*Footage & photos by Kenny Howell

STRYPER kicked off their 45-city 25^th ANNIVERSARY TOUR in Boston to a packed House of Blues on Friday, September 11^th in support of their latest release and best effort to date, MURDER BY PRIDE.

I guess you could get away with calling it a hometown show for the native Orange County, California band since they rehearse and record on Cape Cod which is also the home of lead singer MICHAEL SWEET.

Audience banter was kept to a minimum aside from SWEET talking about the bands roots in Boston and playing for the first time in 1985 at the now defunct Channel — “We have so many ties here. We are pretty much based here. We are not from Boston but I live on Cape Cod  were we rehearse. Should I give you guys the address? You can come down for coffee.”

The show offered the first glance at the new stage clothes by designer Ray Brown who created the classic outfits for TO HELL WITH THE DEVIL and IN GOD WE TRUST.  I was a little apprehensive about seeing color coordinated stage outfits but they were toned down from previous designs with a modern flair and edge.

When you are considered a 80’s band there is a thin line between being timeless and being dated but STRYPER proved throughout their 90-minute set that they stand on the timeless side of the line.

The show launched to a pitch-perfect intro of “Soldiers Under Command” by SWEET who then handed the vocal duties off to the crowd and they did not miss a syllable. Working out the rust was still evident as the band missed the cue to launch into “Soldiers Under Command.”

After blasting through tunes from SOLDIERS UNDER COMMAND and THE YELLOW AND BLACK ATTACK — “The Rock That Makes Me Roll,” “Loud N’ Clear,” “Reach out” — they chipped away at the  critically acclaimed and   impressive newbie’s, “Murder By Pride,” and “4 Leaf Clover” frequently looking at one another  to anticipate the myriad mid-song changes.

The usual suspects filled in the remaining holes including the delicate and melancholy classic “Honestly,” “The Way,” and “To Hell With The Devil.” One of the night’s most exhilarating moments was the guest appearance by TOM SCHOLZ and GARY PIHL of BOSTON for a cover of, “Piece of Mind.”

Rarely has a band been unfairly pilloried as STRYPER and while truths in music may depend on who’s listening, STRYPER proved that even after 25 years in the music industry, as long as you can still bring it live you really don’t have  to worry about what others are saying.

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