Geoff Tate, brings an intimate performance to small venue in Dracut, MA to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Queensrÿche album, Empire.
Fans lined up outside of The Boat on a chilly Monday night in November to experience an amazing night of music by Geoff Tate, formerly of Queensrÿche. Tate is ranked 14th on Hit Parader’s list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of all time and he did not disappoint. As fans from near and far walked into the venue to present their tickets and get their wristbands, the excitement was evident. Attendees were blown away by the intimate experience that they were about to witness. Those that arrived early secured their spots in the front row, which was about one foot from the stage.
Getting the show started for the evening was Kurt Deimer. Deimer is new to the music scene. He started touring with Tate on this tour and gained a slew of fans along the way. Deimer brings a unique vocal style and a hard-rocking band to the stage. August 2021 saw his first release on iTunes with a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar” along with famed guitarist, Phil X (Bon Jovi). Diemer’s band also includes Michale Vassos (guitar), Cristian Sturba (bass), Dango Empire (drums). In addition to touring with Tate, they have collaborated on the song “Burn Together.” Check out the song on all music platforms and the video is available on YouTube. Check out his new EP, Work Hard, Rock Hard, available now on all platforms.
The band streamed on stage with Deimer in his signature top hat. He brings a ton of energy to the stage and really gets the crowd going. The first song, “Back of the School”, has a great hook that has the listener singing along with the band right off the bat. Deimer played most of the tunes from the new EP including the popular song “Burn Together” that he originally recorded with Tate. The cover of Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar” was also performed in the set. The fans loved to hear this new twist on a classic song. Deimer and his band present an engaging performance that has gained the attention of countless new fans on this tour.
After a quick set change, the sold-out crowd started to push forward, closer to the stage. The excitement for Tate’s performance was palpable. They were about to embark on a journey through time with the entire albums of Rage For Order and Empire!
The lights went down as the band took the stage for their first set as the fans in attendance cheered for Tate! Red lights and fog created a mysterious air which was fitting for the first song, “Walk in the Shadows.” It was clear from the start that Tate is still the spectacular vocalist that he was when this album was released. Next up was the popular “I Dream in Infrared.” The concertgoers were brought back to the late 80’s with one of their favorite Queensrÿche tunes.
Accompanying Tate on this tour is Kieran Robertson (Guitar), Alex Hart (Guitar), Jack Ross (Bass), and Daniel Laverde (drums). This group of skilled musicians delivered the music of Queensrÿche with exceptional skill accompanied by Tate, who remains one of the best vocalists in music! Being in this small intimate venue gave fans an opportunity to be within inches of these amazing artists, which is an experience like no other.
The second set encompasses the entirety of the Empire album, starting with “Best I Can.” Other songs in the set included the highly anticipated “Jet City Woman” and “Another Rainy Night (Without You,” and (of course) the title track, “Empire!” Most of the fans in the audience were singing along to every word of every song! During the set, Tate spoke of the pandemic. He says, “I Travel 250 days a year and for the first time, I was home.” He goes on to talk about an instance that he needed to reach a feminine product on a top shelf, “the one with the wings.” He jokes that he is “not the tallest man in the world.” He continues to relay the story about having to stand in a grocery cart to reach the item when a fan walks up to him. The fan tells him, “I’m probably your biggest fan,” while holding a cd and a sharpie. That fan’s favorite song was “Silent Lucidity,” which Tate went right into. He then continued the rest of the album and did an encore that included “Eyes of a Stranger,” from Operation: Mindcrime to close the set. The show was a memorable experience for all in attendance and really left the crowd clamoring for more. Some of the fans that I spoke with have seen Tate on this tour multiple times and plan on attending more. Tate and his band have a fantastic and entertaining show in so many ways and the intimacy of this venue cannot be beat. Be sure to follow both Deimer and Tate for future shows as they are worthy of your attention.
Geoff Tate
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Love QueensRyche , saw them in 2020 with Todd Latorre, would love to see Tate , he’s the shit 🎸🥁🎤🎤🎵🎶🤘✌💪👊