QUEENSRYCHE

The Palladium
Worcester, Massachusetts
January 23, 2016

Photos & Review by Dan Wenc

If you have not seen Queensryche live in a long time, you are strongly encouraged to get a out and see them while they are out on their 2016 tour. If you have seen them live recently, then you know how amazing they sound and that you had experienced a great show. Queensryche made a stop at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts as part of their “Condition Human” tour. Fortunately for Ryche fans, the band still made it up to Worcester from New Jersey where they played a show the night before amidst a large snowstorm that covered most of the northeast. Queensryche made it to Worcester, and so did the fans. The Palladium was packed with Queensryche fans who braved the snow to come out and see the show. Some fans had traveled a few hours worth of driving to see the show. Worcester was lucky that the band made it ahead of the storm. Queensryche was forced to cancel a couple other shows in days following, due to the snow. Of course at the end of the night, the snow traveling was well worth it. As always Queensryche puts on a great performance, even amidst personnel changes. Queensryche is stronger than ever and they seem to get better as time goes on.

Queensryche has toured some stops in the New England states over the past several years. Although this would be the first time they have played in Worcester since July of 1991 when they were on the Building Empires Tour. They played a headlining tour at The Centrum, otherwise known today as The DCU Center which is right near The Palladium.

Halcyon Way and MEYTAL were the touring support bands for this tour. A local up and coming Massachusetts based band, Without Warning took the main stage before Halcyon way. Unfortunately I did not make it to the venue in time to catch Without Warning and Halcyon Way. I did get there to see MEYTAL and the photos and review for that show can be viewed here.

Queensryryche took to the stage set with a really cool backdrop of large video screens that played various videos and graphics throughout the set, reminiscent of the Building Empires Tour. It started out with Scott Rockenfield behind his kit getting the crowd fired up, the video graphics introducing each band member as they came out. The crowd was fired up. Queensryche started off with “Guardian”, the second track from the new album, Condition Human. Guardian sounded amazing and the crowd was really into the new material that night. Todd La Torre is a great asset to the Queensryche lineup, his voice is spot on and amazing, he has found his calling with this band. Todd was very interactive with the crowd, and at the beginning of Queen of the Ryche, he had a fan come over to the front of the stage and do the opening scream, which he nailed it by the way. Second generation Queensryche guitarist, Parker Lundgren, also a great performer, he plays everything on his solos verbatim from the days of Chris DeGarmo, all while working the stage like he has been doing it for thirty years. Michael Wilton, Scott Rockenfield and Eddie Jackson, still great, the combination of this band plays with musical precision every time.

Here is the set list from that night:
– Guardian
– Operation Mindcrime
– Best I Can
– Damaged
– Killing Words
– The Mission
– Bulletproof
– Empire
– Anybody Listening?
– In This Light
– Queen of the Ryche
– Jet City Woman
– Take Hold of the Flame
– Screaming in Digital
– Eyes of a Stranger

Just an overall great show. These guys have been making music since the early eighties and some thirty years later, they still sound great, in addition to making some great new music with the Condition Human album. Check out out the Queensryche webpage to find out more about tour dates and how to purchase Condition Human. Thank you Queensryche for still making new music and being out there touring. We all appreciate the timeless music of Queensryche.

Check out photos from the show: