BOSTON, MA | ‘80s American heavy metal icons W.A.S.P. brought their electrifying 40 Years Live World Tour to a sold out Big Night Live Wednesday night. The eager crowd buzzed with excitement as this tour ended a decade-long touring hiatus in the United States.
Los Angeles heavy metal act Armored Saint who also became well known in the same era as W.A.S.P. fittingly opened the night and got the crowd amped up. Vocalist Jason McMaster sounded great as he filled in for John Bush who was recovering from an illness. He was notably excited to be in the spotlight, especially in Boston where he shared his appreciation for how this city always gives the energy back to the artists. The Sandoval brothers continued to be the heartbeat of the band, both on drums and lead guitar.
W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless commanded the audience with every shout and was met with equal enthusiasm by a crowd headbanging along to their biggest hits. Blackie was joined by W.A.S.P.’s current lineup of bassist Mike Duda and guitarist Doug Blair, whose tenures in the band span 26 and 18 years respectively, along with drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester.
Custom sawblade guitars perfectly suited Doug Blair’s shredding as he filled the night with lengthy and passionate solos. Duda kept the energy high while shouting backing vocals and bouncing around the stage. A thunderous double bass kit was in high gear with Priester behind the drums. Led by Blackie Lawless, this lineup had Boston throwing up their horns and shouting along all night.
This tour is an homage to the impact that W.A.S.P.’s music had on metal and metalheads alike. Not only is this commemorative show special for all their fans that were there from the beginning, but is a chance for new fans to see this band perform in a way that honors why they rose to such heights.
W.A.S.P was exposed to a younger generation this summer when the band was subtly featured in the show Stranger Things with a logo pin fashioned on Eddie Munsen’s vest. For any music lover looking to get into this genre that they had yet to explore, Eddie’s vest served as a road map for where to begin. Once you saw any of W.A.S.P.’s music videos or wild live performances, you were stopped dead in your tracks and had to dive fully into their catalog. The intensity of their music paired with their on stage theatrics made this band one you couldn’t help being fascinated with.
Half of the night’s setlist came from the band’s first two albums: W.A.S.P and The Last Command, both of which have been certified gold. Their music has progressed and developed since then with tracks like “The Idol” which they played in Boston.
As impressive as tracks like these are, they don’t compare to W.A.S.P.’s fierce start. This tour was promoted as a return to the beginning by having it be “complete with all the fire and all the blood that shocked the world the first time.” In the early ’80s Blackie Lawless would perform a twisted and scary type of rock theater, complete with saw blade studded outfits, drinking blood from skulls, and carving up raw meat with an axe only to throw it into the audience.
Tonight’s stage set contained large circus posters referencing some of the band’s famous songs, and large screens displayed their music videos and other moments throughout the band’s history. The performance art aspect from their earliest shows was only referenced instead of being played out live for the crowd to experience firsthand. Tonight’s show was missing that intensity and the on-stage antics that propelled them into stardom, but was still thrilling nonetheless.
Although this was a tame version of what W.A.S.P. delivered during their performances in the ’80s, fans were ecstatic to see them live. “As soon as you hear his voice, you know it’s Blackie,” said long time fan Ed who goes by the nickname “Road Dog.” Liz G. from North Andover, MA, is a lifelong fan who saw W.A.S.P. at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston for their famous “Inside the Electric Circus” tour in ’87. When asked how that concert was, she said “Frankly it’s a blur. My heart belongs to Blackie—I love his voice and music. It’s so unique! He doesn’t sound like anyone else.”
W.A.S.P’s 40 Years Live World Tour continues down the east coast, ending its American run in California before trekking into Europe.
ARMORED SAINT
