10.30.87

De Anza Theater, Riverside, CA
Opening for Lizzy Borden

LIVE VIDEO

Mike Bonaventura – Guitars
Jim Houle – Drums
Todd May – Guitars
Gary Sebourn – Bass
Mike White - Vocals

Setlist:

Let’s Play Dead
Justice of the Peace
Submit or Die
Witch Hunt
Eye for an Eye
SDI (Death From Above)
Preach Violence











De Anza Theater was an old movie theater that had become a prime Inland Empire venue for bands. We opened for Lizzy Borden (note the giant TV screen props on the stage behind us) and was one of the bigger shows we had been playing at the time. This show followed our hugely successful opening slot at the July 5th ANTHRAX/METAL CHURCH/TESTAMENT show which vocalist Mike White refers to at one point in this show. Looking back on it this was a pretty good show, although the tempos are bit “rushed” – I remember it being fun and it looks like we’re having fun.

The setlist included some early versions of songs that became staples in the set into the 1990’s, and remained a part of the setlist through several vocalist changes. With only the 3 songs from the demo, there were 4 new songs in the setlist since the last show in July - we had pretty much abandoned the older "Iron Maiden"-type stuff and were headed toward a faster, heavier style.

Song background:

The lyrics to "Let's Play Dead" were written by Mike White about the rash of teen "suicide pacts" that had been going on at that time.(Four teenagers in Bergenfield, New Jersey, killed themselves in 1987 in a suicide pact that involved carbon monoxide poisoning. Their suicides received extensive media coverage, and a few days later, two more teens killed themselves in a similar manner in Chicago. A third teen killed himself a week later by carbon monoxide poisoning; investigators found a clipping in his room about the Bergenfield suicides. Suicides by teens using carbon monoxide were also reported the same week in Illinois, Nebraska, and Washington.)

"Submit or Die" was Mike B.'s lyrics with parts of the song contributed by everyone. "Justice of the Peace", "Witch Hunt" and "Eye for an Eye" were my lyrics. "Preach Violence" was Gary's song.

This was the last show with Mike White as vocalist.