October 22, 2003 - Turning Stone Casino - Verona, NY

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Scott Rockenfield, Eddie Jackson, Michael Wilton, & Geoff Tate.

The band Queensrÿche was formed in Bellevue, WA in 1982 and have been going strong ever since. The band gained a strong reputation as a thinking man's metal band. Their intellectually stimulating lyrics and music have won the band a devoted following of fans from all over the world.
Where their musical peers drew their inspiration from the likes of Van Halen, Aerosmith, and Kiss, Queensrÿche constructed a progressive form of heavy metal that drew equally from the guitar pyrotechnics of post-Van Halen metal and '70s art rock, most notably Pink Floyd and Queen.
After releasing a handful of moderately successful albums, Queensrÿche began to break into the mainstream in 1988 with the album Operation: Mindcrime. Their 1990 release, Empire, was the group's biggest success, selling over two million copies due to the hit single "Silent Lucidity."
Tribe, the ninth album released by the band, takes an unblinking, critical look at America and the state of the post-September 11th world. It is not shy about pointing fingers, exposing hypocrisies, or simply asking the listener to stop, take a deep breath, look at what is going on around them, and to think about what is happening to humanity.
Tribe also marks the writing and recording return of original guitarist Chris DeGarmo, who left the band in 1997 after the release of Hear In The Now Frontier.
Queensrÿche's current line-up consists of Vocalist Geoff Tate, Guitarist Michael Wilton, Bassist/vocalist Eddie Jackson, drummer/percussionist Scott Rockenfield, along with Guitarist Mike Stone.
As part of the promotional tour for the Tribe album, the band recently played in The Showroom at the Turning Stone Casino Resort in Verona, NY. The Showroom's state-of-the-art sound system is one of the finest in the Northeast and the band used it to the best of its ability.
After sitting through the Soundcheck with the members of the Queensrÿche fanclub, I sat down and interviewed drummer Scott Rockenfield. He was incredibly cordial and friendly.
Queensrÿche's lengthy setlist drew from every part of the band's 22 year career and their performance was nothing short of phenominal. The band began the set electric and about halfway through, they performed a three song acoustic set, and then returned to electric. The Sold Out crowd was treated to a stunning show that kept them on their feet for the entire night, despite the Turning Stone's "No Standing" policy. It was obvious that a great time was being had by both fans and the band alike as Geoff Tate and companions talked and laughed with the audience like old friends.
The Verona, NY (10/22/03) Setlist: Tribe/Sign of the Times/Hit the Black/NM 156/ Digital/ Open/I Am I/Damaged/Losing Myself/Desert Dance/ *Acoustic Set: Global/ Roads to Madness/ Silent Lucidity * /Lady Wore Black/Take Hold Of The Flame/Breaking The Silence/I Don't Believe In Love/The Needle Lies/ Thin Line/ Jet City Woman/ *Encore: Walk In The Shadows/Empire/Best I Can
I met the rest of the band at the post-show Meet & Greet. They were all as friendly and down-to-earth as Scott. We all exchanged pleasentries, took pictures, and the band signed a lot of autographs. The Meet & Greet lasted for about a half-hour and then we said our goodbyes, thanked the band for a wonderful show, and headed home..


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