Review & Photo by Jeff Kunze for MPM
The Fillmore in Minneapolis, Minnesota welcomed a tour that featured two iconic bands that haven’t stepped foot in the state for many years. Metal fans flocked to the venue to see W.A.S.P. and the opener Armored Saint.
It was a night that was highly anticipated for years as it the show was postponed from 2023. I was extremely excited for this show as both have eluded me for decades and this would be the first time I have ever caught either of the bands live.
Armored Saint, led by vocalist John Bush, came out like a buzzsaw opening with “End of the Attention Span.” Bush was flanked by guitarists Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan with Joey Vera on bass and drummer Gonzo Sandoval.
The band ripped through a eight-song set that included the classics “Chemical Euphoria,” “March of the Saint,” and “Can You Deliver.” They sounded amazing and lived up to my high expectations.
With so many singers of this era chasing shadows of yesterdays, Bush is still very much in the present with his ability to handle singing songs that we’re created decades ago.
He effortlessly balanced the the melodic and aggressive side of songs and that impressive vocal is what separated Armored Saint from much of the competition.
The energy the band had was also outstanding, clearly having a great time on stage and that enthusiasm was infectious to the crowd. The only disappointment was the set was so short. The band has plenty of material to pull from and I would love to see a headline set from them.
W.A.S.P. kicked off the 2024 North American tour named ‘Album ONE Alive’ in October and will continue to rip through the States into December. It is the 40th anniversary of the bands iconic first album and to celebrate that release, W.A.S.P. is playing the album from start to finish.
Bombastic frontman and guitarist, Blackie Lawless, led the metal assault to a packed room that hung on every note played and every word spoken. It was apparent from the opening cut of “I Wanna Be Somebody” that fans have waited way too long for W.A.S.P to make a return to Minnesota and they were ready for this night. Standing in front of his mic stand, Elvis, Lawless towered over the crowd and he still has that theatrical charisma that pours off the stage.
With any band that catapulted through the 80’s and MTV, the visual effect of that era has cemented itself in peoples minds. The clamoring for reunion of that classic line-up that people grew up with is always present.
I loved to watch that axe attack of Randy Piper and Chris Holmes and when the band began to change out members it was disappointing and it didn’t seem the same at the time. Over time it became very apparent, Blackie Lawless is W.A.S.P. and the band W.A.S.P. starts and stops with Blackie Lawless. He is the man that has created and guided the idea of W.A.S.P. for four decades and will continue to do so until he says it time to stop. As an old school metal fan, back in the day I would run down to the magazine store and grab the latest copy of Hit Parader and Circus Magazine.
That was the only way to find out what our favorite bands were doing. I would clip out the pictures and hang my metal heroes in my locker at school. I had a Blackie Lawless photo up with him holding a bunch of raw bloody meat. When Lawless took the stage I had a flashback to that photo that was in my locker. It was a surreal moment that standing about a foot from me was that guy from that photo and I was now taking his picture, and he still had it, that fire and desire, to bring these songs to the people that gave him an opportunity to keep W.A.S.P. alive all this time.
The line-up consisted of long time band members, guitarist Doug Blair, 26 years, and Mike Dude, 29 years, along with Aquiles Priester on drums.
Much of that first album has been staples to the live set. “Love Machine,” “I Wanna Be Somebody” and “On Your knees” but it was a real treat to hear “School Daze,” “The Flame” and “The Torture Never Stops.” I know every lyric to every song on that release and the show flew by.
After completing the album, the band took a short break and came back with a series of medleys. They started with songs from 1986’s ‘Inside The Electric Circus.’ They touched on the title track, “I don’t Need No Doctor” and “Scream Until You Like It,” The then went through “The Real Me” and then sections of “Forever Free” and title track from 1989’s ‘The Headless Children.’ To close out the show it was the two big singles from 1985’s ‘The Last Command.’ “Wild Child” and then “Blind In Texas” were so fun to hear and certainly went over tremendously with the crowd.
I really enjoyed every minute of the show. For the fans that have been there since the beginning it was a set list that encompassed those first four albums of the bands history.
The use of backing tracks has followed the W.A.S.P. camp for years and I couldn’t tell you if there were tracks used and if so, when they were utilized. I went into the show looking forward to seeing W.A.S.P. for the first time and I enjoyed every minute of every song and judging by the packed house and reaction throughout the night and the fans walking out the venue, everybody had a great time and thats what it is all about.
