Review by:by Greg Walkowiak
Show photos: HERE

MEET THE BAND:

Michael Sweet: Lead Vocals / Lead Guitar

Robert Sweet: Drums

Oz Fox: Guitar / Vocals

Timothy Gaines: Bass/Vocals

 
An original lineup is a thing of the past in the music industry today. There are handfuls that stick together but ultimately they switch bandmates on what seems like a regular basis and that sometimes is the beginning of the end. Some just fade out, some failed, some just disappeared and some have succeeded but it is a hard thing to do. The test of time usually does them in and to re-create something that worked originally with the use of different parts very rarely works, but there are exceptions to every rule.
What can be said for those bands? One in particular is Stryper; not much can be said because with the original lineup of Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox and Timothy Gaines, they do all the talking with their stage presence and their timeless hits. Seeing them for the first time at Mohegan Sun in the Wolf Den brought back a time when they first came onto the scene with their Christian backed heavy sound along with the yellow and black colors incorporated into everything. They didn’t seem to be welcomed much in the beginning and who knows why but since their inception they have achieved many milestones including:

• Over 10 million albums sold worldwide
• DOVE Award Winner
• Six Gold Albums
• Three Platinum Albums
• Two Platinum Videos
• One Gold Video
• Five Top 200 Billboard Albums
• Three Top 100 Billboard Singles
• Four #1 MTV Videos
• Grammy Nominated
• In 2010, ‘To Hell with the Devil’ named #3 on HM Magazine’s Top 100 Christian Rock Albums of All Time

They took the stage with fierce electricity and started what was an amazing night of old and new hits that shook up the crowd and had everyone singing along with all their famous tunes. Of course many tracks off their newest cd “No More Hell To Pay” aroused the crowd but when hits such as Calling On You, Free, Always There For you, Honestly and To Hell With The Devil started that seemed to send many into a wild, loud frenzy. They went as far as to cover the Kiss tune Shout It Out Loud and did it marvelously. The atmosphere was perfect and the band was fine tuned.
The band has overcome many obstacles throughout their career, past and present. They always have been a positive force and strived for the best in their style and sound. No member has lost a step and front man Michael Sweet never sounded better. Oz Fox played with fire in his eyes; Timothy Gaines enjoyed the crowd while hammering on his bass and let us not forget Robert Sweet, sitting behind the stack equipment mastering his kit like he always has. During a short break he came out from behind his kit and threw mini bibles with the Stryper logo out to the fans, one of their long time trademarks.
I highly recommend seeing Stryper if you never have. They are much more infectious live and the experience they give is an enlightening one. Stryper is a band that has never faded out and continues to spread the word of hope and inspiration through their uplifting words combined with their hard heavy sound.
 

 

 

SETLIST:

Legacy (into)

No More Hell To Pay

Loud and Clear (into)

Reach Out

Calling On You (into)

Free (into)

More Than A Man

Marching Into Battle (into)

Rock That Makes Me Roll

Shout It Out Loud

All For One

Sing-Along-Song (into)

Always There For You (into)

Honestly (into)

The Way

Abyss (into)

To Hell With The Devil

ENCORE:

Soldiers Under Command