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Video: GEOFF TATE's QUEENSRŸCHE Performs 'MTV Unplugged' Set In Hermosa Beach


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On November 7 at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach, California, the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE acoustically performed the entire setlist that was played by the original band during their 1992 "MTV Unplugged" show. They also played other QUEENSRŸCHE hits and favorites. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below. "MTV Unplugged" setlist was as follows: 01. I Will Remember 02. The Killing Words 03. Della Brown 04. Silent Lucidity 05. Scarborough Fair/Canticle (SIMON & GARFUNKEL cover) 06. The Lady Wore Black 07. Anybody Listening? 08. Rockin' In The Free World (NEIL YOUNG cover) Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE now features Tate along with guitarist Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE 1998-2001), keyboardist Randy Gane and the band's latest additions, guitarist Robert Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, HURRICANE) and drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO, RHINO BUCKET). "Frequency Unknown", the new album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, sold around 5,500 copies in its first week of release in the United States to land at position No. 82 on The Billboard 200 chart. Issued on April 23, the CD was produced by Jason Slater at a studio in Northern California. "Frequency Unknown" is packaged with bonus tracks — four QUEENSRŸCHE classics, newly recorded, including the smash hit single "Silent Lucidity". Guest musicians on the CD include K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST), Chris Poland (MEGADETH), Ty Tabor (KING'S X), Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS), Lita Ford, Brad Gillis (NIGHT RANGER), Dave Meniketti (Y&T) and Craig Locicero (FORBIDDEN).

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I guess it's cool he's still doing what he loves doing, but I can't help agreeing from my own subjective viewpoint. I haven't liked anything he's done for the past 20 years almost. Wish that "Queensryche" would at least resolve the stupid name thing. Who cares what it's called, everybody knows who these guys are and it wouldn't hurt them to move on.

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Yeah, it's weird how it works. To me it hasn't seemed like Queensryche since De Garmo left. I respect the old material and I was always impressed by their live shows, but I think Queensryche turned into a dead end a while ago, and all of them should put their egos aside and give the name up. The band doesn't really exist anymore. They started new bands. I'm not excited by either of them... Meh.

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Hard to answer that. I don't think they would have done anything I'd like. But it sounded to me like the last bit of inspiration and originality left their songwriting when he quit. Basically, everything they've done without him sounded like they were just going through the motions, but I don't think he could have saved them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tate is an ego maniac and comes off out of his f'ng mind in 90% of videos and interviews. That being said? If he would shut the F up and get up there with HIS band and play Operation Mindcrime for the next 20 years straight I'd be cool with it. Pound for pound, Queensryche-Promised Land is absolutely incredible. They lost me after that and now this is kind of just a caricature of what it was.

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Tate is an ego maniac and comes off out of his f'ng mind in 90% of videos and interviews. That being said? If he would shut the F up and get up there with HIS band and play Operation Mindcrime for the next 20 years straight I'd be cool with it. Pound for pound, Queensryche-Promised Land is absolutely incredible. They lost me after that and now this is kind of just a caricature of what it was.
Promised Land was the last good album they did, and arguably the most "true" to their capabilities as a group. I prefer Mindcrime, and I don't really listen to them much at all anymore, but I agree that they've never come close to that level of expression again. The whole "two bands" thing is just the last gasp of a dying charade. I don't hear any good energy in the "other" Queensryche, either.
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Promised Land was the last good album they did' date=' and arguably the most "true" to their capabilities as a group. I prefer Mindcrime, and I don't really listen to them much at all anymore, but I agree that they've never come close to that level of expression again. The whole "two bands" thing is just the last gasp of a dying charade. I don't hear any good energy in the "other" Queensryche, either.[/quote'] It's funny how they were always coined the "Pink Floyd of metal" and magazines were saying that before Promised Land..if any album sounds like it could be the Pink Floyd of metal it's PL. There are a lot of great songs on that album and while it seems to rely on being more musical as a hole and less about Degarmo's soloing and a "metal sound" in general..it's still very bottom end heavy and a great listen. Mindcrime was just lightening in a bottle. Music, vocals, lyrics, concept, album art..imho I consider it a true masterpiece.
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