**JUDAS PRIEST IGNITE DUBLIN WITH METAL MAYHEM: “HELL BENT FOR LEATHER” TOUR MELTS FACES AT DALYMOUNT PARK IN LEGENDARY 1979 SHOWDOWN OF SOUND, STEEL, AND SCREAMS**
On July 1, 1979, Dalymount Park became ground zero for one of the most blistering nights in metal history. As the sun dipped behind the crumbling terraces of the Dublin football ground, Judas Priest roared into the spotlight on their *Hell Bent for Leather* tour, delivering a performance that would echo through the annals of heavy metal legend.
Rob Halford, clad in black leather and chains, emerged atop a growling Harley-Davidson, the roar of the engine drowned only by the eruption of the crowd. With piercing vocals that seemed to rip through the very air, Halford commanded the stage like a metal messiah. Guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton unleashed a twin-axe assault of thunderous riffs and screeching solos, locking into unholy harmony with Les Binks’ pummeling drums and Ian Hill’s grinding bass.
The setlist was a masterclass in power and precision. “Delivering the Goods,” “Hell Bent for Leather,” and “Running Wild” whipped the audience into a frenzy, while their haunting cover of “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)” sent chills through the summer air. Each track was delivered with ferocity and finesse, a statement of purpose from a band pushing metal into its next glorious evolution.
Fans, drenched in sweat and exhilaration, sang every word, fists in the air, as if possessed by the spirit of steel. The energy was primal, electric—a communion of noise and rebellion.
That night at Dalymount wasn’t just a concert; it was a rite of passage. Judas Priest didn’t just play Dublin—they *conquered* it. And for those lucky enough to be there, the memory remains burned in leather and loudnes
s forever.
