Geoff Tate Serves Up 35 Years Of Ryche

Concert Review
Geoff Tate
The Rapids Theatre
Niagara Falls, NY
Friday February 17, 2017
Review: Jospeh Suto
Photo: Jenipher

Friday evening, Geoff Tate returned to the area as a solo act. The show billed as, 35 years of Ryche in an acoustic setting made for quite an enjoyable evening for many longtime fans. The Rapids Theatre played host to the memorable affair as it was decked out with several tables on the main floor and rows of chairs in the side sections. Generally, the shows here are so packed you can’t even move around. Yes, this was a welcome change of pace to be able to witness a show and simply relax and enjoy.

Tate who has had his share of detractors following his exit from Queensryche proved two things. He can still sing and can still deliver an enjoyable set of songs. His backing band were no slouches either. His current touring band is comprised of guitarist Scott Moughton from his band Operation: Mindcrime and rounded out by some members from a band that hail from Cork, Ireland. Two of the featured members were Ollie Jordan-Kelly on Cajon and guitarist Kieran Robertson.

Tate not only played the expected hits from the Queensryche catalog, he dug much deeper playing several songs that were ignored by his old band over the years. Tate dug into Promised Land by unearthing “Out Of Mind” and “Bridge” two gems that rarely have been performed since that tour ended back in 1995. An even rarer track, “Until There Was You”, a song written for his wife was brought out of the vault. The song never appeared on an album until it showed up as a bonus track for the Q2K album. Fans of Hear In The Now Frontier were treated with an amazing version of “Some People Fly”. That song closed out the show each night on what proved to be the last tour to feature all the original members back in 1997. It was after that tour that guitarist and main songwriter Chris DeGarmo left. Some say the band has never been the same since.

The two songs that stood out head and shoulders above the rest, “Take Hold Of The Flame” and “The Lady Wore Black” were the ones that brought many out of their seats. While they were performed acoustically and a little different from their original versions, it was the emotive vocals of Tate that led the charge as the crowd sang along. It was good to see Tate not living off only the hits as he played a set that touched on all phases of his old band’s career and then some.
With the third album of his trilogy due from Operation: Mindcrime this fall, we can hope that Tate will be back through town again shortly thereafter.

The Set
Walk In The Shadows
Another Rainy Night (Without You)
Some People Fly
Jet City Woman
Chasing Blue Sky
Bridge
Until There Was You
Out Of Mind
Silent Lucidity
The Fight
Blood
Take Hold Of The Flame
The Lady Wore Black
Hundred Mile Stare
I Don’t Believe In Love
Eyes Of A Stranger