CrazeWire.com.com Reviews Austin Concert
11.16.2005

Music Made In Heaven
Stryper - La Zona Rosa - Austin, TX
By Chad Beck - Austin, TX

In a land of freedom, God has sent His grace.
We're proud to live in such a place.
With the right to sing, Song after song,
This song's for you to sing along!
Whoa-o-o-o Whoa ooo La, La
Whoa-o-o-o Whoa ooo La, La
Lift your voices higher, We want to hear you sing.
Let's lift our voices to the King of King's

- Sing Along Song, 1986

So began Stryper's set, smack dab in the heart o' Texas, at La Zona Rosa in Austin. The difference between dedicated fans – and the curious onlooker – became harrowingly apparent immediately. Those who knew the "Sing-along-song" from 1986's To Hell With The Devil were instantly shaking their fists…those who were new took a bit longer to join in the raucous response that the hardcore fans were already displaying.

There are a few facts readers should be aware of before reading the rest of this review. 1) I was such a HUGE Stryper fan, from 1983-1988, that I actually memorized the UPC codes for the band's first four albums. 2) I've changed QUITE a bit since those days. 3) As cheesy as they may be, Stryper honestly gave it 100% at their show. Seriously, these boys rocked the house. So it goes.

Before entering La Zona Rosa, I let some Newbies know the four elements that inevitably surface in most of Stryper's songs. 1) The background vox will be in 3-part, choir-like, harmonies 2) At some point, all the instruments will drop out – allowing the drums to provide the backbone to a sing-along 3)The song will most likely include harmonic "dive bombs." Meaning that Oz Fox will use his whammy bar fiercely after hitting a mean 5th harmonic. Rock on! 4) Michael Sweet is gonna end on a high note, unless his testicles are otherwise being used for something more important.

After seeing the show, I'm smirking at being so right. Alas, this groundbreaking Christian Rock act began w/ "The Sing-along Song," adhering to every one of my predictions, and never looked back. I've never felt such inebriated jubilation for my confusing (past) love affair with Christian Rock and my current worldview. So it goes.

As a savvy man in 2005, lead-screamer Michael Sweet repeatedly brought up the days of MTV, Stryper's success, and how fantastic their new record (Reborn) is. He usually followed such diatribes with classic ‘yellow and black attack" anthems, which more than necessarily relieved the verbal wounds he left in his path. Although the three or four new songs they played from Reborn sounded like neutered versions of Kurt Cobain's B-Sides, the old stuff simply kicked ass.

Really. Oz Fox and Michael Sweet should be granted an award for the twin-style guitar solos the two have exemplified since ‘83's fabulous Yellow and Black Attack EP. Sure, they got the idea from The Scorpions, but the trail of devastatingly expressive guitar solos the two left in their paths during classics like "Loud N Clear" and "Reach Out" shouldn't go unnoticed. Sweet and Fox are a match made in Heaven, letting solos loose like manna, obliterating those who dare to dawdle underneath. It's a dated metal approach, for sure, but these guys attack like it's already 2007.

It would be easy to nail these guys on the cheesy aspects of what they do. Did each band member really need to do a solo? Do you really have a song and album called To Hell With The Devil? This wacky Soldiers Under Command album cover…are you really comfortable with the whole yellow-and-black colored missiles? Are those missiles expressly aimed at yellow and black folks? However, I feel like time spent on Stryper's positive aspects is better spent.

For example, when these four guys burst into "To Hell With The Devil" at the beginning of their encore, I thought I was going to wet my pants. Then…without any warning, Stryper busted out "Soldiers Under Command" and I nearly had an aneurism of nostalgic delight. Then, the band ended in prayer…

I'm still not sure how I felt about Stryper, 18 years since I had last been interested in them… But, I will tell you this: Don't be afraidof the "yellow and black attack." It isn't a secret phrase used in pornography. No. The "yellow and black attack" is simply a Christ-centered response to a very secular problem; Rock N Roll.

Amen.

Source: www.crazewire.com