Review: Stephen Brophy for MPM
When Geoff Tate initially started touring the classic Queensryche album Operation Mindcrime, I really wasn’t sure how well it would work, but it only took one show to solve that, and he has continued to tour regularly both Mindcrime and Empire through his mid 60s without losing his power or the love he clearly has for the music. Normally I tend to wander around venues a little when I can to hear and see different perspectives, but for this one I never moved from the front and as I looked back I wasn’t going to be moving anywhere anyway. You could just feel an electricity in the air for this one.
Opening the show tonight was Tomás McCarthy and his band and wow did they do more than just warm up the crowd. The 3 piece with two acoustic guitarists and Tomás’s wife Clodagh on saxophone and backing vocals were really excellent, and you could tell by the crowd reaction that is no exaggeration. Offering up a tonne of talent from every angle, Tomas could sing anything, he’s got a gravel when he needs it, throat singing, folk or trad, deep blues or the stunning beauty of ‘Colours’ which absolutely blew me away. These guys can go in so many directions, but I look forward to following their journey. Their own music was great and when they finished with a hectic cover of Lead Belly’s ‘Out On The Western Plains’ it was sad the set was at an end. Clodagh would be double jobbing tonight playing keyboards and lending her excellent vocals to the part of Sister Mary in Geoff’s band too.
What you come to expect with Geoff’s solo tours is a very high calibre in musicians in the band surrounding him, and that’s no exception on this run. An added bonus is having a number of home grown musicians in the band. Musically the sound was spot on, guitarists were excellent throughout nailing solo after solo and pumping great energy into the show. Bass and Drums the same and keyboards, with the low end bass not overpowering anything and the addition of an extra percussionist really pushed things up an extra notch for me, I just loved the extra power it added to the whole thing. Add to that Geoff and Clodagh acting out the Nikki and Sister Mary characters on top of the vocals and excellent backing vocals and you have a show to really get your teeth into. Really hard to pick the top tracks from this set but ‘Spreading The Disease’, ‘The Mission’ and ‘I Don’t Believe In Love’ had me closing my eyes and enjoying at times.
The thing you can never be so sure of is how any particular crowd will react to a show, tonight the crowd were singing aloud, looking left and right it was reassuring that I wasn’t the only one belting out their favourite tunes, not that it would bother me, but this show deserved the engagement of the fans, and it got that in spades. As I happened to be standing in front of Guitarist James Brown’s stage position it was difficult not to focus on him and Geoff. Have to say that the band appeared to all love the show and when they were introduced the applause was just as loud for each member, just appreciating what they heard.
Aside from the Mindcrime album itself tonight we are treated to some more of Queensryche’s biggest songs as they manage to maintain the momentum that has built up all the way through the set. A rip roaring version of “Take Hold Of The Flame” with the crowd participating just as loudly as they did all night. A short break and an encore of the expected ‘Silent Lucidity’ for which many people have both come into or exited this world to and there’s almost a reverence that takes over the room when the song is played. The night closing out with a brilliant version of ‘Queen Of The Reich’ that had arms in the air and heads moving once again.
If this was the last time that we get to hear Mindcrime in full then I have walked away a very happy man, as this performance will live long in the memory. The vocals, the theatrical performance, the passion from the whole band and to me the enjoyment they were having playing these classic songs shone through, and that reverberated through the crowd. Stunning show, where you are left wanting more and still really happy with what you got, speaking to a number of people after it finished the quality of the vocals once again shone through. Will be hoping for another visit of Empire in it’s entirety, fingers crossed.
Geoff Tate Setlist –
I Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Operation Mindcrime
Speak
Spreading The Disease
The Mission
Suite Sister Mary
The Needle Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking The Silence
I Don’t Believe In Love
Waiting For 22
My Empty Room
Eyes Of A Stranger
Jet City Woman
Take Hold Of The Flame
Encore :
Silent Lucidity
Queen Of The Reich
More tour dates added! Which show will I see you at?
