Best live Christian metal experience you've had?

Hello friends in Christ, 

I'm new here, but excited to join you all! What is your best experience of a live Christian metal show? Or a fond memory you have of attending one? 

Mine would have to be seeing Theocracy in Marietta, GA last December. I have all their albums and play them pretty much constantly while driving (and I drive about 700 miles a week), so seeing them play live (and OWN the stage) was unbelievable. Right before they went on, all the other guys in the front row and I were guessing what they would open with. I jokingly said, "what if they opened with Mirror of Souls?" (a 23-minute long epic) and lo-and-behold they DID! The crowd erupted as soon as the first notes were played, and right then I knew I was in for a night to remember. Matt Smith gave 110% the whole night (he didn't take any of the high notes down the octave!), and they even did an obscure goofy Christmas tune they'd never played live! I traveled from TN with my girlfriend to see them, and I remember us eating at Waffle House after the show, ears ringing and minds in sensory overload. One of my best memories. 

Good to be aboard! 

Cheers, 

Taylor

Crimson Moonlight at the now defunct Skelletones in Grand Rapids Michigan, 2006.  TINY room, and Pilgrim has a HUGE stage presence.  It was an EXPERIENCE.

I haven't seen a lot of Christian bands live, but of the ones I have seen:

Mortification playing material from self titled, scrolls and PMA. Got to hang out with Steve for a bit, seemed like a super nice guy. Some lady at the show back stage took my address and proceeded to mail me free CDs and HM magazines for some time after. I wish I could remember who she was. 

Love and Death- very good live, and Head pronounces the gospel from the stage. Pretty cool vibe to their set, definitely has a Korn feeling to it. I was able to get really close to the stage and watching Head that closely live was just cool for me. Whether you like them or not, Head and Koran were very instrumental and influential in the whole nu metal thing that happened, and I think Head as a guitarist was a main innovator in developing that sound. Guitar world agrees, as they ranked him 26/100 greatest metal guitarists of all time.

Norma Jean, but it was back when they were still called Luti-Kriss, absolutely wild live, destroyed their gear at the end of the show, smashing the amps and ripping the drum kit apart. It was a tiny venue that didn't even have a stage, everybody just stood around them at ground level. Me without You opened for them, and they only had a demo, and were freshly signed to Tooth and Nail. They played the show in really nice suits, and I remember the singer moshing with the crowd during their set. Actually all of those guys from both bands  just hung out with us all in the crowd when their band wasn't playing. 

The Wedding- they stand out because they insulted the crowd, well sorta. At that particular show, they called the crowd the most boring one they'd ever played for, lol. Probably not the most appropriate thing to announce if people already aren't into you. But, I think everybody was there for The Letter Black and Thousand Foot Krutch and just waiting out The Wedding because they had to. 

Not metal, but Lecrae and Propaganda are both awesome live and very uplifting, and man, people get into them big time. It's a pretty cool experience

ImagoDei wrote:Norma Jean, but it was back when they were still called Luti-Kriss, absolutely wild live, destroyed their gear at the end of the show, smashing the amps and ripping the drum kit apart. It was a tiny venue that didn't even have a stage, everybody just stood around them at ground level. Me without You opened for them, and they only had a demo, and were freshly signed to Tooth and Nail. They played the show in really nice suits, and I remember the singer moshing with the crowd during their set. Actually all of those guys from both bands  just hung out with us all in the crowd when their band wasn't playing.

Dude that was when Scogin was still the lead singer of Norma Jean! That wouldve been amazing live

I remember seeing The Chariot live a few times and had a similar experience but I dont think they completely trashed their instruments

They always threw their guitars way up in the air though

Stryper - To Hell With The Devil - Jan 8 1987 - I was 15 - Soooo good - my first metal concert
Demon Hunter - True Defiance - April 17 2012 - front and center incredible concert

Spring of 1985 I saw Saint open for Stryper in Portland, Oregon.  The very next year it was Bloodgood opening for Stryper.

Also saw Holy Soldier in a small club in downtown Portland in early 1990.

Saw Bride at the Strand Theater in Marietta Square near Atlanta in '95. pretty awesome

Saw Extol 2 or 3x, Mortification 3x, Living Sacrifice probably 5x, etc

I'll never forget the day when I saw Stryper live the very first time. It was November 17th, 2007, at Maata Nakyvissa Festival in Turku, Finland.

