Priest play a 2000 seat hall in Japan

[Bono Nettencourt]

The puppet show helped with ticket sales.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Serious question - how do they make money? Fleecing the rubes with M&Gs?

[Love_Industry]

Serious question - how do they make money? Fleecing the rubes with M&Gs?

It's not like all places they play are this size.

Just before going to Japan they played an amphitheatre in Austin with a 14k capacity.
In Copenhagen they played Royal Arena last summer, 17k capacity (smaller configuration though and a crowd of just over 7k)
Next time they play in Sweden it will be a 6k capacity amphitheatre, Dalhalla.
But in Norway they seem to play a place about the size of this Japanese venue or even smaller, they even call it an "intimate performance".

[kytepunches]

If given the choice , i would pay more to see a big band in a smaller venue. I really don’t see the point in going to a stadium show…ever. The seats are 90 % shit ,yet cost the same as a small venue show. I would gladly shell out 200.00 to see Priest in a small venue.

[El Vampiro Blanco]

If given the choice , i would pay more to see a big band in a smaller venue. I really don’t see the point in going to a stadium show…ever. The seats are 90 % shit ,yet cost the same as a small venue show. I would gladly shell out 200.00 to see Priest in a small venue.

Yeah, I get that as a fan.
Still, Judas Priest only being able to play a 2.000 hall in Japan of all places is ridiculous for Christ sakes, they're doing something wrong...

[Love_Industry]

If given the choice , i would pay more to see a big band in a smaller venue. I really don’t see the point in going to a stadium show…ever. The seats are 90 % shit ,yet cost the same as a small venue show. I would gladly shell out 200.00 to see Priest in a small venue.

Yeah, I get that as a fan.
Still, Judas Priest only being able to play a 2.000 hall in Japan of all places is ridiculous for Christ sakes, they're doing something wrong...

It's called overtouring, you always know they will be back as they tour every album like it is 1986. Or more.
It doesn't feel like an event the way a Maiden or Metallica show does.
They can't even play the farewell card yet as they a)did it 12 years ago with Epitaph and b)have a brand new 2024 album out.
What's in it for them? Either they love touring, money or both.

[HueyRamone]

The puppet show helped with ticket sales.

That venue actually does look like the venue where Spinal Tap is soundchecking and Davids girlfriend is in the seats saying "Where'd you think I came from, bloody aeroplane, didnt I?"


Maybe KK's priest is siphoning off all the fans!

[Neil Diamond Dave]

If given the choice , i would pay more to see a big band in a smaller venue. I really don’t see the point in going to a stadium show…ever. The seats are 90 % shit ,yet cost the same as a small venue show. I would gladly shell out 200.00 to see Priest in a small venue.

Yeah, I get that as a fan.
Still, Judas Priest only being able to play a 2.000 hall in Japan of all places is ridiculous for Christ sakes, they're doing something wrong...

Yeah, it's almost like this was some CEOs birthday party or something. They'll make cash on the merch, but would love to hear what the financial agreement was. 90% of the door?

[Bono Nettencourt]

The puppet show helped with ticket sales.

That venue actually does look like the venue where Spinal Tap is soundchecking and Davids girlfriend is in the seats saying "Where'd you think I came from, bloody aeroplane, didnt I?"


Maybe KK's priest is siphoning off all the fans!

[Ralph2]

First off, they're making bank on 2k/nite + merch.

Second: Think about this - Priest and Maiden were on a VERY similar plane 20 years ago. The difference: Bad records from Priest and HORRIBLE management moves.

Nostradamus and all that junk set them back decades. While not a Maiden fan, they do it it right - Like Kiss. Heavy on legacy and EXACTLY the set list you want.

Maiden now doing 20k, while Priest at MAYBE 2k paid.

They're overtoured and heading to HOB-level venues at 1500/nite.

[FreddyFender]

Priest is playing a 2k venue because they're managed by one of the members girlfriends. Straight out of Spinal Tap.

[FreddyFender]

Priest is playing a 2k venue because they're managed by one of the members girlfriends. Straight out of Spinal Tap.

[HueyRamone]

First off, they're making bank on 2k/nite + merch.

