Battling against the dark is the figurative concept that has defined Christian metal band Stryper, but at a recent show at the Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, the group literally fought through the darkness, playing with tiny battery powered practice amps amid a power outage.
The band has been out on the road in support of their latest studio album, The Final Battle, which was released in October and the Whisky A Go Go appearance was their first since stepping off the KISS Kruise.
"Well, that was a first," exclaimed singer Michael Sweet in an Instagram post in which he detailed how Stryper persevered through the unforeseen circumstances to still deliver a full set for all the fans in attendance at the historic L.A. venue.
He continued, "The power went out on Sunset last night 30 minutes before our set and we went out on [The Whisky A Go Go] stage and rocked with 2 battery-powered practice amps, 1 snare drum and 3 acapella [sic] vocals to a second night, sold out crowd!"
For 16 songs, the band employed very small practice amps, which touring artists regularly carry with them and warm up with before shows without making too much noise in the green room, on the back of the bus or wherever they may be getting ready for the gig. They don't offer a tremendous amount of power — certainly not to the level fans are accustomed to hearing at rock and metal shows — but it still made for a unique and memorable night.
In the fan-filmed video clips below, you can see drummer Robert Sweet tapping his hands on the snare drum to keep time while the low-watt amps offer something for fans to sing over. Michael Sweet, without the use of a microphone, capably belted out the songs as well.
And as for the power, that was restored a half hour after Stryper finished their set. "It was one for the books," added the frontman, "The light always shines in the dark."
Stryper Setlist — Nov. 4, 2022 at Whisky a Go Go (via setlist.fm)
01. "In God We Trust"
02. "Revelation"
03. "The Rock That Makes Me Roll"
04. "More Than a Man"
05. "Surrender"
06. "Calling on You"
07. "Free"
08. "Sorry"
09. "Honestly"
10. "All for One"
11. "Always There for You"
12. "Divider"
13. "The Valley"
14. "Yahweh"
15. "Soldiers Under Command"
16. "To Hell With the Devil
Stryper, "Soldiers Under God's Command" (Nov. 4, 2022)
Srtyper, "To Hell With the Devil" (Nov. 4, 2022)
