Stryper - Earthlink Live, Atlanta, 2003 - The View From the Crowd

[The Yellow and Black Came Back!]

I have to admit it ... I wasn't a die-hard Stryper fan back in the 80's. I was too heavy into Pop/Top 40 music to really give any rock songs a fair shot. For that reason, I was only expecting a good show in Atlanta. My friend Dave Bannister is another story all together though. He's been a HUGE Stryper fan for 17 years and though he had never seen them live, he was expecting a great show. We both got much more than we bargained for because the show was more than good, and well past great ... In other words, IT WAS AWESOME!

Parmalee, the band that opened for Stryper in Atlanta, was a good band. I got a chance to meet and talk to the members and they were all nice guys. Turns out that the drummer and lead vocalist/guitarist are brothers and the bass player is their cousin. Josh McSwain, the other guitarist, grew up listening to Stryper and it was a pretty big deal (understandably) for him to tour with them as an adult.

From the moment that Stryper took the stage the crowd was on their feet. They opened their set with "Sing-Along Song" and, in typical Stryper form, it was high-energy and intense all the way. Dave said that seeing them live was completely different than watching them on TV or on a video because the passion and drive that they bring is really evident with every note. I agree 100%. You didn't just hear this music, you felt it down to the core of your being.

It was interesting to see the age group of the crowd in Atlanta. Michael and Oz even commented on it. It was cool to see that there was such a diversity in the crowd. Younger folks as well as people in the 25 - 35 age bracket were in attendance. Everyone went away with something, and no one age group seemed to feel left out at all.

Anyone that is under the impression that the years have leached any of their talent is sadly mistaken. Michael is every bit as energetic as he has ever been. The man can hit notes that most vocalists only dream about and do it with a strength that makes you want to cry. Dave really appreciated what Robert brought to the table (being a drummer himself), as did the rest of the crowd. To be the guy on the back of the stage, hidden behind a massive kit, he was full of showmanship and talent. Oz was just off the chain ... that man can play. Tim, who has never been one to really be a "mover" on stage, stayed pretty true to form. However, his talent is certainly well deserving of recognition. He is one of the best bass players we've heard.

Surprisingly, they played more songs from the To Hell With The Devil album than they did any other. However, that was OK because, in our opinion, it was their best one. The other songs that they performed were classic Stryper tunes that showcased each individual band members talents. Some of what we got to hear was "Reach Out," "Soldiers Under Command," "Loud and Clear" and "The Way" (Kim's favorite).

The big surprise of the night was when Michael told the crowd that a live album was being recorded from this tour. Which show, you ask ... Atlanta! Needless to say, the crowd went insane. All those people, us included, not only were a part of music history by the simple fact that they were all there during what has been billed as Stryper's last tour, but the whole thing was being recorded for posterity.

Stryper has always been outspoken about their faith and the reasons that they play music at all. They have been true to that faith and have given God the glory and have been known to throw bibles from the stage since the beginning. So it should not have come as a surprise when Michael prayed with the audience with a very humble heart. The prayer was not only eloquent, but it was also real and several people in the crowd were adding amens throughout.

The band left the stage and you could almost feel the disappointment in the crowd that the show was over. But, of course, there was an encore and it started out with "To Hell With the Devil," which brought the crowd back to a frenzied pace. They followed that up with "Winter Wonderland" while wearing santa hats with a giant snow man dancing on the side of the stage!

Meeting the guys after the show made the night even more complete. Dave lived a dream that he's had for seventeen years and the rest of us (my whole band was there) enjoyed it almost as much. All of the band members are very personable guys who seemed genuinely pleased to meet their fans.

If Stryper were to decide to come back for a 30 or even a 40 year reunion tour we'd be there with bells on. If you missed this tour you missed a great one. Don't miss the live CD ... it won't be quite the same, but it will at least give you an idea of how awesome this band is.

From your Guide, Kim Jones and co-written by Dave Bannister

Related Resources

• Tim Gaines Interview
• Michael Sweet Interview
• Concert Photo Gallery