Testament has played well over 2,000 shows across their four-plus decade career, but clearly they’ve got some favorites. We caught up with Testament vocalist Chuck Billy and guitarists Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick to discuss their favorite shows ever, and yes – we’ve found some fantastic footage.
Eric Peterson: “I would have to say definitely our first time to Japan in ’89 on our Practice What You Preach campaign and selling out two nights at the Hammersmith Odeon in London a great experience indeed, also playing first time in Chile what a crowd! And of course our first time to NY in ’87 supporting Slayer two nights at L’Amours!
Chuck Billy: “The first time leaving the country in 1987 playing the Dynamo open air in the back parking lot behind the famous Dynamo Club. Our first experience Playing a festival stage and to a large foreign crowd.
“In 1988 getting the call from our agent that Megadeth had to cancel their performance at the Monsters of Rock in Germany and we were the replacement. We played to 120,000 metal heads with all of our Hero’s on the main stage. Of course opening for Slayer 2 nights in 1987 at L’Amours. Not sure our album was even out yet. 1990 tour with Judas Priest was a dream come true as I was the biggest Priest fan growing up.
“We were in Germany at the time they took down the wall. We got to take hammers and chip chunks out of the wall for souvenirs was unbelievable still to this day hold a lot of meaning to me.”
Alex Skolnick: “One is my very first time with the band at Ruthie’s Inn, with Death Angel. My first proper gig but got through it, which felt like a true rite of passage.
“Then there was our first time playing at L’Amours Brooklyn, supporting Slayer. Slayer‘s NY fans were not exactly known for their warm welcome towards unknown support acts. That gig felt like a fraternity hazing but by the end, we’d survived, even won a few fans over and truly felt we were on our way.
“Playing Japan for the very first time in 1990 was a memorable experience. It truly felt like a different world, culturally. At that time, fans were actually seated, politely applauding after each song. Nowadays, it’s much more like the West, with standing room, mosh pits and crowd surfing. Also from the moment we got off the plane it was like a taste of ‘Beatlemania,’ with fans, including crying girls, at the airport, hotels and train stations.
“Of course, there was our very first time playing in Europe, which was also our first festival appearance. Flying to Netherlands to play the Dynamo Open Air resulted in the Live at Eindhoven recording. That was a day never to be forgotten.
“A more recent example is the Poland Rock Festival in 2019. This was one of those huge free concerts open to all, nationally televised. Most of the groups were Polish but the few Western acts were mainly groups we wouldn’t have been on a bill with, such as Prophets of Rage (with Tom Morello and Chuck D), Ziggy Marley and others. With over a hundred thousand people in attendance, it felt like playing a current version of Woodstock.”
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