Anthrax at First Avenue on 1/14/06

By: Sean Sauder

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I hadn't seen Anthrax since the Clash Of The Titans Tour (the amazing lineup of Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, and Alice In Chains) in 1991. Shortly after the tour, lead vocalist, Joe Belladonna left the band, only to be followed by lead guitaristDan Spitz, and eventually, bassist Frank Bello. Armored Saint's John Bush replaced Belladonna, and Anthrax continued to tour, recording four more studio albums from 1993 to 2003. Anthrax's fan base remained loyal, some even preferring the band during the John Bush era. I myself like Bush’s work with the band; however, I was excited in 2005 when I heard that Belladonna, Spitz, and Bello would be rejoining rhythm guitarist, Scott Ian and drummer, Charlie Benante for a reprisal of the band's lineup from their most commercially successful period (1985 - 1991). Despite some previews in the papers this week touting this as the "original" Anthrax lineup, fans of the band know that Anthrax’s debut album, Fistful Of Metal (1984) included lead vocalist, Neil Turbin and bassist, Dan Lilker (Nuclear Assault, S.O.D.). That album was represented Saturday in the second song of the show, "Metal Thrashing Mad".

This was Anthrax’s first visit to Minneapolis since the "classic" lineup started touring again in April 2005 and the first time the band had been to town in three years. They seemed genuinely happy to be back and the crowd seemed happy to have them. "Reunion" concerts don't always live up to the hype, but this one definitely did, and it’s likely the closest I'll come to reliving what it was like to be a speed metal freak back in 1987. During "A Skeleton In the Closet" I made my way upstairs to check out the vibe and a First Avenue staffer was seated in a chair banging his head as hard as anyone in the mosh pit and singing along at the top of his lungs. As I walked by, I joined him in a brief fist shaking shout of "HIDING IN THE CLOSET" during the chorus of the song. Trust me. It was cool.

There was a brief break in the band’s jovial mood when Scott Ian became disgusted (and rightly so) with people throwing beer at the stage and all over his effects pedals, causing his guitar to cut out a few times. Other than having to tell people to "keep your liquids to yourselves", he spent the rest of the evening complimenting the crowd and inciting them to mosh. The crowd was only too happy to comply, especially during "Caught In A Mosh" and "Indians".

I was personally and pleasantly surprised that the 1985 album, Spreading The Disease, was well represented (4 songs), though 2 of my favorites off that album weren't played ("Lone Justice" and "Armed And Dangerous"). During the beginning of "Madhouse," Belladonna teased the audience with a few lines from "The Ripper" by Judas Priest. Of course, the set was also heavy on songs from the classic album, Among The Living (6 songs). But the only song played from 1990's Persistence Of Time was "Got The Time". That’s a great song, but I would also have liked to hear "Keep It In The Family" and "Belly Of The Beast".

"Be All, End All" from 1988's State Of Euphoria kicked off the encore with the crowd singing along at full volume. It didn't take away from the show musically, but Belladonna engaged in one of my biggest concert pet peeves when he came back for the encore wearing a Vikings jersey and a Twins cap. If I never see this done again it will be too soon. I do think Belladona actually is a Vikings fan (he has sung the national anthem at a game), and at least it was a Paul Krause jersey and not a Daunte Culpepper one, but still, enough already with band members breaking out a hometown sports jersey in every city.

But back to the show. The night ended on a high note with a rousing version of "I Am the Law," the crowd singing along and moshing as Frank Bello continued to fly from one side of the stage to other as he had done all night. Charlie Benante drummed at a breakneck speed and the rest of the band basked in the adulation of the crowd.

There's been speculation on whether Anthrax will record a new album with this lineup. As the band left the stage, that question seemed to be answered when Scott said we should expect the "sickest, most brutal Anthrax album yet" in the future. As Joe Belladonna yelled to the crowd at one point, "'thrax is back!"


Set List

Among The Living
Metal Thrashing Mad
Got The Time
Caught In A Mosh
A.I.R.
Madhouse
A Skeleton In The Closet
Antisocial
Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
Medusa
Indians

Encore

Be All, End All
I'm The Man
Aftershock
I Am The Law

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Location Info: First Avenue
Artist Info: Anthrax

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