Queensryche cleans out the archives, live

QUEENSRYCHE AT WORK: The band performs at the Depot. / Photo by Ben Hansen

The band switched gears quickly following the Rage for Order segment, rolling directly into the opening track Sliver off the new album and next segment, American Solider. A drill sergeant brought the audience to attention, shouting out the opening lyrics, "Get on Your Feet!" The sergeant continued to bark orders throughout the track while Tate sang in tandem.

Video monitors behind the stage provided imagery of our armed forces serving, and served as an emotional storyboard that accompanied each of the songs. Eras of servicemen were seamlessly blended into one focal theme as we watched and listened to the tracks If I Were King, The Killer, and A Dead Man's Words. Tate himself summed it up best as he offered to the audience, "Everything in the world is happening so quickly…look at this, buy this…that we lose track of what is real, of what is really important ­ our family, our friends, our relationships, and the people who allow us to live the way we live. As the band moved into Home Again, Geoff and his daughter Emily combined on a father/daughter duet while pictures of service people leaving their children to protect our freedoms streamed across the monitors. It was hard not to get teary-eyed, realizing the sacrifices that so many have made to give us our freedom.

In the recording of the new American Soldier concept album released earlier this year Queensryche had reverted back to its 4 original members ­ Geoff, Whip, bassist Ed Jackson, and drummer Scott Rockenfeld, while bidding a fond adieu to guitarist Mike Stone. The album was solid, but with the live responsibilities of varying guitar parts, this put the band in a quandary. Enter new guitarist Parker Lundgren and guitarist/keyboardist Jason Ames, who both held down the touring duties admirably.

For the final segment, the guys dipped into a slew of tracks from the band's highest-grossing effort, Empire. The first track Best I Can was the perfect transitional piece between the segments, with Scott's drums driving hard and pumping excitement into the crowd. Lesser-played tracks The Thin Line, One and Only, and Hand on Heart were met with excitement from the crowd, who erupted almost uncontrollably when the first few notes of the band's mega-hit Silent Lucidity were picked by Whip. Geoff passionately rendered a lullaby to beat all other lullabies, ending soothingly by whispering lowly, "I'll be there watching out for you…watching over you…forever."

Queensryche could have easily ended the show here, but continued the Empire set as bassist Ed began the bass chugging intro to the radio hit Jet City Woman. The final segment ended with another surprise, Anybody Listening, the final track from the album.

After a solid two hours of playing, an encore was not a given -- but once again, the guys delivered, offering up the title track from Empire.

This show proved once again that Queensryche is a live act worthy of seeing. Although it is easy to cite the brilliance of Tate, the other guys in the band give an exceptional performance, night after night. Regardless of how many shows and how many tours you have seen them on, they always provide something new to cater to even the most diehard fan, while still providing enough to satisfy any newcomer. After seeing them for the sixth time, I can honestly say that I won't hesitate to see them again the next time they roll through town.

MS
MS