For my third time seeing the yellow n’ black attack from Orange County, I can say wholeheartedly that this is a band worth listening to and seeing live. This was an excellent performance on Tuesday Sept 17th at the Anthenauem Thetre in Downtown Columbus Ohio that showcased four decades of music from a truly underrated heavy metal band. I had never attended the venue before. The Columbus Athenaeum is a beautiful theatre built the late 1800s and provided an overall warm and deep sound. The acoustics made for an arena feel which complimented Stryper’s music well. With gymnasium seating on the wooden floor, I was able to get a good view of the excellent visuals that complimented each song in the set. With five screens and two Stryper banners, this provided an immersive experience. The intimacy of the theatre, the performance, and the vibe of the crowd made for a wonderful night.
The show opened with the speakers blaring Battle Hymn of the Republic, to which many fans immediately rose to their feet to sing along. Once the band hit the stage, they ripped right into two classics from the debut, “Loud and Clear” and “You Know What to Do”. Since this was a 40th anniversary show, the two sets of music were career-spanning, playing hits and deep cuts in chronological order. We were then treated to classics “Soldiers Under Command”, “The Rock That Makes Me Roll”, and “Free”. They sounded heavy and tight, which was awesome to hear. The most notable part of the show for me was Robert Sweet’s drumming. With his unique position and overhanging symbols, he is a joy to watch as he is super powerful and commanding on the kit.
At one point in between songs, a couple of rows ahead of me there was an intoxicated fan yelling the names of the band members and swearing. Michael Sweet, instead of acting annoyed, engaged with the fan and admired his energy, with the audience clapping for him after their interaction. It was totally cool to see that this a group that practices what they preach! The rest of the first set showcased hits from the late 80s, and hearing “To Hell with The Devil” in the middle of the show was quite unique. They played a couple of songs from In God We Trust and “All for One” before a brief intermission. I was able to explore to venue, eat pizza, chat with fans, and explore the merch table. Their brand-new studio album, “When We Were Kings”, was just released this past Friday was for sale on vinyl.
Set two opened with “Reborn” and “4 Leaf Clover”. It was when they kicked into “No More Hell to Pay” that I knew we were getting some great songs, as I am such a big fan of the last decade of Stryper material. “Yaweh” sounded as forceful as ever and is a favorite of mine. They then played the excellent “Sorry” and “The Valley”. I certainly hear a Metallica influence, as these are heavy tracks! During “This I Pray”, the crowd was holding up cell phone flashlights, not lighters. Other than the obvious technological differences, this had the feel of an 80s show. The Final Battle was represented in the set with “No Rest for The Wicked”. During all new “When We Were Kings”, the incredible visualizer that played can be found on YouTube. It’s very cool retrospective on the bands career. They closed with classic “Sing Along Song”, to where the whole crowd sang in unison. Truly a heavy metal church experience. This is a band that gets better with age, and this show was a perfect example.
Review from Metal Mayhem ROC Listener Sam Beane
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