Concert Review: Queensyrche – Atlanta, GA – August 17, 2014

QueensrychePhoto2013B&W2byPeterEllenbyQueensryche
August 17, 2014
Atlanta, GA – Center Stage Theater

All things must come to an end as is with the case of Queensryche as we know it. After a long, painful (for the fans and band members) battle over a name, Geoff Tate and his band of facemelters took to the road with their “Farewell to Queensryche” tour. In a move very similar to that of Dio era Black Sabbath touring/recording as Heaven and Hell, Geoff Tate and band will be known as Operation: Mindcrime. All I can say is that I’m just so glad to have all of this out of the way so that we, the fans, can finally just enjoy the fucking music and shows that this great lineup as to offer.

The last time I saw this stellar lineup was when they were touring for the anniversary of Operation: Mindcrime and while it was a great show, I was really hoping to hear a more varied setlist. This time around I got my wish as Geoff Tate and Co. performed a great set of songs covering mainly the Operation: Mindcrime, Empire, and Promised Land albums. This was fine by me because as I get older I find myself really gravitating to those albums more and more. There’s just something about the lyrical content, the overall dark vibe of the music, and just the vibe in general that hits a chord with me and creates an unbreakable connection.

Opening the night with “Best I Can” seemed very appropriate as Tate and his band move forward in their next chapter as Operation: Mindcrime. Lines like, “And I won’t let it go. I gotta make the grade. Now I won’t let go. To be the best man, the best man that I can” and “Showed me that my will survived when tragedy that came into my life. Giving me hope and the new start that I have” were very autobiographical and appropriate for the time and place Tate is in now. As a fan and supporter, I couldn’t help but throw my fists up and smile for him.

“Another Rainy Night” was very much a welcomed surprise for me as Geoff told a great story about writing this song in a cab in Atlanta after hearing “Rainy Night in Georgia” on the radio. Even unassuming songs such as “Breakdown” from Q2K and “Cold” from Frequency Unknown sounded outstanding and seemed to fit very comfortably with the other more “classic” songs. The highlight of the night for me was the one/two punch of “Real World” and “I Am I” from Promised Land. “Real World” was played with so much passion and heart that it literally had the hairs on my neck standing up while “I Am I” had Geoff in full on performance mode and owning it.

The band as a whole will never cease to amaze me. What I saw in this line up was nothing but heart and a very real love for these songs. I truly do love this line up and it’s just so refreshing to see them having such a great time and loving the songs. Geoff seems to be in a really great place and seems to really be happy with these guys and that translates from the stage to the audience. Guitarist Robert Sarzo was the MVP of this performance without a doubt. He plays those songs with so much love and passion that you’d think he’d been playing them from the beginning. His closing solo for “Della Brown” brought the house down also giving me goose bumps. He was feeling each and every note and like with Tate, it translated to the crowd and just had us all feeling it as well.

The band closed things out with a four song encore that I thought while slightly predictable sounded absolutely fantastic. I’ll be honest, at times the backing vocals were a bit shifty but you know what? In this time where bands like Motley Crue are playing to backing tapes in order to pull songs off, it was really refreshing to hear a REAL live performance. With that aside, the band played fantastically. “Silent Lucidity” brought a tear to my eye as it really made me remember how much my dad liked this song and how the message in it really connected with me in a huge, personal way. “Eyes of a Stranger” was a great selection to close what I feel to be a triumphant and fantastic night of music.

Queenesryche has left the building and now it’s time for Operation: Mindcrime to enter life as a new entity and to create new chapters of music. This show was a very emotional and moving night of music and its shows like this that make me proud to be a fan of a band. There will always be haters and there will always be those that take sides. That’s fine. You take your side and stick with it. Regardless of who knows what and who knows this about that, choose the side that makes you feel, that connects with you, and that moves you. Choose both if you care. For me, Geoff Tate and his band have hit a chord with me and connected with me in a very deep and powerful way. The sky is the limit for this line up and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. :Mindcrime:

Setlist:

Best I Can, Breakdown, Another Rainy Night (Without You), Cold, Real World, I Am I, The Needle Lies, Della Brown, The Thin Line, Breaking the Silence, I Don’t Believe in Love

Encore:
Silent Lucidity, Jet City Woman, Empire, Eyes of a Stranger

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