion of Conformity, Alice Cooper, and Judas Priest all on one bill? Sign me up! That’s basically a masterclass in what heavy metal should feel like. Walking into the venue, you could already feel the buzz, and by the end of the night it was clear why literally everyone knows the names of these bands, this was a celebration of decades of hard rock and metal history. Corrosion of Conformity kicked things off with exactly the kind of grit you want from them. They came out hard with “Bottom Feeder,” low, loud, and crushingly heavy. The sound rattled your ribcage in the best possible way. And just when I thought they couldn’t crank it any higher, they slammed into “King of the Rotten,” which instantly took me back to blasting CoC during those early morning drives on my way to work years ago. The crowd was absolutely locked in, banging heads and shouting along. They closed with “Albatross,” and you could see it on everyone’s faces, we were primed and hungry for more.

Then came Alice Cooper, and man… there’s rock shows, and then there’s Alice Cooper. Five decades into his career and he’s still reinventing what it means to put on a show. Theatrics, macabre stage setups, multiple costume changes—it’s a rock concert and Broadway rolled into one, except with guillotines and guitars. During “Dirty Diamonds” he was tossing beads into the crowd like it was Mardi Gras, then later hurling canes out to the fans lucky enough to catch one. His band was just as enthusiastic, and damn, Nita Strauss shredded like the metal monster that she’s known to be. Watching her play was nothing short of incredible, she looked like she was having the time of her life, almost like she’s listening to the music she’s playing and rocking out with us, and it was contagious. Alice introduced the band as “the spirits in his attic,” which is such a perfect Cooper touch, and even brought his wife Sheryl out to perform and dance during the closing stretch of the set. The finale had a little nod to Pink Floyd with that “Hey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone!” snippet, blending right into “School’s Out.” The man knows how to finish big.

By the time Judas Priest hit the stage, the bar had already been set sky-high, but they crushed it anyway. Rob Halford and crew tore into their set with absolute fire with “All Guns Blazing”, proving once again why they’re still kings of the genre. The energy was non-stop, the riffs sharp as ever, and the whole band was clearly out there to give everything they had. Their performance wasn’t just about playing songs, it was about connecting with the crowd, and you could feel it in every raised fist, metal horns, and every voice screaming along. And of course, the moment everyone was waiting for: Halford riding out on his motorcycle during the encore for “Hell Bent for Leather.” That never gets old. By the end of the night I still had “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight” echoing in my head, and honestly, they’ll probably be stuck there for the rest of the week. Judas Priest aren’t just performing their catalog; they’re breathing it into life every single night. Walking out of the venue, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I am to see as many shows as I do. Some nights, bands just show up, play well, and we all go home. Nothing wrong with that. But then there are nights like this. Where absolute legends come together, pour everything into the performance, and remind you why you fell in love with heavy metal in the first place. Alice Cooper and Judas Priest are the blueprint for so much of the music we love today, and this tour is an absolute must-see. If you’re still reading this and there’s a tour stop near you, burn some PTO, cash it in, do what you have to do. If you’ve got to road trip it, get in the car. Hell, I flew 500 miles to see this show. Don’t miss this one!

JUDAS PRIEST SETLIST: All Guns Blazing – Hell Patrol – You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ – Freewheel Burning – Breaking the Law – A Touch of Evil – Night Crawler – Solar Angels – Gates of Hell – Electric Eye – Giants in the Sky – Painkiller – Hell Bent for Leather – Living After Midnight

ALICE COOPER SETLIST: Hello, Hooray / Who Do You Think We Are – Spark in the Dark – No More Mr. Nice Guy – House of Fire – I’m Eighteen – Muscle of Love – Feed My Frankenstein – Dirty Diamonds – Caught in a Dream – Hey Stoopid – Dangerous Tonight – Poison – Brutal Planet – Ballad of Dwight Fry – Cold Ethyl – Only Women Bleed – Second Coming / Going Home – School’s Out

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY SETLIST: Bottom Feeder (El que come abajo) – King of the Rotten – Diablo Blvd. – Vote With a Bullet – Wiseblood – Clean My Wounds – Albatross

[Show as slideshow]

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JUDAS PRIEST LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

TOUR DATES

ALICE COOPER LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

TOUR DATES

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

TOUR DATES

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries