JUDAS PRIEST presented with key to city by Albuquerque's mayor
28-10-2025
British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST were presented with keys to the city by Albuquerque, New Mexico’s mayor Tim Keller prior to their October 23 concert at Isleta Amphitheater in Albuquerque. A video of the presentation is now released.
PRIEST commented: “Thank you to the mayor, his team, and all the Metal Maniacs of Albuquerque!”
In the past year and a half, Keller had also given keys to the city to members of TESTAMENT, POSSESSED‘s Jeff Becerra, SOULFLY‘s Max Cavalera and IRON MAIDEN‘s Bruce Dickinson.
In October 2022, SOULFLY posted a photo of Keller donning one of the band’s long-sleeve t-shirts when he cast his ballot in that year’s U.S. midterm election.
This was not the first time Keller had sported heavy metal merchandise in public. Five years ago, Keller donned a MACHINE HEAD hooded sweatshirt when he cast his ballot in the U.S. presidential election. Back in December 2018, he wore a PANTERA Christmas sweater for a signing of a bill granting family paid parental leave to city employees. The legislation made Albuquerque the first city in New Mexico to extend paid parental leave benefits to its municipal workforce.
Born and raised in Albuquerque, Keller is well-known as a fan of heavy metal music and has often attended shows in the city. He has also introduced metal bands, including ANTHRAX and TRIVIUM, onstage.
“Albuquerque has always been pretty strong on the heavy metal front,” Keller told The New York Times five years ago. “What can I say, this is something I’ve been into for a long time.”
Keller told the Albuquerque Journal that his favorite heavy metal group is the Brazilian band SEPULTURA, of whom Cavalera is a founding member. “They are awesome,” he said. “It’s the music of empowerment.”
Back in 2017, Keller was asked to name the best metal show he ever saw in Albuquerque.
“I wasn’t just a heavy metal fan, I still am,” Keller said. “In fact, I saw MASTODON, like, three days ago at the El Rey Theater.”
He went on to say that his favorite metal concert in Albuquerque was MACHINE HEAD at the Sunshine Theater in 2016.
Keller admitted to buying cheap tickets to a MEGADETH concert at Tingley Coliseum and finding himself in the general admission area in front of stage. “And I got kicked out once, but on that show, I made it in,” he said. “And it was awesome.”
Keller, a Democrat, took over as mayor of New Mexico’s largest city in December 2017. He replaced two-term mayor Richard Berry, who did not seek re-election.
Keller was elected to a second four-year term in November 2021. He pulled off the win with nearly 60% of the vote.
Keller and his wife, Liz, have two young children.
In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill was asked about the possibility of a follow-up to the band’s latest album, “Invincible Shield”, which came out in March 2024. He said: “There’s plans to go back into the studio in the new year. So when it’ll be released, I don’t know. It’s a long process. We’re in no rush either, so it’ll be a while. But the recording is gonna happen, it looks like, next year.”
Asked if he and the other members of JUDAS PRIEST have started writing new music at all on the road, Ian said: “I know Richie (Faulkner, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist) has. He’s got quite a few ideas together, yeah. So we’ve got a head start there.”
As for JUDAS PRIEST‘s touring plans in support of the next studio album, Hill said: “Well, that’ll happen as well. Obviously, if you have an album, you have to go out and tour with it. So, yeah, that’ll happen too.”
Last summer, JUDAS PRIEST released an official cover version of BLACK SABBATH‘s “War Pigs” ahead of the Ozzy Osbourne-fronted heavy metal legends’ final concert this weekend.
Watch “War Pigs” below.
Although singer Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton, Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis aren’t scheduled to perform at Saturday’s massive “Back To The Beginning” event in Birmingham, United Kingdom, they have paid tribute by recording a studio version of the 1970 “Paranoid” classic that they have used as PRIEST‘s walk-on music before hitting the stage. They have also released a performance video for the track, which can be seen below.
PRIEST said in a statement: “We are honored to show our love for Ozzy and BLACK SABBATH with our homage of ‘War Pigs’, a song we play at every show around the world that fans sing along to, reinforcing their love as well for the legendary Prince Of Darkness!”
This past May, Halford said that he was “absolutely gutted” to have to miss the last BLACK SABBATH concert this summer. Noting that PRIEST is scheduled to play the 60th-anniversary show of German hard rock legends SCORPIONS in Hannover, Germany on July 5 — the same day that the SABBATH event will take place at Villa Park — Rob told Metal Hammer: “I had no idea (the SABBATH show) was happening. It all got announced and was a big deal — (the Hannover concert featuring) SCORPIONS and PRIEST — and suddenly I get this phone call (from Ozzy Osbourne‘s wife and manager Sharon Osbourne): ‘Robbie, I know you’ve got this gig with SCORPIONS, but could you consider coming over to do a thing with Ozzy and the guys. He’d love to see you.'”
Halford explained that trying to make both performances happen would be “dangerous”, adding: “Even with a private plane, there’s a word called ‘technical’, where something could go wrong, or the weather that time of year could cause problems… I was absolutely gutted.”
Acknowledging that K.K. Downing will perform at the Villa Park concert, Halford said that the founding PRIEST guitarist will represent “the spirit of the band”.
“All my mates are going to be there though, great bands and artists,” Rob added. “It’s a wonderful and epic moment for SABBATH and heavy metal — it re-emphasizes that Birmingham is where metal came from.”
Regarding PRIEST‘s choice of “War Pigs” as the walk-on music before gigs, Halford told Steve Newton of The Georgia Straight: “Yeah, that’s kind of a nod to these boys that we’ve known from day one. We’re from the same neck of the woods, and there’s a very strong friendship that still exists with us all. And it’s kind of a rallying cry, really. Even our fans know now that when they hear that song it’s almost time for PRIEST to hit the stage. It also gets our road crew to put the beer down and get ready for the show. Oh! It’s time! Yep, yep — put the beer down! Okay!”
JUDAS PRIEST have previously announced the dates for the “Shield Of Pain” 2025 European tour.
The 12-date trek will kick off on June 14, 2025 in Oslo, Norway and conclude on July 20, 2025 in Oberhausen, Germany.
Tour dates:June 14 – Tjuvholmen Arena, Hamar, Oslo, NorwayJune 17 – Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart, GermanyJune 18 – Hessentag Festival, Frankfurt, GermanyJuly 01 – Summer Festival, Ferrara, Italy
July 03 – Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
July 07 – Atlas Arena, Lodz, Poland
July 10 – Dalhalla, Rattvik, Sweden
July 13 – Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany
July 15 – Festival De Carcassone, Carcassonne, France
July 17 – Sion Sous Les Etoiles, Sion, Switzerland
July 19 – Rockhal, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
July 20 – Rudolf-Weber-Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
JUDAS PRIEST have released their last studio album, “Invincible Shield” on March 8, 2024,
“Invincible Shield” track listing:
01. Panic Attack
02. The Serpent And The King
03. Invincible Shield
04. Devil In Disguise
05. Gates Of Hell
06. Crown Of Horns
07. As God Is My Witness
08. Trial By Fire
09. Escape From Reality
10. Sons Of Thunder
11. Giants In The Sky
Deluxe edition bonus tracks:
12. Fight Of Your Life
13. Vicious Circle
14. The Lodger
The cover artwork for the CD and vinyl versions of “Invincible Shield” can be found below.
To order “Invincible Shield”, visit shop.judaspriest.com.
Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and guitarist Glenn Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Original guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner.
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