Lit up in bold lettering across the blue marquee outside of History, the Live Nations venue on the east end of Toronto, was the name W.A.S.P. Leather, chains and band shirts are worn by fans throughout the line outside as the Heavy Metal fans of Toronto made their way out for a loud Monday night as the kings of shock-rock were joined by Armored Saint, the leaders of the Los Angeles Heavy Metal scene.
W.A.S.P – Armored Saint
History, Toronto – 11 November 2024
Words And Photography: Taylor Cameron
W.A.S.P
Fans were certainly excited for the iconic W.A.S.P to hit the stage. The crowd roared as Blackie Lawless and his band of talented musicians (Doug Blair on Guitar, Mike Duda on Bass and Aquiles Priester on Drums) hit the stage decorated in skulls and chains. 
Touring to celebrate the 40th anniversary of W.A.S.P’s self-titled debut album, the band played the album in its entirety. Kicking off with a song Lawless has never started a set with previously, I Wanna Be Somebody, fans went wild to one of W.A.S.P’s most well-known songs.
“I Wanna Be Somebody” was sung loudly across the venue as horns were raised high in the air. For any W.A.S.P enthusiast, Animal (Fuck Like A Beast) was notably left off the setlist. This was the song that was removed from the album before its release due to having been listed in the Filthy 15 by the PMRC.
Playing an album in chronological order brings an excitement to a rock show, getting to hear tracks the band has either never done live before or have not played since the 1980s. L.O.V.E Machine, The Flame and B.A.D followed and the crowd continued to sing along to every word.
Excitement radiated off the crowd and was felt by everyone in the room. Projected onto the backdrops surrounding the stage were original W.A.S.P music videos to accompany the songs from the album being played, adding another element of nostalgia to the evening. 
The lights dimmed as the band kicked into the ballad on the album, Sleeping (In The Fire). Lawless and Duda left the stage, Blair closing out the track with an extended guitar solo that left the crowd cheering for more.
“Now for a track that we opened our set with for years,” Lawless announces as Blair ripped into the chugging guitar intro of On Your Knees. From top to bottom, this W.A.S.P debut album is filled with iconic riffs and strong Heavy Metal lyrics.
Each track is just as strong as the other, and fans visibly enjoyed every minute of experiencing this great album live in its entirety. Tormentor and The Torture Never Stops finished off the first album and this part of the set. However, the night was not over yet.
Returning to the stage for an encore, the band played a medley of songs from W.A.S.P’s 1986 release Inside The Electric Circus and that song from Ghoulies II. 
Giving fans a little taste of the rest of W.A.S.P’s ’80s discography, they also played Wild Child and Blind In Texas from The Last Command, as well as a second medley combining Forever Free and The Headless Children from the 1989 album of the same name. 
Toronto’s Metal fans were not disappointed with the One Alive Tour, as visible excitement was seen throughout the venue. From headbanging to holding their horns up high in the air, the appreciation for the music was definitely felt by both the crowd and the band.
Blackie Lawless is still kicking ass, delivering a performance that fans will not forget.
Armored Saint
Beginning a quality night of Heavy Metal were Los Angeles Legends Armored Saint. Their hour set consisted of tracks spanning their entire career, from songs from their latest studio album Punching The Sky, to some ’80s classics from their first few albums. 
“We’ve been in Canada for a few shows now, but we’re very excited to be in Toronto, the Heavy Metal capital of Canada,” John Bush declared as the crowd erupted into loud cheers. “The first time we played here was in 1985 with W.A.S.P and Metallica.” 
Armored Saint’s stage presence was top-notch, and the energy was consistently high from start to finish. They pumped up the crowd perfectly, their set reminiscent of the 1980s. The comradery within Armored Saint is still just as strong as when they formed. 
The band’s lineup consists of almost all original members, with guitarist Jeff Duncan the last to join the band in 1989, something that is a rarity nowadays within any band from the ’80s.
