One of the things I enjoy most about going to metal shows like these are the passion of the fans. I would argue with anyone heavy metal bands have some of the greatest, most loyal fans in the world. Not only do they show up in large numbers to support the bands they love, but they also allow themselves to completely fall into the love of the music and get caught up in the moment. You never see them on their cellphones texting someone. They are full on in, from the first chord to the last chord.
Death Angel opened the night to a very enthusiastic crowd. They blasted their way through a nine-song set including “Evil Priest”, “Claws in so Deep”, “Voracious Souls”, “The Moth” and “Thrown to the Wolves”. They are currently supporting their 2019 recent release Humanicide.
Exodus was formed in 1979 in Richmond, Ca by Kirk Hammett of Metallica. So many of these bands are intertwined together in a community of musicians. Exodus is one of the first bands in this thrash metal category that is even more popular today then when it first started. The crowd loved every minute of it and really went crazy when the broke into “A Lesson in Violence”. They played “Blood in, Blood Out”, “Blacklist”, “Only Death Decides”, “The Toxic Waltz” and “Strike of the Beast”.
Headliners Testament really brought the full energetic show to the Skyway. Its always a treat to see one of the big 4. Let’s face it, Testament is the godfather of thrash metal and deserve your respect. They opened with “Children of the Next Level” and played a full throttle set of amazing rock. It included “Into the Pit”, “Over the Wall”, “Electric Crown”, “Legions of the Dead”, “Eyes of Wrath”, “The New Order” and “The Pale King”.
Thanks God these bands are keeping this music alive for the fans. People love them and will always come out and support them. This is a great triple bill! You could tell that all the bands were happy to be back out on the road and playing for their fans. The connection with the music is where the magic is.
