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 STRYPER Live In Pittsburgh, PA By George Mihalovich, Pittsburgh Contributor Friday, June 20, 2014 @ 8:36 AM
Openers:
XANDER DEMOS BAND
(original Pittsburgh power metal - look for their debut CD TBA 2014)
Both bands were a good addition to the bill; they were professional and well-received by the
audience.
Headliner:
STRYPER seems to be riding a career resurgence; at least, as much as a metal band can
given the respective states of the music industry, economy and popular culture.
Their 2013 CD, No More Hell To Pay, was a critical and (relatively speaking, of
course) commercial success, and this concert demonstrated they can still deliver the goods
live as well.
I haven't seen STRYPER since their heyday, but their collective musical chops remain
undiminished; and if you still think of them as a sappy "ballad band" - you've got it all
wrong. At this point in their career, they come across as a high-energy metal act and and are
heavier in concert than on records (No More Hell to Pay excluded). Yes, they
came to prominence in the 1980s on major label with the over-the-top spandex, hairspray and
glam image, but they really shouldn't be dismissed as just another hair metal band. Make no
mistake, this is far from SLAYER or METALLICA on the scale of heavy - and there
is a little pop cheese and balladry mixed in here and there - but STRYPER is, at their
core, a classy melodic hard rock/metal band influenced by the likes of JUDAS PRIEST,
IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH and UFO (as documented on 2011's The
Covering). By the way, I respect the fact that they exclusively played their own
music, but I liked The Covering and wouldn't have minded hearing one or two of
these tracks in the set.
Besides the added aggression and energy, what makes them a live contender is their
songwriting, musicianship, guitar harmonies and outstanding vocalist. Speaking of vocals, I
didn't detect any digital trickery (with the exception of some keyboard samples); that's more
than I can say for a few other bands I have seen recently. Michael Sweet has always
been a standout singer, and his pipes show no signs of wear. He was impressive throught the
evening, notably during his acapella intro to "Soliders Under Command." Bassist
Tim Gaines and guitarist Oz Fox were also more than capable on backgrounds.
Robert Sweet didn't sing much, but he gets plenty of points for his authoritative and
flashy drumming.
Moving on to the guitar work, Michael Sweet receives a lot of the attention (he plays
more than half the solos in addition to his role as lead vocalist and chief songwriter), but
Oz Fox is no slouch either. In fact, much to my chagrin, he's better than I ever
picked up on their recordings. When Michael put down his axe for a few songs towards the end
of the evening (e.g., "Honestly" and "The Way") Oz really had the
chance to show his stuff. A minor point, but it was a nice visual contrast when he deviated
from the strict yellow and black color scheme and used a silver and black instrument for the
latter part of the show.
The packed house at the Altar Bar was a mix of both secular and Christian music fans (an
educated guess of 70/30, respectively), and it was kind of moving to see the two camps
rocking together. After all, metal gives plenty of time to the dark side, so it seemed
righteous to give equal time to the light! Furthermore, as Michael Sweet pointed out
at the end of the show, it was ironic - yet fitting - that they were performing in a
converted/repurposed church. No kidding, the Altar Bar was a real church. And while we're on the subject of religion,
in case you're wondering, they still throw bibles into the crowd (just one time early on).
Unsurprisingly, the banter was overwhelmingly positive and G-rated, but Michael had an
engaging stage presence and knew how to talk to the crowd. When he said a prayer to close the
set, it didn't come across as preachy or out of place; just refreshingly human and sincere.
STRYPER is a worthy live act metal act and still mean business both in terms of their
music and positive message. If they are performing near you on this tour, do yourself a
favor and check them out - particularly if you missed them them the first time around. You
just might become a believer.
Setlist
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