Queensryche Rocks Anaheim House of Blues
By SethM
As I recently mentioned in my recap of NAMM 2014 (check it out here), there were overwhelming choices when it came to concerts, events, and parties ~ and I had chosen to, on the big Saturday night of entertainment, go to dinner and take in the Queensryche show with friends.
Yes, Queensryche, and yes, there is still drama surrounding the two-bands-with-1-name issue. After a few delays and a trial now set to begin next month (March 3rd), at least the legal side of things should be settled soon.
So, although the debate continues as to who the “real” Queensryche is, one of the highlights of my trip to Anaheim was this Queensryche’s show at the House of Blues. Just to be clear and prevent any confusion, the HOB show featured the version of QR with original members Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson and Scott Rockenfeld, Parker Lundgren, and vocalist Todd La Torre.
For those unfamiliar with HOB Anaheim: it’s inside downtown Disney and with the Disney crowd as well as 100K people from NAMM, it’s tough to get places in a timely manner, and we were indeed late and thus missed Heaven Below, who opened the show. I was disappointed because I’d been looking forward to checking them out, but so goes it when such huge crowds are involved.
We made it in time for John Corabi and his acoustic to take center stage. If you’ve never seen Corabi live, you’ve been missing out. This was only my 3rd time seeing him do this acoustic show (last time opening for Tom Keifer), and he’s proven each time what an incredible entertainer he is. Not only does he have a great voice but he’s also a story teller, self-deprecating and, even with just an acoustic, he’s a true magnetic presence on stage. No question the highlight of his show, with full audience participation, is “Hooligan’s Holiday.”
As a quick side note given how much talk there’s been about Motley Crue since they announced their “retirement,” it’s interesting to remember that John Corabi recorded an amazing album with Motley back in 1994. Although it didn’t sound like the Motley Crue everyone knew and the band should have probably called themselves something like just “Crue” for this one album, it’s a great piece of work and showcases how underrated a talent Corabi really is.
Sorry for going off on a tangent but sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due ~ and Corabi has certainly earned his stripes. He’s not alone, either, because Queensryche deserves some major recognition for the great band they are and the great entertainment they give their audience. With a SOLD OUT House of Blues crowd anxious to see the show, you could tell who the diehards were, who hadn’t seen La Torre yet but were looking forward to it, and even those who doubted he could fill the shoes of Geoff Tate (even though GT’s merits have often been debated over the years).
With a revitalized energy, a new singer and a new album released in June 2013 (revisit our review here), Queensryche came out with La Torre instantly shutting down all the skeptics as he belted out an all-time classic “Queen of the Reich.” Todd is an incredible, high energy vocalist and continued to prove it while pulling from the band’s 30 year catalog of songs.
Not only was La Torre crushing it but, as any fan knows, this is no band of amateurs. Rockenfeld’s hard hitting yet technical drumming paired with Jackson’s bass lines form a backbone that any guitarist could work with; when one of those guitarists is as accomplished as Wilton and the other is Lundgren ~ who joined Queensryche five years ago ~ it makes for one hell of a live show and one hell of a set list. Hitting on some greats including “Speak,” “Warning,” and “The Needle Lies” as well as 2013’s “Where Dreams Go to Die” and “Fallout,” the band hammered through a 90 minute set that rocked the sold out crowd.
Queen of the Reich
Speak
Walk in the Shadows
The Whisper
En Force
Child of Fire
Warning
X2
Where Dreams Go to Die
Midnight Lullaby
A World Without (Wilton/Parker Solo)
The Needle Lies
NM 156
My Empty Room
Eyes of a Stranger
Empire
Encore:
Fallout
Jet City Woman
Take Hold of the Flame
The House of Blues crowd was filled with fellow musicians attending NAMM as well as old school fans (some of whom seemed to be on Disney vacations and dragging their children to the show) and no one, young or old, left thinking about which Queensryche is which, who’s suing who, or anything other than what a great fucking show they’d just witnessed. Queensyche were incredible on that Saturday night and I’d wager they are equally incredible every single other night.
Check out Michael, Eddie, Scott, Parker and Todd when they make it to your neck of the woods.
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