Concert Review: Queensryche & Armored Saint in New York

Queensryche’s eponymous debut EP and The Warning were instant progressive metal classics, a unique blend of melodic twin guitar courtesy of Michael Wilton and Chris DeGarmo and accompanied by the soaring vocals and story-telling of super-talented front man Geoff Tate. After several seismic lineups changes – most notably the departure of primary song writer DeGarmo in 1997 and acrimonious decision to replace Tate with Todd La Torre in 2012 – as well as a drastic departure from its classic sound in the mid-1990’s and nearly two decades of often-experimental sounding rock records, Queensryche returned to its traditional metal roots with La Torre at the helm and released four notable records (Queensryche, Condition Human, The Verdict, and Digital Noise Alliance).

During the La Torre-era tours, the Seattle-based outfit often featured numerous Queensryche EP and Warning tracks in its setlists. During their 2022 tour opening for Judas Priest, the ‘Ryche performed five songs (“Queen of the Reich”, “Warning”, “En Force”, “NM 156”, and “Take Hold of the Flame”) from these records. On the initial run with La Torre in 2013, Queensryche performed seven (!) songs from these monumental releases: “Queen of the Reich”, “Prophecy”, “Warning”, “En Force”, “Take Hold of the Flame”, “Child of Fire”, and “Road to Madness.” The band received critical acclaim for its return to legendary material and stellar live performances.

Well-aware of the appetite for early material and to the delight of their fan base, Queensryche launched “The Origins” tour to perform the EP and The Warning in their entirety, followed by a classic song rotated nightly to close the set. Metalheads were cognizant this highly-anticipated tour had “flawless setlist potential,” and they were correct.

During their May 3, 2024 show at The Paramount in Huntington, New York (one of the most heralded venues of its size in North America and the recipient of numerous awards), Queensryche thrilled the near-capacity crowd with fifteen classics, opening with the explosive “Queen of the Reich”, showcasing the rarely-performed “Blinded” and “Before the Storm” (not performed since 1985 until this tour), playing “Deliverance” and “No Sanctuary” (largely absent from setlists from the late-1980’s until this decade), closing the main set with the epic “Road to Madness”, and encoring with the “Prophecy” and “surprise closer” "Operation: Mindcrime" on the anniversary of the monumental album's release. The band’s performance was stellar, from La Torre to guitarists Michael Wilton and Mike Stone to bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Casey Grillo.

Los Angeles’ Armored Saint opened for the ‘Ryche and, as usual, fired up the audience. The Saint played a diverse set spanning five records, opening with “End of the Attention Span” from their most recent release Punching the Sky while closing with the masterpiece “Reign of Fire” from Symbol of Salvation. In between, vocalist John Bush and co. ran through staples such as “March of the Saint” and “Can U Deliver”, but also performed a rarity in “Over the Edge” from Delirious Nomad. The inclusion of Armored Saint on the bill was notable, given the band's highly respected status in the metal community and consistently strong catalog.

The Queensryche - Armored Saint tour is a unique opportunity to see two of the best live metal acts share the stage (often in more intimate, mid-sized theater venues), with setlists consistently almost entirely of very good-to-great material. It is highly probable Queensryche will never perform many of the EP and The Warning songs again after "The Origins" tour, given how infrequently several were played during the past several decades. Additionally, given the Saint only performed approximately sixty times this decade (though that will increase during this tour), any opportunity to see the band should be taken. Amidst numerous high-profile metal tours in 2024, this bill is near the top in terms of setlist quality and the opportunity for a unique experience and, as such, is highly recommended.