So we end the year as we started it. Well almost. In something of a dash of déjà vu, former Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate landed back at Trillians at the end of a year long treck which started off pretty much at this very spot, performing the classic Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Surely those who saw this show a few months ago wouldn’t bother coming back so soon after January’s show, would they? Well, Operation: Mindcrime sold a million copies grabbing a Platinum disc along the way and has since gone down in Metal folklore as one of the great Metal albums and a trailblazer of the Progressive Metal movement that flourished in its wake. Who could possibly resist the chance to see this stadium sized epic in such an intimate venue for a second time. Judging by the fans shoehorned in to Trillians there were many of a likeminded view.
Of course, we got the whole, classic album from I Remember Now to the searing climax of Eyes Of A Stranger with the epic Suite Sister Mary taking centre stage featuring Tate duetting with his daughter, Emily, in the role of Sister Mary.
Tate’s enthusiastic young band, bolstered by the seasoned Canadian, Scott Moughton on lead guitar, has spent nigh on a year on the road and that experience has forged them into a tight, cohesive unit meaning the razor-sharp riffing of Speak and The Needle Lies cut hard and deep.
Geoff Tate, one of the finest singers of his generation, was in fine form. His rich mid tone and piecing upper register sounding every bit as effective as when the album was first released three decades ago.
Breaking The Silence and I Don’t Believe In Love raised the roof as the crowd sang along to every word, Tate clearly relishing the closeness of the audience to the stage.
How could Tate and his band possibly follow that? Well a mini-Empire set including the Grammy nominated Silent Lucidity and the hi-tec blast of Best I Can passed the baton, nicely setting up next year’s 30th anniversary of their multi-Platinum Empire album.
Review and Photos By Mick Burgess
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