I honestly got some real chills through my spine when the intro "Battle Hymn of the Republic" started. And straight after that they started to play "The Way". What an epic way to start the show . I got the chance to meet the guys after the show and had a little chat with Michael. He's such a nice and humble guy.

I forgot to mention seeing Guardian ("First Watch" tour) and Barren Cross ("State of Control" tour) in Portland as well.

I've been to countless shows, too many memories to count. I'll try and come up with some highlights and post later.

Taylor of Darchera wrote:Hello friends in Christ, 

I'm new here, but excited to join you all! What is your best experience of a live Christian metal show? Or a fond memory you have of attending one? 

Mine would have to be seeing Theocracy in Marietta, GA last December. I have all their albums and play them pretty much constantly while driving (and I drive about 700 miles a week), so seeing them play live (and OWN the stage) was unbelievable. Right before they went on, all the other guys in the front row and I were guessing what they would open with. I jokingly said, "what if they opened with Mirror of Souls?" (a 23-minute long epic) and lo-and-behold they DID! The crowd erupted as soon as the first notes were played, and right then I knew I was in for a night to remember. Matt Smith gave 110% the whole night (he didn't take any of the high notes down the octave!), and they even did an obscure goofy Christmas tune they'd never played live! I traveled from TN with my girlfriend to see them, and I remember us eating at Waffle House after the show, ears ringing and minds in sensory overload. One of my best memories. 

Good to be aboard! 

Cheers, 

Taylor

Welcome!

Tough question. Probably the first time I saw The Crucified, but I don't remember it as I saw them so many times back in the day it's all a blur. Another would be seeing Martyr 1.0, not having heard about them before, at Cafe Oasis in Hollywood by accident. I went there to check out the place one afternoon and met them at load in and came back later that evening to watch them play.

I have probably seen over 1000 Christian metal/rock shows in my lifetime, going back to the mid-80s. I went to Cornerstone Festival every year from 1987-95, and that provided so many awesome memories. I also lived in Minneapolis, which was one of the few places that had a venue that regularly booked Christian metal bands - The New Union. I saw so many bands there. It would be impossible for me to remember all the highlights, but here are just a few...

Back at their peak, Bride was awesome live. I saw them at least a dozen times. I think 1988 was the first.

Stryper, of course. I've actually only seen them 5 or 6 times, the most recent was just last year.

Extol blew me away the first time I saw them. I saw them three times, but the first one was the best. Unbelievably tight.

If King's X qualifies, I'd have to include them. Probably saw them 6 or 7 times. Actually one of the best concerts ever was King's X and the Galactic Cowboys. Maybe that was 1992-93-94. Both bands crushed it that night. 

Believer

One Bad Pig

Bloodgood

Tourniquet

Crucified

Vengeance Rising

Wow... I could go on and on. Great times.

Too many to count, but the best has to be Stryper in the late 80's - professional, excellent musicianship and louder than anything I've ever heard.

I think the best metal concert I ever went to was Deliverance opening for Vengeance Rising in Denver. Possibly the second best was Living Sacrifice with opening artists Zao and NIV.

I've been to countless shows since around 1991, all in the Houston/Austin/San Antonio triangle, and one or two in Dallas. Here are the one's that really made a memorable impact on me:

Vengeance Rising in Houston 1992 - The show was supposed to be Deliverance. A few days before the show we heard that George Ochoa badly burned his hand and Deliverance had to cancel. Vengeance supposedly took their place. When we got there, George Ochoa came out on stage to warm up, he talked to us and gave us some of his signature Deliverance guitar picks. The rumor was obviously false, but never really knew why Deliverance didn't play. Also got to meet and hang out with Roger Martinez after the show. He was a trip. We watched him witness to this guy in a Morbid Angel T-shirt and the guy got saved. Pretty cool stuff. I got my picture taken with Roger, it's buried in a box somewhere.

The Crucified, Mortal, Applehead, XL and DBD in San Antonio 1993 - The show was billed as The Crucified and Mortal. We showed up early, and some guys were shooting pool in the club. One big guy with a huge afro and colorful 8-ball leather jacket was shooting pool. We figured it was a local just hanging out there. When the show started, the fog machines started going, this guy came out with a guitar and just started riffing like a mad man. The Crucified band was backing him. We found out later it was XL that later released XL and DBD "Sodom and America". After two of his songs, Greg Minier took the mic and performed a couple of Applehead songs. Mortal came on next. I wasn't a fan before this show, but they tore it up and put on a great show with heavy heavy music and intensity. The Crucified finished up and did not disappoint. Got all of the band member's autographs on my Crucified shirt.   

