Stryper 25th Anniversary Tour 2009
May 28, 2009 in Concerts, Legends of Christian Music, News
Stryper's 1986 To Hell With the Devil Tour stage rig (Image: Wikimedia Commons user Hard.fael)
Well fellow Metalheads… it’s official. Stryper is hitting the road for a massive US tour in the fall of 2009!
More on the tour in a moment, but first we need to mention that this good news is mixed with some unhappy news. We previously mentioned that legendary Stryper frontman Michael Sweet’s wife, Kyle, was battling cancer. Sadly, she lost that battle in March after two years.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Sweets and Kyle’s entire family.
I’m sure that Kyle’s illness has been a barrier to any plans for a reunion tour, but there’s no better time than a 25th Anniversary to hit the road. Expect stops in 50 US cities, followed by an early-2010 excursion to see the band’s many international fans.
Murder By Pride - new Stryper material!
And what better time than a 25th Anniversary to release a new record with all-new material? Murder By Pride will be released on July 21, 2009, but is already being sold — a song at a time — in a nifty iTunes gimmick promotion. You can only by one song as it is released. And if you miss one you get to wait until July. More details here.
And a new record raises the question… what material will the band play on tour?
Well… I’m glad you asked! According to LiveDaily, they’ll be playing 2 sets in each show. The first set will feature new material — and new bassist Tracie Ferrie. The second set will be classic Stryper (including original bassist Tim Gaines with the rest of the original lineup) in full-blown yellow-and-black spandex regalia. I can hardly wait… I think.
While the sight of these guys in spandex never did really thrill me… and it’s a little hard to imagine them 25 years later… the classic songs and the return to the amazing stage show definitely is a thrill. What can I say, I’ve missed the “visual drummer!” This is a must-see show.
Tickets are going on sale right about now!
