Live Review : Operation Mindcrime + Till Death Do Us Part + Soldato + Avarus @ Rebellion, Manchester on January 20th 2018.

Who can argue that Operation: Mindcrime is one of the greatest metal concept albums of all time? - and arguably one of the finest that rock & roll in general ever produced. I’d pretty much worn the tape threadbare back in the late ’80’s on my blag Walkman, in the days were teenagers used to walk everywhere with a bag full of ferric tapes. The album struck a chord with me at a time when Rock and Metal music was to me in its transcendence; it became my life, as did this album.
30 years on (where the hell did that go?) and NOW my phone has unlimited access to millions of songs covering all that man has created. I’m regularly drawn back to Mindcrime. It sounds better than ever after the remastered job of 2003 and it’s part of my rock DNA, spiralling through my soul.

Rebellion is a small, warm and intimately wonderful live venue in Manchester, and as I wait impatiently for Geoff Tate (20 minutes late) I’m hoping he won’t pull an Axl. A throng of 40-somethings vibrate in harmony behind me and I have absolutely no expectations, none whatsoever.

I’m excited, especially as the night is going well so far with the Blackpool 's youth screaming metalcore of Avarus. They started the proceedings with a crash bang wallop of youthful exuberance like a hot jagged buzz saw pulsing through the appreciatively salty dog butter of an audience. They took me a little by surprise as the “UGGGHHHRAHHHH” (RAHHHHWAHRAAAHHHHRWAHHHRWAHHHHHHHH ) vocal pounding and grunting was never my ear’s favourite rock genre, yet I found myself warming to them, enjoying their technique and the odd melodic chorus.

Following swiftly were Soldato (from DePreston and Lithuania disrespectfully), a band that looked and sounded like they had been around a few blocks in their time. But all for the good as they tore into the crowd with wanton abandon, all classic rock chops with a mood and groove both familiar and heart warming. These guys could seriously play and I was bouncing along with them.

Third on the bill and the surprise act of the night was Till Death Do Us Part, a goth metal band featuring and fronted by Geoff Tate’s daughter, Emily, sporting the quintessential rock basque and bosom combo look. Straight away from the opening synth backing tape you feel that your bathing in quality and the ante has been well and truly upped. Choreography, style and above all else well crafted walls of melancholy permeate your soul on stage and I'm drenched in that industry standard faux tortured soul persona; which she pulls off with aplomb. The guitarist and bass player (both excellent) later emerge as part of Geoff's mighty band and surprise surprise Emily pops up as Mary during Queensrÿche’s masterpiece ‘Suite Sister Mary’.

“.....Dr Blair...Dr Blair....Doctor J Hamilton.....I Remember now...” and we’re off!!! with the intro and its all wambam drum and bass rhythmic shock-troop attack coupled with the searing guitars and jeez...jeezlouise..I'm...smiling and whooping and smiling and..erm.. whooping (it’s a thing I do) and here comes Geoff, all porkpie hat and stomach, grinning like he's just left a little something in his best girl back stage ....and I'm transported..this is IT! The history of Queensrÿche, the politics of Geoff, in or out of that once great band, doesn’t at this moment in time FUCKING matter. What matters is a kick ass band of kids and veterans playing like it matters to them, and what a sound they make. They are an underground revolution working over time. Songs come and go, ebb and flow, stream into each other and the crowd sing along as best they can and boy do we all make a wonderful racket (my voice during ‘Spreading the Disease’ packed its bags and literally took off on a power chord and as of writing still not returned).
Let’s talk Geoff,  tonight he was simply a professional music fan enjoying every moment and revelling in his piece of musical history, lapping up the applause and so he should. From the opening salvo of ‘I Remember Now’ to the encore’s finale of ‘Jet City Woman’,  Geoff didn't let himself or anyone down. His voice was strong and ably supported by his band’s superb backing vocals with the odd strategically placed sample. Geoff and his band took the fucking roof off and every single punter left that building smiling, with that warm gooey feeling inside to keep them warm on the way home.

Words by Steve Tobin
Photography by Johann Wierzbicki.