Grim Reaper - St. Vitus, Brooklyn NY - March 18, 2016 Review, Videos and Photos

In 2014, Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper started their U.S. tour at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn (See that review by clicking here).  Well they say things go in cycles, so here comes Grim Reaper in 2016 starting their U.S. tour at Saint Vitus once again on Friday, March 18.

Like any show at Saint Vitus, we started the night next door having some delicious and cheap Mexican and some cold cervezas (I highly recommend the chicken burrito!).  By the time we went to the club, the last of the opening bands was on as we checked out the merchandise.  Very cool shirts and tour poster!



The place was packed, but this was expected.  Last time they started the tour with two nights here and this single show definitely appeared to be sold out.  We thought we might have trouble getting a good spot but luckily when the opening band ended, everyone went for pee and beer breaks and we got up right next to the stage where guitarist Richie Yeates would shred away mere inches from my face (and camera) all night long (see the videos below).



Speaking of videos, I only brought my new iPhone to this show as the lights which line the back wall of the Saint Vitus stage and shine out towards the audience always make it a bitch to get good photos here, so instead I took a few still shots and mainly got some killer super up close videos to tell the story.



That story is titled "Heavy Metal Fucking Done Right!" (Yeah...it's a bit of a wordy title and probably wouldn't be featured on Oprah's book club, but most definitely rings true.)



Along with Richie on guitar (on his first visit/tour of America - hope it's going great Richie!), we have Chaz Grimaldi back on bass (M3 a mere month away Chaz...our beer will be cold and plentiful) and the skin bashing monster Paul White holding down the beat.  Then there's the metal legend himself, the voice, Steve Grimmett.



No first show of tour issues at all.  The band was tight and the vocals were killer!



The set was book ended by their two "hits" opening with "Rock You To Hell" and closing ninety minutes later with a massive audience sing-a-long of "See You In Hell". In between we had an even mix of tracks off of both of those albums as well as "Fear No Evil" (including the title track).  



Based on my memory and others on setlist.fm (I guess none of us took notes that night) I believe this was the setlist in order (it's at least 90% correct) along with the videos I took:

Rock You to Hell (video below)

Night of the Vampire
Lust For Freedom
Wrath of the Ripper
Now or Never
Fear No Evil (video below)

Liar
Let The Thunder Roar
Matter of Time
Rock Me 'Til I Die
Don't Talk To Strangers (Dio cover - video below)

Waysted Love
Final Scream (video below)

See You In Hell (video below)

After the set we headed out to the bar area and got to meet and chat with all the member's of the band. Great guys one and all.






This 30th Anniversary of "Fear No Evil" tour is still running for a few weeks and if it's coming anywhere near you and you don't go, well shit, then you can't be helped.



If you got tickets already or plan on picking them up, you're in for a night of metal done right.  

I look forward to the next tour ("Rock You To Hell" 30th anniversary tour?) and I'll be back up against the stage once again at Saint Vitus helping them kick it off.  Everyone who was at this show I'm sure will be too.

If you dug this go to the MostPeopleAreBlank Facebook page by following this link and click the "Like" button to join to be kept up to date on future posts, to comment, share and take part in our giveaways and contests! 

Click any photos to enlarge them to full screen.  Also follow on twitter @MostPeopleBlank   Then, of course, as always - Rock on and Enjoy - Paul

Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper - Saint Vitus, Brooklyn, NY - June 10, 2014 Concert Review and Photos

Tuesday, June 10, was the opening night of Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper mini US Tour.  This is a quick seven shows in eight nights run launching with a two night stand at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn.

Saint Vitus is a heavy metal bar and killer place to see a show.  You walk into the bar area which is long, narrow and dimly lit with video of metal concerts projected on one of the side walls (classic Black Sabbath, Dio and Guns n Roses on this night).  The bar back shelves are lined with classic mostly signed metal albums and the other side wall is the doorway into the concert area which I would guess holds in the area of 200 to 250 when packed out which it was on this night when Grim Reaper took the stage.

