Stryper-Lincoln-11.3.24

Stryper at The Bourbon Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska on November 3, 2024.

Photos and Review by The Pit Magazine Contributor, Bob DeHart Photography

It was another nostalgic night at the Bourbon Theatre with Stryper. My last show there was with Mike Tramp of White Lion, who I hadn’t seen perform since 1987. This night it was Stryper. I first saw Stryper around the same time in the To Hell with the Devil tour. It was in Topeka, Kansas. I remember going with my then girlfriend and diving for one of the bibles that they through into the crowd. I was victorious in my pursuit. I don’t have the bible anymore because I gave it to my girlfriend. I’m sure it rests in good hands today.

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Stryper is currently out on their 40 th anniversary tour, which is amazing that they have been around for that long. Many of their contemporaries have fallen through to the wayside by either attrition or just not able to continue on because of age. Stryper still sounds great. Which says a lot about the band. Michael Sweet, one of the hardest working guys in the music business, still has the pipes. Is he the same Michael Sweet of 40 years ago? Absolutley not. But he is definitely doing the legacy of the band justice with the performance he gave on this night. Very strong and consistent. Very impressive for a guy who has been doing this as long as he has been.

For the 40th Anniversary tour, Stryper is playing two sets each night. The first set is dedicated to the classics. They played some of their biggest hits from the MTV age. Song like Free, Calling on You, Always There for You, and To Hell with The Devil. The second half of the show is songs from 2009 to the present. Which, if you haven’t been paying attention, Stryper has put together some very solid releases over last couple years. Most recently When We Were Kings, released earlier this year. It’s a bold move for a band that has been around as long as Stryper.

Most fans of bands like them come to hear the classics and tolerate the new stuff. But it worked well. The fans stayed through the short intermission and rocked out through the new set.

Stryper has remained intact throughout their carrier with just one non-original member. Perry Richardson has been the bass player since 2017. Then you have the Sweet brothers on lead vocals/guitar and drums. Oz Fox has been the mainstay on lead guitar. Oz has had some serious health issues over the past several years. His playing is still top notch, but physically he has taken a hit. He spent the majority of the night playing from a chair on the stage.

I hope you get a chance to see this tour, it was a great show. The crowd was amazing all night, that was fun to watch as you saw fathers bringing their kids to see their favorite band.