Speak the Word...

REVOLUTION
...The Word is All of Us.

Archive from MySpace blog
Category: Music

So here it is, the first big show of the Fall... OK, last of the Summer if you want to get technical, yesterday was actually the first day of Fall. But this one... well this one's been planned for so long... I heard about it at the end of a show at the Webster last year, and knew I was going.

And so it was, that Jim and I were taking a trip to New York. I love New York -- yeah, I know that sounds trite -- I just can't think of another city with that much energy. And I think you bring that energy with you when you go to New York to do something, especially to a show. And so, this is how we find ourselves on the 4:52 out of New Haven.

I left work a bit early, just so I could catch the right train. Changed clothes in the parking garage; what a sight that must have been if anyone was looking. Run to track 14; Jim had already bought my train ticket for me. The train ride was uneventful -- crowded, but average -- highlighted in the first 3 stops by Jim trying in vain to see if his brother had caught the same train in Milford.

Somewhere down the line, Fairfield County, "You're gonna have to get on or off the train." "You have to clear the doors; ON or OFF." The on-board loudspeaker, to some teenager in Greens Farms; he and his friends couldn't figure out which car they were getting on. Our, it seemed, was the answer, and 3 girls and a guy, armed with large bags, proceeded to walk up and down the aisle of the train, bumping into as many people as possible on the way. "Sorry." "Oops, sorry." Where is... who's the Mayor of Green's Farms, anyway?

On to New York. Jim's brother Joe caught a later train. He'll meet us at the theater. Smoke break at Grand Central, then back underground, we're on an S train, Times Square bound. It's a small, tightly packed subway train, one stop. OK, so it's only a 5 block walk... but when in Rome, ya know?

Times Square is truly and amazing place. I've been there a few times, and to New York many more... but Time Square always impresses me: A giant Mecca to industry and popular culture. At 2 in the morning, it still looks like broad daylight. So there we are, looking up -- everything is up in Times Square -- asking "where is the Nokia Theatre?" I suggested in jest that if the Cingular building is beside us, the Verizon building to our right, LG straight ahead, Nokia must be up and to the left. Who'd have thought I'd be correct? Times Square may indeed be laid out by market share.

No Joe yet, and no phone to call Ang, Dre, or Pete, so... break for dinner. When the plan is to meet 5 or 6 people in New York when we're all taking different transportation, it's unfortunately a bad time for your phone to run out of juice. But, food in our bellies, we returned to the Nokia, undaunted.

Fantastic venue. At least that's my opinion. I think it's shared by those I've spoken to. Small, intimate, very few bad views... and excellently set-up hall. Even at the security end, the venue is well designed, and very efficient. Once you're pasted the front doors, you don't need your tickets, you don't interact with the security. They're there, but very unobtrusive. A variety of bars along the way to the main hall keep the crowds down. All in all, one of the best venues I've ever been to.

But at 8:05 the lights dropped. Joe's not yet to be found, nor have I spied anyone else. It no longer matters. From this point on it's about Geoff Tate, Mike Stone, Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, and Scott Rockenfield. Last year we saw Operation: Mindcrime live. At the end of the show we saw a trailer for the very long-waited sequel. Now it was here. Not only was Mindcrime II finally a reality, but it was in fact presented in the best way possible, both shows, full rock opera format, back to back with only a show intermission. In short: Queensrÿche, Operation: Mindcrime I & II. And it was awesome.

Remember Now, Anarchy-X, Revolution Calling; the audience singing along. The stage show getting harder to see over the assembled crowd. Operation: Mindcrime, Speak; by now the room is packed, ever giant word flashed on the screen echoing through the crowd. Spreading The Disease, The Mission, Suite Sister Mary.

"Don't ever trust..." By The Needle Lies the crowd is in a fervor. Everyone is completely into the show. There is the guy next to us -- awesome guy -- he must be 70, in an AC/DC t-shirt, with his sweet, grandmotherly wife, headbanging and completely rocking out. I want to be that guy when I'm his age... I really do.

Electric Requiem, Breaking the Silence, I Don't believe in Love; at this point we take our exit. No we didn't leave for good... quite the opposite. But we've seen Mindcrime before. We listen to Waiting For 22, My Empty Room, and Eyes Of A Stranger from outside the main hall so we can grab a smoke. We're heading back to the hall right as everyone's leaving, right in time to spot Joe, and perfectly to snipe 3 prime seats, just left of center, in the front row of the seated tier. Still no sight of the rest, but Jim, Joe and I are in perfect position to see every moment of what we came there to see: Operation: Mindcrime II.

Freiheit Overture began, and the energy was incredible. Convict began, and Geoff Tate comes out on stage in an orange jumpsuit.I'm American; throwing funny money into the audience. One Foot in Hell, Hostage, Hands, Speed of Light; everything with the clarity you can't just get by listening to the album. Signs Say Go, Re-Arrange You, Chase; Ronnie James Dio up on the screen, while his canned -- yet wonderfully produced -- vocals meshed perfectly with the live instrumentation. The opera itself was less intense; less characters and lacking the style of Tate singing and interacting with Nikki, but still captivating, still strong. Murderer?, Circles, If I Could Change It All, An Intentional Confrontation, Junkie's Blues; a strong finish.

The house music came up, but the lights did not. There's still a treat in store. Jim asked another fan -- one he'd gathered had been to last night's show as well -- and discovered that indeed there was an encore. Three songs, including Jet City Woman, and... thankfully... no Silently Lucidity. The audience got into the encore possibly even more strongly than the show itself. Not out of dislike for the performance, but during the Mindcrimes you had to watch and listen, during the encore... just sing along... just Speak the Word.

Currently listening :
Operation: Mindcrime
By Queensrÿche
Release date: 06 May, 2003