Live: Stryper in Indy
2018 has been a roller coaster of a year for Stryper. Their latest record- God Damn Evil released in the Spring and they brought in new bassist, Perry Richardson. Then, before their Fall Tour was set to kick off, guitarist Oz Fox was hospitalized with some very serious, career and life-threatening issues.
Luckily, Fox received the green light from doctors before the tour started- thanks to the prayers of the many Stryper fans and some amazing medical care- and the band’s tour recently kicked off at Indianapolis’ Vogue Theatre for a night that was much more than just a concert.
After locals Snakeskin Cowboy and Rok Hollywood warmed up the crowd, Stryper took the stage to the a deafening roar of excitement from the crowd and the choir of “Yahweh” playing over the speakers and the night had truly begun.
One thing that was evident from the very start is that Fox sounded and looked great. You almost couldn’t even tell there had been issues with his health. He was in great spirits but you could tell he was taking it easy but was still having fun on stage regardless, wearing a huge smile on his face when fans started yelling “welcome back, Oz! We love you, Oz!” It was an emotional moment when he set foot back on stage.
They breezed through a lengthy 19-song setlist that was balanced with songs from almost every single one of their 17 albums with the exception of Reborn and Murder By Pride. They even threw in a few surprises in “Always There For You,” “Lady” and “All For One,” each of which was met with roars of approval from the fans.
The band was in good spirits, too- frontman Michael Sweet would go from one side of the stage to the other, interacting with the fans as well as with Richardson and Fox on either side of the stage, the band showing throughout the entire show how much they appreciated and love their fans.
In the end, this was much more than just the first night of the Fall Tour- this was a celebration of Stryper, their legacy and the fact that Oz Fox made as quick of a recovery as he did and is back to normal. In Indy, Stryper proved once again why they’ve been a powerhouse of a band for as long as they have been and they don’t plan on stopping any time soon.
-Reggie Edwards