Oregon Music News

Michael Sweet (left) and Oz Fox exchanging licks

Stryper released their latest effort The Covering on February 15th and quickly hit the road to promote it. The first show of the tour was on March 2nd in Seattle followed by their next stop in Portland at the Aladdin on March 3rd. Things looked bleak for a second as singer/guitarist Michael Sweet surfaced prior to Stryper’s set at the Aladdin to inform the attendees that he was feeling under the weather and his voice wasn’t up to snuff. The good news was that the show would go on, with a number of surprises.

Oz Fox guitarist and co-lead vocalist for the evening

Stryper hit the stage around 9pm to the opening music of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and broke into “Sing-A-Long Song” with the lead vocals sounding crisp, clear and commanding. The vocals on the song were handled by guitarist Oz Fox who surprisingly took the high register notes with ease. Michael stayed back laying down the harmony along with bassist Tim Gaines. Sweet took over on lead vocals on the next track, “Murder by Pride,” before handing vocals back over to Oz Fox on “The Rock That Makes Me Roll.”

Oz Fox and Michael Sweet make for one hell (pun intended) of a guitar tandem that is complimented by the colossal rhythm section of bassist Tim Gaines and drummer Robert Sweet. Robert swung the lumber relentlessly throughout the set and was simply captivating.

Michael Sweet (left) with Bart Hafeman

Stryper threw the first curve of the night when they played the first of the four covers that they would share that evening. The lead vocals on the Ozzy Osbourne classic “Over the Mountain” were handled by local singer Bart Hafeman of Hit Machine along with Michael Sweet. As they traded verses with one another, Hafeman sounded eerily similar to Sweet, as found on the version on The Covering. Hafeman returned later in the set to sing Stryper’s hit “Calling On You,” which was introduced by Sweet.

“You remember when MTV used to play music videos?” he asked the audience.

Watch the classic below on Metal MTV:

Bassist Tim Gaines

“Free” followed with a bombardment of cheers before Stryper blasted into their musical hat-trick that included Kansas’ “Carry on My Wayward Son,” Kiss’ “Shout it out Loud,” and Black Sabbath’s “Heaven and Hell.”

Sweet’s vocals held up through out the set and continued to improve with each passing song–no doubt helped out by the use of vocal spray and keeping hydrated during their set. They closed out the set on a high note with “The Way” from their break-through, 1986 album To Hell With The Devil.

Stryper returned for their encore with “Abyss (To Hell with the Devil)” playing in the background before ripping into the crushing opening riff of “To Hell with the Devil.” Oz Fox sang the majority of the lead vocals on this one. The last song of the night was “Soldiers Under Command” and Michael Sweet and Stryper went out in a blaze of glory followed by a battery of cheers and applause.

Visual time-keeper Robert Sweet

Photography for this article provided by Jon T. Cruz. Read OMN’s interview with Stryper’s Michael Sweet.