During a recent interview with Metal Hammer, Rob Halford revealed an amusing but unexpected backstage encounter with AC/DC at the Power Trip festival, despite the strict Angus Young no-backstage policy.
After Judas Priest’s performance at the Power Trip festival in California on October 7, 2023, Halford and his tour manager Gideon Hogan inadvertently entered AC/DC’s off-limits backstage area. They were there to say hello to AC/DC ahead of their first concert in eight years. Despite Young’s strict rule against backstage visitors, a misunderstanding allowed them in. Halford had planned a quick visit in his full-stage outfit but was taken aback by the space.
A Brief But Warm Reunion
Inside the compound, the singer’s presence quickly went from unnoticed to warmly welcomed as he came across Brian Johnson, who was enjoying a quiet moment alone. Rob told the rest of the story using the following words. “I look around and see Brian [Johnson, AC/DC vocalist]! Brian is sitting on a couch smoking a cigarette. I say, ‘Brian!’ and we hug each other. I said, ‘Man, I’m sorry; I shouldn’t be here,’ and he said, ‘No, it’s okay. We just want to keep things calm. So I had a brief conversation with him, and that was about it. I said good luck and love to Angus [Young, guitars] and everyone else, then I left.”
The visit soon stirred up concern within AC/DC’s camp, as Halford learned of the backstage protocol breach from Hogan. The vocalist shared, “10 minutes later, Gideon’s like, ‘God, the sh*t’s hit the fan!’ I go, ‘Why?’ He says, ‘That guy shouldn’t have let us in because Angus gave strict rules that nobody was allowed backstage. Nobody!‘”
AC/DC’s Return And Judas Priest’s Big Reveal
AC/DC performed for the first time in seven years at the Power Trip music festival. It was with Cliff Williams returning from retirement and Matt Laug replacing Phill Rudd on drums. Judas Priest also performed, exciting fans with the announcement of their new album ‘Invisible Shield,’ which will be released on March 8, 2024—six years after their previous album, ‘Firepower.’
The announcement came before their performance, which featured a special appearance by guitarist Glenn Tipton for the encore. The band improved their performance even more by revealing their new album. It was created with a fresh approach to guitar parts and solos as a result of the pandemic’s unexpected downtime, according to guitarist Richie Faulkner.
