Testament- "Riding The Snake" Tour Review
House of Blues, Chicago, IL
1. D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)
2. Down For Life
3. Demonic Refusal
4. Low
5. Allegiance
6. Burnt Offerings
7. The Burning Times
8. Into The Pit
9. 3 Days In Darkness
10. Eyes Of Wrath
11. Riding The Snake
12. Legions Of The Dead
13. Practice What You Preach
14. True Believer
15. Over The Wall
Encore:
16. Dog Faced Gods
17. Disciples Of The Watch
As I arrived in the middle of the opening band's set, I realized that this was going to be another excellent show. The opening band was pretty marginal, but no one seemed to care as Testament was coming up. They stormed on to the stage with the predictable but perfect opener D.N.R. It was clear from the beginning that this lineup, despite an all-new rhythm section, was in top form. Although the sound was a bit muddy at the start of things, the band tightened up to balance things out. The mid-paced songs sounded the best, as did the older material, mainly because the crowd was more knowledgeable of the classic Testament material. The highlights of the set included "Into The Pit", "Practice What You Preach", and "Over The Wall". Other notables included Chuck accidentally calling drummer Jon Allen by the old drummer's name (Steve), Steve DiGiorgio's extended bass solo (excellent!), Chuck encouraging moshers to climb "Over The Wall" of security, and Chuck giving the finger with his half-staff mike to some dick in the audience. All in all, it was a great show for all who attended, especially myself and my girlfriend, who rarely enjoys heavy metal shows. Testament - Chicago fucking loves you. See you again soon...
Rating: 9/10