Millersville University - Touchstone Yearbook (Millersville, PA)

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Michael Sweet, on guitar, and Timothy Gaines.'on bass, crank out a popular Soy-per tune. ■'Free also received airplay on MTV. and was their second video. Pholo by StciK Olson

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Renouncing the deoil, tossing Bibles into the crowds, Stryper Overwhelmed Pucillo by Andrea Burkholder California's Christian hard rockers. Stryper. and their opening band. Hurricane, stormed through the 'Ville adding new power and excitement to a familiar heavy metal sound. Sunday. March 22. 1987 found Pucillo Gym packed with a sold-out audience. Fans and more fans crowded into the building for a rocking concert of singing, cheering. and musical jamming. Excited fans had waited with anticipation since noon that day. By seven-thirty that evening, lines spanned from the front doors of Pucillo to the back of the gym. When the doors finally opened, people of all ages dressed in varieties of yellow and black garb pushed and shoved their way inside the gym for the best possible seat. First to rock the stage was Hurricane. We are strong. was the song they dedicated to their host band. Stryper. The crowd went wild when Stryper was mentioned. and the song got fans moving to the beat with even more anticipation for the main act. After a short intermission, the lights went down and Stryper Continued on page 14. Singing Calling On You.' a song whose video receives freguent airplay on MTV. Stryper plays to a frenzied audience. The crowds formed huge lines outside of Pu cillo Gym for the concert. Photo by Stax Olson r

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Stryper (continued) Continued from page 12. took the stage. 'To Hell with the Devil was the opening song which set the mood and message for the show. These guys looked and sounded like standard-issue hard rockers: polished, guitar-dominated music, glittery yellow and black outfits, guitars and other stage props, shaggy long hair, and best of all a flashy stage performance. But the difference was in their message. In the words of Stryper, They Rock for the One who is the Rock. They threw Bibles into the crowd and listed their favorite Bible verses on their posters. Michael Sweet, the bands lead singer, said. The first question people ask us is, are you guys for real or are you using Jesus Christ as a gimmic? He felt that Other bands sing about what they believe in. so Stryper is going to sing about what we believe in. Stryper's original name was Roxx Regime, but when they became a Christian band they got their new name from the scripture Isaiah 53:5, By His stripes we are healed. In 1984. the “Yellow and Black Attack. (their first album) was released. In 1985, Soldiers (Jnder Command followed. Their latest album, To Hell with the Devil, went quickly to the top 40 and sold a half million copies. This is their best sell- Gaines. Sweet, and Or Fox crank out 'To Hell With the Devil.” The anti devil idea was emphasized when the band threw small Bibles into the screaming crowd, Photo hu Steve Olson 14 Stryper