Review & Photography by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
Geoff rolls into Glasgow to play Operation Mindcrime in its entirety one last time and what a way to retire this album.
I can remember clear as day back in 1988 when I heard this album for the first time and being completely blown away. It instantly became my favourite concept album and that is still the case to this day.
It is an amazing piece of work and I have luckily had time to discuss it with Geoff in interview and after shows so to have even more back story to how this was written is enlightening. Sheltering from a storm in a church was where the idea came from and Sister Mary being conjured up from a lady in a Paris nightclub are just two of the stories but what really stood out was the band.
In 1988 the band had two albums behind them, they were starting to make a name for themselves and had played support to the likes of Dio but they were far from a household name but Operation Mindcrime was about to change all that.
When Geoff had the crazy idea to do a concept album the band could have laughed it off and continue with their take on 80s metal but they went with it and every player in Queensryche laid down songs that are still relevant and loved today.
This was well before the many issues that the band had but this skyrocketed the band and paved the way for the massive album Empire but for me this album will always be Queensryche’s Grand Opus and an album I never tire off.
I have seen the album played in its entirety many times and tonight’s rendition was sublime. Geoff’s voice is flawless and the man looks as fit as he ever has. The stage is fit to bursting with eight musicians and like the stage the crowd is also very busy. The place is packed to the rafters, everyone desperate to see this majestic album played just one more time.
I honestly hope this is not the last time Geoff plays this but if it is it went out swinging. Every member on that stage shone tonight and done the legacy proud. Those classic songs sounded huge in this old theatre. The sound was perfection and boy did the Glasgow Choir turn up to sing their lungs out…I was hoarse the next day.
To add to the intensity of Mindcrime in full we get “Empire”, “Jet City Woman” and “Silent Lucidity” to bring down the curtain on the main set, before we finish with an encore of “Take hold of the Flame” and ” Queen of the Reich”.
The singing stopped, the venue emptied but the memories will live on. “Operation Mindcrime” is one of the best metal albums ever released and it is very sad to say goodbye to it in a live environment. Maybe this will be a Motley Crue moment. There is no contract to rip up and not one person here tonight would care less if Geoff goes back on his word and digs this out again later.
Whether this happens or not I have the songs seared into my brain and who knows, maybe that long rumoured Operation Mindcrime three will finally see the light of day and we at least do not need to say goodbye to the characters.
