STRYPER / TYKETTO
MAGIC CITY CASINO, MIAMI
April 17th 2015
The second night of the Monsters Of Rock Cruise pre-parties for 2015 saw 3 members from Poison in Tyketto join Stryper for another night of great music.
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After a searing set from band of the night Tyketto, the second Monsters Of Rock pre-party got off to a slightly bumpy start with special guests of the night - a Brett Michaels-less Poison fronted by Brandon Gibbs who tore through
the Poison back catalogue.
Now as well rehearsed as the band were you couldn't help but feel a little 'cabaret' when Gibbs took the stage, he has some
pretty generic moves and we imagine a pretty decent voice when not impersonating Michaels which I never thought I'd say but I missed that bandanna and false hair. Still the crowd loved it despite a rather underwhelming guitar solo and even a DRUM SOLO - not that I thought those things had been banned years ago. But when you have an audience who know
all the words to all the songs and thrown them back at you with a passion, you can't go too far wrong.
Some say grunge killed the rock we love but others might suggest that it was the law of diminishing returns and Poison's "Every Rose Has It's Thorn"? I think that's a little harsh until I heard "Unskinny Bop" tonight...
Stryper arrive on stage slightly delayed to a great reception. Sweet and co obviously have their fans and those fans always play the lyric card that the only reason they didn't make it was because of their 'Lord praising' antics but I think it was mainly because they were a decidedly average and very samey melodic metal band who despite being great musicians, didn't ever have that 'spark'.
'Anyone seen Stryper before?' asks Sweet... 'Anyone seeing them for the first time?' he adds. Well thanks, you've only waited 32 years - I would have waited a lot longer if I'd had the chance...
Ironic moment of the night comes when Sweet asks 'Anyone miss the eighties?' before saying 'I do' and breaking into Judas Priest's "Breaking The Law" from the '70's. Then doubly ironic - breaking into Van Halens "Ain't Talking 'Bout Love - also a 70's song.
Rounding off with one off new album "No More Hell To Pay" - "Marching Into Battle" is good but better still is the Sweet/Lynch song "Rescue Me". We close of course with the classics - "Soldiers Under Command" and "To Hell With The Devil" and you can't help but think that is why they never made it. A supremely talented band without the songs.
Another great night but one stolen by the opening act.
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Review & Photos by Mark Rockpit
