Where: Turning Stone Casino; Verona, NY
Date: February 1, 2005

The show consisted of 2 sets: greatest hits followed by Operation:Mindcrime.
Set 1:
* One More Time
* Empire
* Another Rainy Night (Without You)
* Open
* When the Rain Comes
* Jet City Woman
* Last Time In Paris (from the soundtrack of "Ford Fairlaine." Not exactly a 'greatest hit' IMO, but oh well...)
* Silent Lucidity

Everyone in the band seemed to be having fun on stage, which made the show more fun for me. Geoff talked to the crowd, telling short stories of songs' backgrounds; just being a good frontman. For the most part, it didn't sound like Geoff lost anything in his voice, altough a few notes, especially during Jet City Woman, were toned down a bit.

Now- for Mindcrime....

I've been looking forward to seeing this again since the day I walked out of arena 15 years ago. For this tour, they promised to answer some questions and add more audio/video effects. They did both. The show had a great light show, rear surround speakers for additional effect, live actors, new video footage and rearranged songs.

The set started with the local dj psyching the crowd, the same thing he did before the first set. Out of nowhere a drunk man, who everyone assumed was just a fan who jumped on stage, steals the microphone and starts ranting about us "all being used" and to "fight." Security/police flies on stage, trying to grab the mic from him while he is screaming, before finally wresting him to the ground. A nurse also comes out and injects him. Meet Nikki. They drag him off stage and the lights go out. The original cartoon is played with the nurse shooting Nikki up followed by "I Remember Now."

The main question that was answered was Who Shot Mary?

At the end of Mindcrime, the show was over. That was it. No encore. A voice came out over the loudspeaker after the band took their bow and announced picking up MIndcrime 2 in the fall of this year, and a single was played, "Hostage." We didn't sit and listed to it, since there was crowd noise as people filtered out, but I thought it sounded pretty good from what I could hear (I'm holding a final opinion until I have the CD in my hands).

Overall, a great show!

That's a Greatest Hits set? Oh my-they are missing a few little songs out of that. Queen of the Reich, Take Hold of the Flame, Warning, Walk in the Shadows, Get Close To You. etc

OM is a great album...saw this ages ago but was not able to got to the recent Chicago HOB shows as I was away.

First show I saw them was opening up for Maiden (Powerslave tour) when Rage came out.

Yeah- They didn't play anything earlier than Empire for their GH set....

No shit.

Hope they add more to the first set as they tour.

Yeah, the first thing I thought of was the Dimebag Darrell incident. I was waiting for someone to get shot.

They must change the first set list from show to show. I saw them last Wednesday (1/26) and they opened with Whisper and also did Take Hold of the Flame. Everything else looks about the same. The didn't even touch Promise land. But I guess that makes up for seeing then on that tour, where they did the entire album.

And that whole "Mary! ... Mary! ... Mary!" surround sound thing, ... I couldn't get that out of my head for days after.

Thanks for the review. I think it is a joke that they promote the tour with the fact that you will get a preview of O:M2. So they only played a pre-recorded track off the disc while everyone left? Lame.

Just got to thinking. Would you have rather have seen OM as the first set and then have them come out a do GH's as the second set?

A bit different but when I saw the Quadrophinia show (The Who) after they came out and did about 3 GH songs.

I wonder which way would be better...

That's a good point, Flashback- I saw the Quadrophenia show twice (amazing shows!!), and I really liked the GH "encore" they did.

NOw that I've thought about it, I think I like the GH set afterwards...

That OM2 track, Hostage, sounded like anything off their last few CDs. I'm not looking forward to it.

Not exactly surprising, but damn depressing.

Who's opening up for Queensryche? I'm going on the 19th in Los Angeles.

I was at this show and I must tell you, the previous post is a little off. Let me straighten things out.

Act 1 : Hits over the Years

- The Whisper (NOT One More Time)
- Empire
- Another Rainy Night (Without You)
- Open
- Jet City Woman
- When the Rain Comes
- Last Time in Paris
- Silent Lucidity

Act 2 : Operation:Mindcrime in its Entirety

- You know the tracks!


* For the most part, those are in exact order. Maybe the last 3 or 4 songs of the first act were juggled around a bit, but those are the songs they played. I must say...starting the night off with "The Whisper" was a great surprise. That is a tune they RARELY played throughout the years. However, I felt robbed in a sense because the band went on at 8:15. The problem with that is, they were scheduled to go on at 8. I think we lost some valuable Ryche time. I've been seeing other setlists where they have played "Take Hold of the Flame" and "The Lady Wore Black" which bothers me a bit. Yes, the could have elaborated on the Greatest Hits, but you had to know the set was going to be considerably short seeing as the band was going to execute Mindcrime to its perfection. However, hearing "The Whisper" and "Last Time in Paris" (another rarity that I just love) made up for it.
* Mindcrime was amazing. I cannot say enough good things about it. Geoff Tate sounded great. He was the best I had heard in at least 5+ years. He saved himself in the first act so he could belt out most of Mindcrime. I have mixed emotions for the venue. The sound was excellent. The band also had ample room to perform with stagehands and visuals. Other venues didnt have these at all from what Ive read. Still, it was a crowd mixed with gamblers, old, young, boring and excited. Some tables wanted to stand and rock! While others were content tapping their knees sitting in their chairs. I hate that! You dont want to make anyone mad around you. Therefore, I sat! Let me tell ya, I wasnt too thrilled about it. Queensryche should look to get back to larger venues. They are still very good. We all miss Chris DeGarmo though.

***Lastly, does anyone have a setlist from the VERY NEXT NIGHT @ Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY??? I want to know what they played there. I was supposed to go!

Kligster- that was The Whisper? If so- thanks for the correction. I wrote down "One More Time" during the show....

Cyberock- There is no opening band

Thanks for the update! Kind of glad they don't have an opening band. One review on KNAC.com claimed Ashlee Simpson was opening, now that is scarey thought!

Little disappointed with the greatest hits set. I really like some of the old stuff which I wish they would play like Queen of the Ryche and especially Take Hold of the Flame. Maybe they'll do it in Los Angeles being last night of the tour, one can hope at least.

Yes, that opening song WAS "The Whisper" They pretty much kept the setlist the same. Like I said, some joints are not getting Take Hold of the Flame and The Lady Wore Black. I have no idea why. That sucks for me, cuz I didnt get it at Turning Stone. Thats why I want to know what the Northern Lights setlist was. Anybody know it yet??????