CONCERT REVIEW

*Footage by Kenny Howell & photos by Susan Koutalakis

Since their emergence from Seattle in the early 1980s, QUEENSRYCHE has set themselves apart from other artists by epic concept albums and on the AMERICAN SOLDIER tour they will highlight three of those albums including, RAGE FOR ORDER, AMERICAN SOLDIER and EMPIRE.

The show opened with a suite from the 1986 classic RAGE FOR ORDER, including tracks the band has not played live in over 20 years. This was definitely my favorite of the three suites because the Rage For Order tour was one of my first concerts in 1986 when they opened for OZZY on the Ultimate Sin tour.  They replaced METALLICA due to the tragic death of Cliff Burton.

The momentum became a bit stilted for the second suite of the new epic concept album AMERICAN SOLDIER, which features guest vocal by GEOFF TATE’s daughter Emily who joined him on stage for the poignant ballad “Home Again.” Though there were vivid counterpoints I felt like I was being force-fed having to sit through eight new tracks in a row.

The final suite revisits 1990’s triple platinum opus EMPIRE with performances of some of the band’s most iconic tracks including “Jet City Woman,” “The Thin Line,” and “Best I Can.” The EMPIRE suite seemed to garner the strongest crowd reaction and participation.

For a band that had its commercial heyday in the mid-’90s, QUEENSRYCHE has maintained a steady touring schedule and loyal following. The concert  reinforced the point that they are comfortable at revisiting the past, but very much prove to be relevant and current within their twenty plus years as a unit.

SETLIST:

RAGE FOR ORDER

• Neue Regel
• The Whisper
• The Killing Words
• London
• Walk In The Shadows
• Gonna Get Close To You

AMERICAN SOLDIER

• Sliver
• Unafraid
• If I Were King
• Hundred Mile Stare
• A Dead Man’s Words
• At 30,000 Ft
• Home Again
• Remember Me

EMPIRE

• Best I Can
• The Thin Line
• One and Only
• Della Brown
• Jet City Woman
• Anybody Listening?
• Another Rainy Night (Without You)

ENCORE

• Empire

For more information visit QUEENSRYCHE

For more footage visit us on YOUTUBE

*Footage & photos by Kenny Howell

When Paul Revere took his midnight ride to bellow “The British are coming” who would have thought that those words would be welcomed by Bostonians over two hundred years later.

JUDAS PRIEST invaded Boston to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their epic BRITISH STEEL album — which they played in its entirety, front to back, “Rapid Fire” to “Steeler” — the Priest set a furious clip.

It seems unfeasible that a band who formed in 1969 with members in their mid-50s could still deliver an impressive set in pristine form. ROB HALFORD can still hit and hold all the operatic hell-hound notes that make metalheads swoon. He growled through “Breaking the Law,” rattled the rafters during “You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise” and chanted party anthem “Living After Midnight.”

The show felt intimate thanks to the inclement weather. The capacity was roughly 5,000, less than a third the shed’s capacity. But no one could care less, it was like having Priest play a college frat party. A thoroughly impressive two hour long display of supremacy came to a conclusion with the metal classic staple “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.”

SETLIST:

• Rapid Fire
• Metal Gods
• Breaking The Law
• Grinder
• United
• You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise
• Living After Midnight
• The Rage
• Steeler
• The Ripper
• Prophecy
• Victim Of Changes
• Freewheel Burning
• Diamonds & Rust
• You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’

For more  information visit JUDAS PRIEST

For more footage visit us on YOUTUBE

*Footage by Kenny Howell & photos by Tim Roberts

KEVIN MARTIN was one of the true defining voices of the Seattle music scene in the 1990’s and that was evident as his wounded-bear roars filled the Paradise on Monday night.

Armed with enhanced energy and a new album of material CANDLEBOX’s performance was airtight as could be, anchored by PETER KLETT’s searing guitar, SCOTT MERCARDO’s pounding rhythm section and the one-two punch of guitarist SEAN HENNESY and bassist ADAM KURY.

The new material was received enthusiastically by the near capacity crowd.  The youthful energy of the new material collided neatly with the vintage classic “Simple Lessons,” infectiousness radio staple “Far Behind” and the tremulous and tender “Cover Me” – played with grace against the backdrop of a no-frills stage set.

The climax of the evening was the musical orgy with local heroes DAMONE on their 2006 lush  retro-pop hit “Out Here All Night.” CANDLEBOX have been long time admirers of DAMONE, having  covered their song “Out Here All Night” on their 2006 tour.

The evening’s support was the local four-piece outfit MISSION HILL who displayed hyper power-pop energy and could easily be mistaken for The Fray.

SETLIST (partial/not in order):

• Stand
• Don’t You
• Change
• Bitches Brewin
• Simple Lessons
• Breathe Me In
• Cover Me
• Sometimes
• A Kiss Before
• Highway To Hell
• Out Here All Night *w/Damone
• 10,000 Horses
• Far Behind

For further information visit CANDLEBOX

For further footage visit YOUTUBE

*Footage by Kenny Howell & photos by Susan Koutalakis

It seems like yesterday that I was wide-eyed high school student going to the Providence Civic Center to see a sold-out RATT show with 15, 000 other rodents. If you told me then that RATTs’ lead singer STEPHEN PEARCY would be playing a bar walking distance from my home 23  years later, I would have bet you my Circus magazine subscription that it would never happen.

Well, it did happen, and there I was Thursday night  with a mostly 35+year old  crowd only this time instead of worrying about passing my math test the next day I was worrying  if I would look hung-over for my morning meeting.

Classic metal shows are always an excellent bang for the buck because the band is drawing on years of a critic- and fan-vetted catalog, so you’re guaranteed to know at least 90 percent of the songs played.

Be it the adrenaline rush of “Body Talk,” the butane burning of “Back For More” or the Sunset Stripper strut of “Lovin’  You’s a Dirty Job,” PEARCY delivered with his signature gruff voice unabashed energy and a platinum parade of hits. His band, the RAT BASTARDS include members of  W.A.S.P. and PAPA ROACH.

After a resilient performance and a night of solid reminders of what made attending concerts as a kid so electrifying and stimulating, I walked away wishing it could be 1986 for a couple more hours.

SETLIST:

• Body Talk
• Lovin’ You’s A Dirty Job
• Back For More
• Round & Round
• Breaking The Law
• Under My Skin
• Lack of Communication
• Lay It Down
• Nothin’ To Lose
• You’re In Love

For more information visit STEPHEN PEARCY

For more footage visit YOUTUBE