STRYPER May 30, 2023 El Corazon Seattle, WA
STRYPER
May 30, 2023
El Corazon
Seattle, WA
“The Final Battle” tour roared into Seattle on Tuesday evening at El Corazon. Michael, Robert, Oz, and Perry hit the stage with the crowd favorite, “Sing Along Song” and sing the crowd did, indeed.
Oz was having some in ear (monitor) issues that were eventually resolved. His line about he hears no evil and Michael sees no evil was hilarious and something only two friends of many, many years could laugh at their respective serious issues.
The set-list was varied with both newer and legacy tunes. The last time I saw the band in 2018, they did a great job of balancing out their incredible catalog of music. They are also one of the few bands from the 1980's that is consistently putting out high quality new music and not just floating on the nostalgia of their back catalog. Another band doing something very similar is Queensryche. I’ll come back to this in a moment.
I don’t know how Michael could wear a beanie and a long sleeved overshirt the whole set without getting hot but he did. His voice was “there” as was his playing. He can still belt it out and has found the right balance to do so night after night without ruining his voice.
Oz has publicly talked about his health issues and it is a blessing just to see him on stage playing and singing with the band. His lead work was honestly a little rough in spots but not to the point of being distracting. It’s a live performance, after all. And, see the first sentence.
Perry was stage left this tour and that meant I couldn’t see him very well from my vantage point. The low end was ever present, however, and his singing is something highly overlooked. I’d love to see a live tune where the three in the front swap lines from a classic Stryper song.
The visual timekeeper was as entertaining as ever. Robert, much like the rest of the band really, never gets the respect he is overly due. He’s such an engine in the band and such a fantastic drummer. Underrated in every possible way for sure.
The crowd was amped up and kept the energy as high as they could. I think many in the audience (and some diehards at home) would rather see the band in a different venue. I want to see the banner hanging in the background behind Robert. I want to see the full stage presentation that some other cities get. But, due to the ceiling restrictions and such, El Corazon doesn’t provide enough space for the band to do just that.
The issue becomes where would a promoter be comfortable booking them next year (hopefully they return). I would think maybe the Neptune Theater (capacity 1000) or the Showbox at The Market (similar cap) would be better alternatives. But, the fans have to come out. Period. Both rooms are larger than El Corazon and that means the Yellow and Black Attack (fans) have to show up in force to make it work for all parties involved. The other option to assist with this would be to book them as a co headliner. This is where a band like Queensryche comes into play. Todd La Torre and Michael are friends and both bands would appeal to a similar audience. If sharing the bill on a co-headlining tour gets the band to a larger venue, I’m all for it.
Overall, Stryper really never disappoints live. They are one of the best live bands out there and as I already stated, massively underrated. When the tour hits your town, any year, go check them out. They deserve and demand your respect.
Best,
Mark Sugiyama
Eclectic Arts Media
Connect with Eclectic Arts: Social Media Links Here
May 30, 2023
El Corazon
Seattle, WA
“The Final Battle” tour roared into Seattle on Tuesday evening at El Corazon. Michael, Robert, Oz, and Perry hit the stage with the crowd favorite, “Sing Along Song” and sing the crowd did, indeed.
Oz was having some in ear (monitor) issues that were eventually resolved. His line about he hears no evil and Michael sees no evil was hilarious and something only two friends of many, many years could laugh at their respective serious issues.
The set-list was varied with both newer and legacy tunes. The last time I saw the band in 2018, they did a great job of balancing out their incredible catalog of music. They are also one of the few bands from the 1980's that is consistently putting out high quality new music and not just floating on the nostalgia of their back catalog. Another band doing something very similar is Queensryche. I’ll come back to this in a moment.
I don’t know how Michael could wear a beanie and a long sleeved overshirt the whole set without getting hot but he did. His voice was “there” as was his playing. He can still belt it out and has found the right balance to do so night after night without ruining his voice.
Oz has publicly talked about his health issues and it is a blessing just to see him on stage playing and singing with the band. His lead work was honestly a little rough in spots but not to the point of being distracting. It’s a live performance, after all. And, see the first sentence.
Perry was stage left this tour and that meant I couldn’t see him very well from my vantage point. The low end was ever present, however, and his singing is something highly overlooked. I’d love to see a live tune where the three in the front swap lines from a classic Stryper song.
The visual timekeeper was as entertaining as ever. Robert, much like the rest of the band really, never gets the respect he is overly due. He’s such an engine in the band and such a fantastic drummer. Underrated in every possible way for sure.
The crowd was amped up and kept the energy as high as they could. I think many in the audience (and some diehards at home) would rather see the band in a different venue. I want to see the banner hanging in the background behind Robert. I want to see the full stage presentation that some other cities get. But, due to the ceiling restrictions and such, El Corazon doesn’t provide enough space for the band to do just that.
The issue becomes where would a promoter be comfortable booking them next year (hopefully they return). I would think maybe the Neptune Theater (capacity 1000) or the Showbox at The Market (similar cap) would be better alternatives. But, the fans have to come out. Period. Both rooms are larger than El Corazon and that means the Yellow and Black Attack (fans) have to show up in force to make it work for all parties involved. The other option to assist with this would be to book them as a co headliner. This is where a band like Queensryche comes into play. Todd La Torre and Michael are friends and both bands would appeal to a similar audience. If sharing the bill on a co-headlining tour gets the band to a larger venue, I’m all for it.
Overall, Stryper really never disappoints live. They are one of the best live bands out there and as I already stated, massively underrated. When the tour hits your town, any year, go check them out. They deserve and demand your respect.
Best,
Mark Sugiyama
Eclectic Arts Media
Connect with Eclectic Arts: Social Media Links Here
(All Live Photos: Mark Sugiyama for Eclectic Arts Media (c) 2023)
Comments
Post a Comment