On my way to see Queensryche tonight.... (a study of older bands in concert)

Cafe Society
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…if they fail to rock, you will get a thorough account of their failure. If they rock as hard as I hope, you will get a nice account of that, too.

I really don’t know what to expect, since it’s been years since they paved the way for the resurgence of prog rock in metal form, and they have had a real change of pace lately.

Really, seeing older acts is a nice study in why bands don’t often play their older stuff. Queensryche’s guitarist mentioned in this month’s issue of GuitarOne that often bands get kind of tired of playing the old stuff, because for them it’s “been there, done that” and they feel like they’re just going through the motions. The new stuff, although not as eagerly received for the fans, is the stuff they really want to play, because it’s where their artistic expression is leading them.

So I’m wondering where the balance will be here.

Comments from Queensryche/prog-rock fans invited, as well as on the subject of bands playing older vs. newer material.

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I saw The Cult 3 or 4 times from 99 -2003. I kinda wish they played more new stuff. The hits are great, but I can pretty much recite a set-list off the top of my head.

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You know you’re getting old when you see Queensryche referred to as an “older band” …

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Well…they rocked.

First of all, their newer stuff…surprise, surprise…totally rocked. It was one of the rare times I’ve ever loved the first half of an older band’s concert. Even their opening band, who IIRC was named something like Echo 7, totally rocked.

Queensryche started with a set of new stuff. Then they went to an acoustic jam styled set, which finished with Silent Lucidity. Then they finished off with a hard rockin’ set including some stuff from the album Rage for Order. The finale was extended, and included another track from Rage for Order (I believe it was “Walk in the Shadows”) and then “I Don’t Believe in Love” and “Eyes of a Stranger” from Mindrime, finishing off with “Empire” and “Best I Can” from Empire.

All together, a great show. They were veeeeeeeeeery tight. IMHO, they could have recorded the show and made a pretty penny selling it as a live album. Much more than I expected, Queensryche absolutely rocked the hizzie.