Bro and I take the long way to Mandalay Bay which means we drive past the most famous sign of all - the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" one. Woo-hoo! For some reason the parking garage is jam-packed... That's never the case at Mandalay Bay. Likely they have something going on at the Events Center, as well, because there is no chance in hell so many people are there for Halford and Testament. It's a long walk to the elevators but the weather is nice so we don't really care.

As is customary for day-of-the-show ticket purchases at HOB, we end up with front row center tix for the balcony. Figured standing for four bands can get a little tiring... Before going in we check out the merchandise - lots and lots of shirts for all 4 bands scheduled to play. There are also other neat little goodies. I ask the lady if that stuff will still be there after the show, she says yes and we head for the entrance.

We get our drinking hand bands, get frisked by security and finally we walk in - it's loud - what turns out to be Vio-lence is already playing. We hear about three songs of theirs. The second is introduced as World in a World and the third (last of the set) is TDS.

About 20 minutes later the curtain opens again and it's... TESTAMENT!!! We are a little confused but the performance is so great that we soon forget all about Vio-lence. Testament has been a favorite for years and it is a thrill seeing an incarnation of the band live for the first time. They are great!!! The sound is not exactly up to par, though... Chuck needs more mic... and Steve Smyth's guitar is too shrill and does not fit with the rest during the solos... but it is easy to forget that looking at Chuck and Eric go wild... Eric has funny shoes on and a spiky anklet. And what a show Mr. Di Giorgio puts on on bass! Jon Allan is having typical drummer fun. Billy's hair looks braided... and is very colorful - red, blue, yellow... He keeps using his microphone as a guitar-like prop. The voice, man! It's all there! Clean, growls - excellently executed. Towards the middle Billy does the band introduction. For the first time in my life I can actually hear and understand the intorduction because - totally out of character for bands - they keep quiet while they are being introduced - how weird and how nice! The setlist is very foggy due to the long wait for Halford - I apologize for that. They definitely play Low, Into the Pit, ... They close with Disciples of the Watch and my brother turns to me: "That was awesome!" Yes, that is correct. The guys try to come back on stage for a bow but the curtains are closing and all Eric manages is a wave to the audience.

We wonder if Vio-lence will follow Testament or if Halford will be coming on instead... We go for drinks - water for me, please! As the break drags we conclude that despite the merchandise there will be no Vio-lence tonight. We cannot have missed them because it was 7:15 when we walked in with Exhumed playing and the show was supposed to start at 7. I briefly wonder if they could have pulled the same trick as the Key Club back in December when we missed Onward because the show started an hour before its announced time... After an hour or so the KOMP guys come out and start plugging HOB events - the crowd boos them... They promise Halford in a few minutes and thankfully go away. Then there is more waiting... Suddenly For Whom the Bell Tolls comes on the loudspeakers and the crowd, bored by the long wait, really gets into it. It's fun to observe!

Finally the lights dim and the curtain opens yet again to reveal the Metal God standing in the middle of the stage dressed in studded leather. A familiar riff starts - they open with Painkiller. Ripper is cool and all but he cannot touch God! To my delight Painkiller is followed by Freewheel Burning and Jawbreaker. If I am hoarse in the morning I know why. Then it's Resurrection and a few more (3-4) Halford songs - I've never heard any of his current stuff but it sounds great! Then Fight's Into the Pit (cool! Two bands on the same bill playing different songs with the same name!) and Nailed to the Gun. Then some more Halford tunes and the closing trio consists of Helion/Electric Eye, Riding on the Wind, and Breaking the Law, which God lets us sing (at least partially). Naturally, the Priest material is the biggest crowd pleaser. The band is well rehearsed and looks like the guys are enjoying themselves - doing half splits, playing guitar behind the back... lotsa fun stuff like that. God does not address us until 6 songs into the set. He explains the visa fiasco and apologizes several times, graciously thanks us for coming, gives kudos to the band and continues with the show. From that point on he is more talkative and although I am sure he is dead tired (he just got here from England, after all and it's not even 7 in the morning there) he puts on a superb performance. Before Breaking the Law he cites our fair city's curfew as the reason they have time for only one song. But what a song/crowd participation it is! Alas, after that it is over and they do not come back for an encore...

On the way out I get some cash from the ATM and we get goodies - Demonic CD, Vio-lence beanie (my brother finally enlightened me as to what that thing is called), Testament windbreaker, Testament girlie, and Exhumed - Gore Metal CD. We have some cash left over but decide that the Halford shirts are not all that impressive so we take off.