Judas Priest · Sabaton

What a way to spend a Saturday night, and a perfect way to celebrate Preston's 14th birthday. We made the trip to the Covelli Centre in Youngstown for his first Judas Priest show — Catrina had been to a Priest show with me before, but it was a first for Preston. He came in already deep into the catalog, so this was less an introduction and more a chance to see the band he already knew, finally.

Sabaton opened and brought their usual full-throttle energy. "Ghost Division," "Bismarck," and "Primo Victoria" all hit hard live, and Joakim pulling out the Hello Kitty guitar for "Resist and Bite" was one of those moments that make a Sabaton set memorable. "Carolus Rex," sung in Swedish, always feels bigger in person than on record.

Then Priest. The "War Pigs" tape into the tour intro, and straight into "Panic Attack" — and from there it never really let up. Hearing "Rapid Fire," "Breaking the Law," "Sinner," and "Victim of Changes" all in the same set is a treat; the new title track "Invincible Shield" sounded huge, and "Turbo Lover" got the whole room moving. The closing run of "Painkiller," "Electric Eye," "Hell Bent for Leather," and "Living After Midnight" was exactly what you want from a Priest show.

The best part for me was watching Preston take it all in — seeing a band he already loved, on his birthday, with both of his parents next to him. He's only kept listening to Priest more since the show. Not a bad way to turn 14.