Infamous for how the original 2020 European run ended with the bands returning to California in the midst of the rapidly accelerating pandemic which hit some of the band members hard, “The Bay Strikes Back” Tour finally came to an end with a truly epic hometown show that had hardcore fans lining up for two blocks along San Carlos Street waiting for the doors to finally open.
Death Angel kicked things off with “The Ultra-Violence” which unsurprisingly opened the pit up quickly and set the tone for what would prove to be a memorable evening that showcased all that is great about the Bay Area metal scene. Exodus kicked things up a notch with their “lesson in violence” that kept the pit roiling and undoubtedly raised the temperature inside the civic by a few degrees.
“The Toxic Waltz” is always a favorite of the local fans and Holt delivered an absolutely blistering version but only after first teasing the crowd with riffs by Metallica and Slayer. Exodus ended their set with a wall of death that had some dude doing pushups in the middle of the floor as each side of the pit waited for the breakdown from “Strike of the Beast” to kick in. By the looks of the ensuing chaos, that may have been the last pushup that guy ever did.
With the stage set up for Testament complete, the crew pumped low lying fog onto the stage as Jim Croce’s “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” blasted over the PA and Dave Lombardo (who rejoined the band earlier this year to replace the departing Gene Hoglan) casually stepped behind the drums.
After the ferocity of Exodus’ set it was hard to imagine the San Jose crowd rallying but that they did; the security crew up front was busier than they had been all night catching crowd surfers left and right, mostly successful in slowing their falls as they tumbled over the barricade. That fervor did not end until Testament played the last notes of “Alone in the Dark” and the confetti cannons signaled the official end of “The Bay Strikes Back.”
There’s definitely something to be said for ending a tour on home turf—and after nearly seven months on the road, all three bands were as tight as can be but visibly relaxed by the fact that the grind of the road was finally over and when they were done here, they’d be able to go home to spend times with their friends and families that filled the periphery of the stage.
DEATH ANGEL
EXODUS
TESTAMENT
TESTAMENT SETLIST
Rise Up
The New Order
The Pale King
Children of the Next Level
Practice What You Preach
WWIII
D.N.R.
Native Blood
Night of the Witch
Electric Crown
The Formation of Damnation
First Strike Is Deadly
Over the Wall
Into the Pit
Alone in the Dark
