Singer Lynn Edward Glezen of Seven
Hours Later both looks like and was made up like Robert Smith of the
Cure whom, he said, influenced their first album. I bought It's About
TIme from their table in the foyer, where CDs and shirts were going at
the bargain price of $5 each. I don't know if it's the album he was
talking about, but I like it a lot. "Are you here to see Stryper?" he
teased the crowd. They got down to their task as a warm up band and got
everyone on their feet singing. Their take
on "Knocking on Heaven's Door" seemed meant to mock the Guns and Roses
version, itself already almost a parody of Dylan's original. The lead
guitarist did "Amazing Grace" the way Jimi Hendrix did "The Star
Spangled Banner. All in all, a great opening band.
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7HL
Warms Up the Crowd
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C'mon
Rock
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Robert
Tears Up the Skins
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New
Kid Makes Good
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Honestly
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OI
Reach Out
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Stryper
came on and did a musical reprise starting with "Share What It's All
About" and "Loving You" from The Yellow and Black Attack (1983). Then
"The Rock That Makes Us Roll" from Soldiers Under Command, with Michael
Sweet on a flying V, then "I Reach Out." Robert Sweet tossed out New
Testaments and drumsticks to the crowd in the time-honored Stryper way,
then burned into "Counting On You" and "Free" from To Hell with the
Devil (1986). There was a medly with Oz Fox on acoustic guitar,
"Honestly" sliding into "Passion", which started out mellow and cranked
into "One for All," both from the new CD, Reborn. We were also treated
to a solo showcasing Robert Sweet's awesome talent as a drummer, along
with a virtuoso set from new guy bassist, Tracy Ferrie, who's replaced
Tim Gaines.
The
encores were sure fire crowd pleasers and two of Stryper's best-known
songs: "To Hell with the Devil," from the album that got the most
airplay on MTV, and "Soldiers Under Command," the anthemic title track
from their second album. Michael Sweet invited the crowd to
support
World Vision, his charity of choice, and their work to help kids
with
AIDS, and an information area was set up in the foyer by
the CD
table. The venue was set up with a balcony and a full bar along
with
back of the main floor, separate from the seating and the large
dance
floor concert area. "Not many people buy drinks at a concert like this,
I guess," I said to the bartender, but he had a great attitude. "That's
OK, I get to go home early and watch the game," he laughed. Reviews
often peg Reborn's sound somewhere between old Stryper and Michael
Sweet's solo albums, but at least in concert, the Yellow and Black is
back. -Gord Wilson.
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