Stryper 25th Anniversary Tour Cleveland, Ohio
Yellow and Black Attack Hits The House of Blues
Sep 25, 2009
Stryper is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year with a new record and a new tour. Their latest CD, Murder by Pride, was released on July 21, 2009. Coincidently, or maybe purposely, Stryper’s first CD was released on July 21, 1984.
On Thursday, September 24, 2009 Stryper took the 25th Anniversary tour to the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio. The House of Blues is an intimate venue without a bad seat. The balcony gives a view of the whole stage while letting the audience relax in their seats. The main floor is general admittance and lets people get right up to the stage.
Stryper Sound Check and Meet and Greet
Stryper has offered a very unique and exciting experience during the 25th Anniversary tour. Fifty fans are able to purchase special tickets that allow special access to the band for $38.25. Stryper fans are able to sit in as the band runs through a sound check. Afterwards the band mingles with the fans allowing pictures and autographing. At least that’s the plan.
The Sound Check and Meet and Greet experience in Cleveland was an exciting time for Stryper fans, but not without some glitches and mis-communications. When the fans were let in, the sound check was mostly done, with only a couple of minor things to iron out. That is probably for the best though. Anyone that has experienced a full sound check can attest that it is truly boring for the audience and stressful for the musicians.
Michael Sweet, Oz Fox, Tim Gaines, and Robert Sweet were on stage and greeted the crowd warmly. After some friendly banter, the band went into “Loud ‘N’ Clear”. In the middle of the song they made some adjustments and finished playing it. Stryper then went into “Murder by Pride”.
Again, a couple of changes were made. The sound check was then over and the members of Stryper filtered into the crowd.
Stryper Signs Autographs
All four guys were having a good time as they mingled with the crowd. They were genuinely appreciative and talked, signed many different items, and took tons of pictures. The fans ate it up.
The glitches were small but annoying. The major issue was the miscommunication between band management and the House of Blues management. There were some that did not get their CDs and it as hard to find someone with answers on that issue.
Another potentially huge blunder was the ticket holders of the Sound Check and Meet and Greet were almost made to get back in line after being promised front of the line privileges when buying the special tickets.
These problems were eventually solved. There was one thing that could have been better though. The total time for the event was less than an hour. That didn’t give a lot of time for interaction with the band. It would have really gone a long way if the people could have had more time with Stryper. There were no bitter feelings though for any of the issues. Most people were happy and excited.
Stryper’s New Yellow and Black Attack
Later in the evening when Stryper stepped back on stage the crowd went nuts. The band was in new outfits created by the same designer that made the original yellow and black outfits in the ‘80’s. These new outfits were more subdued than the early versions. Rather than being loud, the guys looked like the rock stars they are. The music, however, was the focal point of the night.
Stryper came out with “Soldiers Under Command” taking no prisoners. They assaulted the audience with riff after riff. They played songs from every album in their discography. They rocked out “Free”, “Loud ‘N’ Clear”, “Open Your eyes”, and “Murder by Pride” among many others.
Every member of Stryper brought their A game. Tim Gaines couldn’t be stopped, even when breaking a string. Though Tracy Ferrie was missed, Tim Gaines proved he still had it. Oz Fox and Michael Sweet tore it up. Their soloing was incredible. Their dual solos in “My Love (I’ll Always Show)” was absolutely breathtaking.
Despite being a little under the weather, Michael Sweet was able to hit all of the notes which would be a feat if he was in perfect health. Robert Sweet continued to earn his moniker of “visual timekeeper” as he beat the drums, even swinging to hit the cymbals behind his head.
The talent of the four guys that make up Stryper is incredible. They have honed their craft in the past 25 years. With their talent they glorify God and even throw out Bibles to the audience to reach the lost. Stryper were excellent in Cleveland and will probably only get better as the tour goes on.
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