Second: Think about this - Priest and Maiden were on a VERY similar plane 20 years ago. The difference: Bad records from Priest and HORRIBLE management moves.

Nostradamus and all that junk set them back decades. While not a Maiden fan, they do it it right - Like Kiss. Heavy on legacy and EXACTLY the set list you want.

Maiden now doing 20k, while Priest at MAYBE 2k paid.

They're overtoured and heading to HOB-level venues at 1500/nite.

This is a weird take, since Maiden have zero classics in this century. As if AMOLD and The Final Frontier are the "good" albums that Priest missed out on doing.
Sometimes Maiden are heavy on the legacy and sometimes they do all the horrible new songs that the fans dont want to hear

Maiden are far bigger for a number of reasons. They have all the classic members, their singer doesnt hunch over and look like Santa, Eddie makes for better staging/T-shirts, Jenine Pettibone isnt Maiden's manager....

But I think you drew the wrong analysis of why.

[DemonFilth2001]

They play the appropriate venue based on the demand in the market. I’m sure they make money. They wouldn’t tour Japan at a loss.

[LAglamrocker]

Being in stadium with Iron Maiden fans in 2024 is gross
All over 55 and drunk spending 25$ on beer

Scab Priest way better songs and fans
I saw Scab Priest and Maiden back to back at Aftershock
Wasn’t even close…Santa Priest won
Score would have been 120-45

[Love_Industry]

Maiden are far bigger for a number of reasons. They have all the classic members, their singer doesnt hunch over and look like Santa, Eddie makes for better staging/T-shirts, Jenine Pettibone isnt Maiden's manager....

But I think you drew the wrong analysis of why.

This. Priest's last two albums are better than anything either band did after 1986 but it's too little, too late. And if you saw Priest in the 80s it's like a different band up there. Halford was a great frontman back then. Used to move around a lot and didn't use teleprompters. And had much better interaction with Glenn and KK than with Andy and Richie.

[ijwthstd]

They play the appropriate venue based on the demand in the market. I’m sure they make money. They wouldn’t tour Japan at a loss.

And it's a tour where the bigger shows subsidize the smaller ones.

And it's a theatre, not a standing room club so as always you can monetize the better seats etc.

They sometimes do random gigs like in the US too. Would be awesome to see them in a similar place but they sold out clean a 6000 seater in LA 2 months ago.

[Love_Industry]

Halford just posted a pic where he holds up a sign of their 2024 tour stats.

90 shows, played to over a million fans. That's an average of over 11k per show, not bad for them in 2024.
The number includes a few festival shows but most are their own headlining shows.

[ijwthstd]

An IEM recording just turned up. Someone should sync to the video.

[Hair I Go Again]

Here are stats from Maiden’s recent Japanese tour:

PIA Arena MM, Yokohama: 15,808 (87.82%) - $2,093,646 (2 shows)
Osaka-Jo Hall, Osaka: 7,193 (89.91%) - $950,411
Garden Theater, Tokyo: 5,953 (91.58%) - $785,009
Sky Hall Toyota, Aichi: 5,006 (83.43%) - $660,651

Avg attendance less than 7k.

While Priest had bigger hits, Maiden had Eddie and Rod Smallwood.

[Playboyliquor59]

Maybe the promoter really wanted to see priest in that type of setting and paid them something crazy for it. I had some tech bro Petaluma pay 50k for for a band to play acoustic in his living room for an hour.

[Love_Industry]

While Priest had bigger hits, Maiden had Eddie and Rod Smallwood.

Also, until last month, Maiden had all of their classic line-up still in the band.

It probably also impacted that Priest were gone for longer than Maiden. No album or tour between 1991 and late 1997, then unsuccessful with Ripper until the 2004 reunion, 13 years after Halford first left. Maiden didn't take an extended break before returning with Blaze and they got Dickinson back after 6 years only.

[Bono Nettencourt]

The hell were they doing for seven years?

Fight.

[Love_Industry]

The hell were they doing for seven years?

Fight.

And drugs. There are rumors they were in pretty bad shape during and after the Painkiller tour which may be why they let Halford take Travis with him to Fight, and took forever settling on a new vocalist.

Tipton also went off to record two solo albums, one came out much later but was recorded 1994-97.