Queensrÿche’s show on Sunday night was anything but ordinary. They dug deep into their war chest and dazzled fans with a 16-song set consisting of new material, classics, and some deep cuts rarely heard live. With support from guitar virtuoso Marty Friedman and thrash metal legends Trauma, the show went down as one of my favorite top to bottom bills in years. If you can catch the Digital Noise Alliance Tour in your town, do so. All three bands are simply brilliant.
I’ve been following Queensrÿche since the early ’80s and have seen every incarnation of the band live in some way, shape or form. With only a few remaining originals in the current line up—Michael Wilton on guitar and Eddie Jackson on bass—one could think the band was nothing more than a glorified cover band at best. This couldn’t be further from truth. With Todd La Torre on vocals, Casey Grillo on drums, and Mike Store on rhythm guitar, Queensrÿche is continuing to push its boundaries with fantastic new music and live performances that are second to none.
Opening up Sunday night’s festivities were Bay Area thrash metal legends, Trauma. Outside of Kris Gustofson on drums (an original member of the band formed in 1982), the remaining lineup—Steve Robello on lead guitar, Brian Allen on lead vocals, Michael Spenser on bass, and Casey Trask on rhythm guitar—are fairly new to the line-up but lend their musical talents well to Trauma’s amazing legacy. My favorite tracks from a quick opening set included “From Here to Hell,” “Walk Away,” and “Death of the Angel.” While an interesting add to this tour, their intense performance captured fans from the first note and never let go.
Next up was Marty Friedman. Most might initially recognize his name having been Megadeth’s guitarist from 1990 to 2000. However, this guitar virtuoso is far from a one-trick pony with a list of distinguished accomplishments and collaborations that stretches further than the eye can see. Friedman wowed his Southern California faithful with 12 of his most incredible pieces including “Dragon Mistress,” “Kaze Ga Fuiteiru,” and my favorite, “For a Friend.” But it was not just Friedman who graced us on stage with his unbelievable guitar prowess—he was joined by guitarist Naoki Morioka, bassist Wakazaemon, and drummer extraordinaire, Cargeeeeee. To say these cats aren’t master class musicians on their own would be the understatement of the year. Overall, this set alone was worth the price of admission and then some.
Now onto a band that needs no real introduction, Queensrÿche. From the moment the band took the stage, you knew that the night was going to be special. What I loved most about the show was the fact that we got to hear a fairly diverse and deep setlist consisting of a range of material fans have not heard live in years. While I do appreciate their newer music, I’m more of a traditionalist and loved tracks such as “Child of Fire,” “Deliverance,” and my all-time favorite Queensrÿche song, “Roads to Madness.” From start to finish, the musicianship of this band was on full display, and in my humble opinion Sunday’s concert was the best live Queensrÿche performance I have seen in years.
MARTY FRIEDMAN
TRAUMA
