Testament is easily one of the most popular bands from the mid-1980s Bay Area thrash scene. For nearly 30 years, they have provided us with consistently strong thrash metal that remains fresh and interesting to this day. Although most of us prefer the early work from albums like The Legacy and The New Order, 2008's long-awaited The Formation of Damnation reminded us that Testament could still produce some of the finest old-school thrash available. In the next few months, they will finally release a new album, The Dark Roots of the Earth, which is already promising to deliver more of the same blend of speed and aggression we've come to expect. This Testament show, however, was not a showcase for any of the new material. Instead, it was a simple celebration of what Testament has already done, an evening for fans to jump, mosh, sing and headbang with a classic band playing their best tunes.

I've been to lots of concerts over the years, but I have to say that Testament is one of the happiest live acts I've seen. I mention this because with all this band has been through, from health problems to personnel changes, I wouldn't think they could find such joy from performance. I was wrong. From start to finish, Chuck Billy greeted fans with a giant smile and horns raised proudly. When he wasn't singing, he used his portable microphone stand as a guitar stand-in and pretended to finger the chords (even some of the solos) as Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson produced the actual notes. A consummate showman, Billy kept the fans' attention focused on the music, the rhythms, and the words. I was particularly impressed with his ability to get the audience to hold their arms up as though holding the handlebars to a chopper during "Henchmen Ride." With my own fists raised in the air, I felt something of the energy and the excitement that was in the air all night.

In all my years as a Testament fan, I've never given as much thought to the drum parts and, particularly, to Greg Christian's bass playing. After tonight, I need to go back and listen more carefully to the outstanding rhythm section of this band. I was especially impressed with Christian's bass technique. He has a fluid style, but is not content to simply play easy root parts that keep listeners connected to the chords. Instead, he roams around the fretboard, bringing virtuosity to his playing that was fun to watch. If you ever get to see him perform, check out the way he moves his hands from note to note. He has a great technique that lots of players could learn from.