Just before the show I read that the last time Grim Reaper played New York prior to this night was in 1987.  I was at one of those shows (at the Mid Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY) 27 years ago.  It was a great triple bill right before Halloween headlined by Grim Reaper with Helloween and Armored Saint opening.  One of my friends who came to this show actually had the setlist from that gig and Steve got a kick out of checking it out all these years later when we met him after the band's set.

We were all excited for this gig, but wondered how Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper of today who hold up to the teenage memories of the band that kicked ass at that Poughkeepsie gig.  Would Steve still have the voice?  Would his current band have the chops of the original band that featured guitarist Nick Bowcott?  There was a brief moment a couple of weeks ago when it was announced Bowcott would actually be playing at these Brooklyn gigs, but shortly after it was said he had to cancel due to tendonitis. A lot of questions to be answered.

Perhaps knowing some might have such questions, Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper decided to immediately put them to rest by opening with one of their two most iconic tunes - "Rock You To Hell."

It sounded awesome!

Other than Steve on vocals, the lineup of Grim Reaper is Ian Nash on guitar, Chaz Grimaldi on bass and Paul White on drums.  The band is tight, energetic and appeared to love the reaction of the rabid metal fans in attendance who knew not only the two "hits" (which would open and close the show), but all the songs played on this evening.

Following up the opening title track to their third album were two other songs from that album, "Night of the Vampire" and "Lust For Freedom".  They then went into  a double shot from their debut album with "Wrath of the Ripper" and "Now or Never."

Between songs Steve continually thanked the crowd for coming out and the great response.  We then got a taste of their second album with the title track off of "Fear No Evil."

Next up was "Liar" and then Steve announced they were going to play something new, the title track from their forthcoming album "From Hell." (If "Hell" works why not stick with it!).

Three of the next four songs were back to the second album with "Never Coming Back", "Lay It On The Line", "Rock Me Til I Die" and "Matter of Time."

As stated earlier, Steve and the band sounded great, but if a vocalist ever wants to show he's still got the goods, there's always a litmus test that can't be faked - cover a song by Dio.  The band nailed "Don't Talk to Strangers" with the audience singing loudly along.

As the cheers died down after this Dio tribute, Steve announced he was going to play a song that he figured was one for the ladies and had a chuckle when one such lady in the crowd yelled out for "Suck It and See"!  If the band does look to add to their setlist when they come back to the states later in the summer for another leg of the tour, the most requested songs by the audience all night were "Suck It and See" and "Dead on Arrival" - neither of which would get played.  Instead the band played "Waysted Love."

Steve said how normally at this point, if there were a backstage they would leave the stage and come back for the encore, but since there was not they would just play through and launched into "Final Scream."

Then there was only one song left and as the opening notes of "See You In Hell" began, the audience who had been rocking out all night went apeshit and a good portion of the crowd jumped up on stage to sing along.  I love the look on Steve's Face in this shot during the audience invasion!

Steve allowed them stage time for about half the song but then somewhat shooed them off and everyone politely obliged, finishing their rocking back down on the floor.

Steve said the band would come out to the merchandise table for anyone who wanted to meet them or get stuff signed and they all did about 15 minutes later and it was a great way to end the night.

On this tour, all the band was selling was this shirt pictured below.  Evidently it was so popular it sold out after the third gig and their screen printing company was working emergency overtime to get shirts out for the rest of the tour.

It was a great night of rock and if Steve or any members of the band are reading this, we'd love you guys to come back to Poughkeepsie all these years later.  Maybe at the The Chance or The Loft at the Chance.  I'll be happy to pass on the info.

If you click on any photos in this review, they will blow up to supersize.  Please feel free to comment or email if you have anything to say or share this post with your friends and if you enjoyed it, please follow me on twitter so you are made aware of future posts.  Enjoy!