Roughly ten years after his death, Paul Baloff will be remembered at a memorial show, set for 4th of February, 2012 in Oakland, CA at Oakland Metro Operahouse. Set to take the stage are the Bay Area bands Exodus, Possessed, Heathen and Forbidden as well as a number of smaller bands.
“With February 2 being the 10-year anniversary of Paul’s passing, the band knew it was high time we do something special to remember the legend of Paul Baloff, so we decided to put together a show the Bay Area will not soon forget,” said Exodus guitarist Gary Holt. “We’ve pulled some of the Bay’s finest for this, bands who knew and shared many a stage and drink with Pavel. There are some nice surprises in store as well. It will be 10 years and two days since the thrash world lost one of its greatest frontmen ever, and we will always make sure his memory lives on and is never forgotten. Long live The Destroyer!”
Also commenting on the show, Forbidden guitarist Craig Locicero said “Everyone in Forbidden is honored to have been asked by Gary and Exodus to play this show marking the 10th anniversary of Paul Baloff’s crazy fucking life.”
Paul Baloff joined Exodus in 1981, first appearing on their 1982 demo, as well as their first album Bonded by Blood, released in 1985. He was dismissed from the band in 1986, but would rejoin in 1997 appearing on the live album Another Lesson in Violence. During his absence, Exodus’ vocal duties were performed by Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza, who was the vocalist for Legacy, an early version of what would become Testament.
Paul Baloff was a staple of the Bay Area Thrash scene, being involved in other bands like Pirhana and filling in on vocals for Heathen. Speaking about Baloff, Craig Locicero also commented, “We all really loved him. Luckily his legend has returned with a vengeance … and hey, Paul, you did it: You’ve become heavier than time!”
Baloff passed away on the 2nd of February 2002 after falling into a coma resulting from a stroke.