Mortification and Living Sacrifice (original lineup) in San Antonion 1993 - This was my first of many times to see both bands, but the only time with LS original lineup (DJ on vox), and Mortification with Michael Carlisle on guitar. Michael talked to us before the show and shared some very strange stories that didn't really make any sense. The biggest bummer was that Jason Truby blew up his amp only 2 -3 songs into their set and LS stopped playing early.

See below for some flyers I got from those shows and others from Sanctuary Church in San Antonio.

For me probably,

The first 3 Scream The Prayer Tours with too many bands too count (Im not even gonna list of all of them)
Over 3 years I got to see:
Impending Doom
Sleeping Giant
For Today
Agraceful
Attack Attack
Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster
Blessed By A Broken Heart
Mychildren Mybride
War Of Ages
Soul Embraced
With Blood Comes Cleansing
I The Breather
The Crimson Armada
A Plea For Purging
In The Midst Of Lions
The Color Morale
The Great Commission
Hundredth
Haste The Day
The Chariot
Project 86
Oh Sleeper
Gwen Stacy
Corpus Christi

All in 3 shows! Annually for 3 years in a row
(Some bands I got to see multiple times of course!)

Dynamis wrote: wrote:Spring of 1985 I saw Saint open for Stryper in Portland, Oregon.  The very next year it was Bloodgood opening for Stryper.

Also saw Holy Soldier in a small club in downtown Portland in early 1990.

Saw those myself. 

Saw The Crucified in some little hall back in the day with about 150 folk and it was almost 100 degrees out. Covered in sweat, there's and ours.

BTA, Demon Hunter, Zao and someone else and the whole place was a mosh pit. Good fun.

Not to be unduly negative, but I see that Stryper was some of your firsts. The first time I saw them I did enjoy them a lot and was still riding high on the feelings when the next day I got the call telling me that my little sister had died.

have to go with The Crucified...a small hall in Federal Way with about 150 souls...hot and sweaty...huh, this sounds familiar...

Black Rider, it sounds like we were at the same show from your description and location... Yes?

Black Rider wrote:Saw The Crucified in some little hall back in the day with about 150 folk and it was almost 100 degrees out. Covered in sweat, there's and ours.

here is my ticket






I would also second the King's X / Galactic Cowboys. Saw them in Seattle, I think at Rock Candy, leaning against the stage, getting showered in Doug Pinnick and Ben Huggins spittle...Incredible!

I am jealous of some of you, as I've state before, I would trade it all to have seen Vengeance in the Human Sacrifice era...

I saw them in Salem, Or. but that's the right year.

First Stryper show in 2007
Rob Rock in 2014

The period of 2009-2012 was my prime time for metal concerts. Since I've only been a christian for less than half of that period, I haven't seen many christian metal bands. Plus, they don't tour that much. Anyway, I saw Sinbreed back then; I consider them a christian metal band until their album Shadows. It was a nice concert.
I also saw Theocracy a few weeks before that. Terrible venue, great show and atmosphere.

Also saw Neal Morse in 2015 but I don't think that counts as metal.

Cool memorabilia, Wigeon. I didn't save any ticket stubs or posters, but I do have a lot of photos from concerts I attended. I just need to find the time to scan them into digital format someday.

crucifyd wrote:have to go with The Crucified...a small hall in Federal Way with about 150 souls...hot and sweaty...huh, this sounds familiar...

Black Rider, it sounds like we were at the same show from your description and location... Yes?

Black Rider wrote:Saw The Crucified in some little hall back in the day with about 150 folk and it was almost 100 degrees out. Covered in sweat, there's and ours.

here is my ticket






I would also second the King's X / Galactic Cowboys. Saw them in Seattle, I think at Rock Candy, leaning against the stage, getting showered in Doug Pinnick and Ben Huggins spittle...Incredible!

I am jealous of some of you, as I've state before, I would trade it all to have seen Vengeance in the Human Sacrifice era...

I wonder if we ever had bumped into each other. I went on a Northwest tour in 92 with Martyr and Hold True. Federal Way rings a bell, we may have played there.


BTW, crazy thing when I wen tot post. It took me to a page to verify that I wasn't a spammer. I couldn't post until I deleted the ticket image.