Guitarist Glenn Tipton rejoined his JUDAS PRIEST bandmates on stage Saturday night (June 9) at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden to perform the concert's three-song encore: "Metal Gods", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below. Tipton — who revealed in February that he has Parkinson's disease — previously played the same three songs with JUDAS PRIEST at several stops on the band's recent U.S. tour, including in Newark, New Jersey; Uncasville, Connecticut; Worcester, Massachusetts; Kent, Washington; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Los Angeles, California. It marked his first public performances since announcing his retirement from touring. He told BUILD Series about the experience of once again sharing the stage with his bandmates: "It's just amazing to get, first of all, support from the band. The texts and e-mails from all over world, and to hear the audience was very emotional. You don't like to see a grown man cry, but we did." Asked if he is planning on making more live appearances with the group, Glenn told 105.7 WAPL: "I think so, yeah. As long as I'm capable of going on stage and doing my parts and doing it well. I love it — I love to be on stage with PRIEST, and I'll do it for as long as I can." Tipton found out he had Parkinson's four years ago — after being stricken by the degenerative condition at least half a decade earlier — but only recently announced he was going to sit out touring activities in support of PRIEST's latest album, "Firepower". The guitarist, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST LP since the band's 1974 debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the band, but simply cannot handle the rigorous challenges of performing live. He is being replaced on tour by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, also known for his work as the guitar player in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT. JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the "Firepower" world tour on March 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. "Firepower" was released on March 9 via Epic. The North American leg of the "Firepower" tour wrapped on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.
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