It was a night 14 years in the making. Damien, the once world famous act, was playing a reunion show in their hometown of Toledo, Ohio. I remember seeing the video for their hit song "Every Dog Has It's Day" on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, and it did on Friday, August 13th at the Centennial Terrace.
Then, darkness began to fall, and Damien's techs began getting the stage ready. For those there, it was like being transported back to 1989...the crowd was chanting "DA-MI-EN, DA-MI-EN, DA-MI-EN...", impatient fans that have paid their dues, waiting in line to get in the doors, waiting through the opening acts, and finally...waiting for the lights to come up and the music to start.
When the lights did come up, and the band stepped out on the stage, the formerly morose crowd erupted with a roar when their heroes began playing.
Their set included all the favorites from "Every Dog..." and "Stop This War", and John Cappeletty sang a couple from their later efforts. They had the crowd right where they wanted them. There was even this freaky drunk chick who kept screaming in my ear...then jumped up on the stage and sat there in front of everyone, her eyes popping out of her skinny skull, horns going wild
Their encore included three covers from the likes of AC/DC and Black Sabbath's "War Pigs". Then they closed the show with the title song, "Every Dog...has it's day!"
All in all, it was worth the 5 hour drive to see the reunion that I'd been waiting on for 14 years. These guys are so awesome, they hung out with the fans, signing autographs and having pictures taken until the last one walked out the gate...and I heard they went and partied at a local bar until the wee hours of the morning...unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay since I had to be back in Lafayette Saturday. I talked a little with the bandmates, and they confessed to having such a good time that there may be another show someday in the future. Let's hope so.
