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Munich, Backstage Halle, August 2, 2015

Well here’s another Free & Easy date I was really looking forward to. Armored Saint came to town yesterday. They were supported by two bands from Germany, Scullwinx and Mystic Prophecy. Third opening act and second on the bill was Midcliff, a rock band from Austria.

Scullwinx:

Mystic Prophecy:

Midriff:

A black curtain hid the view to the stage, when finally it was lifted at about 10.30 pm. Armored Saint started out with ‘Win Hands Down’ the title track to their recent release. It was a 15 song set list. The show lasted about 90 minutes, which again is more than you usually get lately at concerts. They played new songs from WHD, like ‘Mess’ and ‘An Exercise in Debauchery’, but also songs from their first full length ‘March Of The Saints’ like the title track itself , ‘Can U Deliver’and ‘Madhouse’, with which they closed their set that night. I didn’t have to wait long into the set for my all time fave AS song ‘Last Train Home’. They played another two songs from ‘Symbol Of Salvation’, ‘Reign Of Fire’ and ‘Dropping Like Flies’. Johns voice was on point the whole show. Every song, old or new, was welcomed by the crowd with loud cheers. In between each song everyone was shouting ‘ARMORED SAINT’ over and over again. It was really incredible. The people in that room weren’t there because it was a free show, they were there because they were diehard fans.

There were several cameras set up in the venue to record the show for a possible live DVD next year. So keep your eyes peeled for that one. Definitely a show worth recording.

For those not familiar with the band, here’s a short time travel. Armored Saint were formed in 1982 by the brother Phil (guitar) and Gonzo (drums) Sandoval. Their original second guitarist David Prichard quit the band due to him being diagnosed with leukemia. He succumbed to the disease before the recording of ‘Symbol Of Salvation’. He was preplaced by Jeff Duncan. The bands line up was completed with John Bush and Joey Vera. From 1992 to 2005 John Bush joined Anthrax and recorded a few records with them (note from the author: for me the best Anthrax records until today). In 1999 John and Joey decided to get Armored Saint back together again, which led to the release of ‘Revelation’ in 2000. John recorded the last album with Anthrax in 2005 (We’ve Come For You All). Armored Saints latest album ‘Win Hands Down’ was released in Germany on May 29^th through Metal Blade Records.

Between the sets I went to one of the other venues on the premises and took some pictures of the bands ‘Godwave’ and ‘Smoke The Sky’ both bands from Munich. Here’s some impressions of their sets:

Godwave: