Long before the Seattle Grunge scene threw the rock world into turmoil, around 1988 a Seattle band named Queensryche were about to put their name down in the anoles of rock history with one of the most ground breaking albums, not only of that decade but beyond. Their 'Operation Mindcrime' opus was about to set the rock world alight like nothing since The Who’s 'Tommy' and Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'.

Then some 18 years later, the much anticipated follow up release 'Operation Mindcrime II', another milestone for a band who should be much bigger than they are perceived, with album after album of class musicianship and song writing and a vocalist with the power to excel most. 

After many a long year the band have returned to these shores to bring the Mindcrime extravaganza to the masses, complete with actors playing the parts of the three main characters Nicky, Mary and Dr X, along with a huge video screen and stage set that adds to the dramatics of the story.  A story that has it all, love, hate, revenge, treachery, murder and vice. 

The actor playing Nicky is led by Tate centre stage as the band open up ‘Operation Mindcrime’ itself, Tate donning in long black leather coat acts as Dr X’s agent enlisting Nicky to the underground revolution.  During this Wilton and the rest of the band are just superb, especially the masked Stone as he spews out some monster licks.

As the story unfolds at this point we're given an insight into how Nicky first met the then prostitute Mary (with Pamela Moore resurrecting her role of Mary) and fell for her and his obsession began.

The band open up ‘Speak’ with Tate taking over the part of Nicky then ‘Spreading The Disease’, both equally superb with Stone and Wilton just magnificent as Tate gave his all to the part and every emotion was poured out in every line. As Nicky is given his instructions by Dr X he is tricked into believing religion is the root of all that is wrong with the world and he has to kill Mary, who has now thrown away her past life and to become a nun. So begins ‘The Mission’.  Again the band are superb with the whole working of the story and the music being excellent and as I looked around, all eyes were stage

front taking it all in.  Not just the bands performance but the role the actors had in bringing this story to life.

‘Suite Sister Mary’ the ten-minute epic tells of how Nicky has doubts about his mission, as a vision of Mary dressed all in white looks over him from above.  This was the turning point of the show as Nicky told how he had killed the priest who saved Mary and believes their future belongs together.  But again Mary rejects him and he returns to the life of drugs.  We watched as Nicky melted some heroin and inject himself as the intro into ‘The Needle Lies’ broke through the darkness.  Again Tate’s threw everything into this song as he did with every song before and again the band brought the whole experience to life with this great up tempo rocker.

Little be known to Nicky, Mary was also under Dr X’s spell and when she answered the phone, she was persuaded to put a gun to her mouth and pull the trigger.  As the blood stains filled the video screen behind Mary, the whole thing is just stunningly shocking and then ‘The Electric Requiem’ rings out around the venue. 

The next scene is where Nicky finds Mary’s body and burns it.  Riddled with guilt he  wants to tell everybody about Dr X and his revolutionary plan, with which the band launch into ‘Breaking The Silence’. 

Soon we're back to the hospital as Nicky looks into the mirror and doesn’t recognize the man looking back at him.  The doctors soon appear and put Tate/Nicky into a straight jacket, which acts as the climax of Act 1.  With the excellent ‘Eyes Of A Stranger’, Tate is taken off stage in a wheel chair.  The whole room rose as one, cheering wildly at what was only the first half of the show.  With so much to talk about and refreshments to be purchased, we all took a short break before returning for Act 2. After a fifteen minute or so break the lights go out and Act 2 began.  Nicky had now served his time and can now return a free man ... but is he really free?

The scene opened up in a bar with Tate erupting into ‘I’m American’, as he pulls out a gun Nicky feels he’s untouchable and steals a brief case from a businessman throwing the money out into the crowd, much to their delight. 

It's back to the dark streets of poverty and prostitution for Nicky as Tate joined a prostitute and a beggar on stage for ‘One Foot In Hell’, a really dark track that sets the mood for the rest of the show.  Nicky begins to remember what he did and what Mary meant to him and swears he'll find X and have his revenge. 

The harder edged sound of 'Mindcrime II' is continued with ‘Hostage’ as Nicky tries to tell of Dr X’s guilt, but justice is not just blind but deaf, as they throw out his ideas as the words of a mad man.  With actors taking the part as judge jury and lawyers.

As Nicky realised he must wreak revenge for the death of Mary the band launch into ‘Re-arrange You’, again proving they were on top form, just as they have been throughout the night.  Stone's guitar work was simply spellbinding, I could have watched this guy all night, he really made it all look so easy.

The actual album featured a special guest vocalist, none other that Ronnie James Dio, who took the part of Dr X on ‘The Chase’.  Well tonight the mighty Mr. Dio joined us as an image on the giant video screen behind the band, although this didn’t stop Wilton and the boys ripping up a storm as if the very man himself was there in the flesh.

Tate/Nicky brought on stage the actor portraying Dr X and tied him to a chair, waving a gun around his head against the echoes of ‘Murderer’, which added to the tension.  As the gun crazed Nicky contemplated the revenge he had been waiting for, the song reached its climax and Nicky took the gun and shot Dr X dead, to which a loud cheer went out from the crowd. With Tate/Nicky sitting on the couch centre stage he surveyed his life as ‘Circles’, as visions of the past and in particular Mary filled his head. The twin guitarists Wilton and Stone stand centre stage as they opened up the haunting ‘If I Could Change It All’, with the visionary Mary dressed all in white talking to Nicky as he reflects on his wasted life.

As the show reaches its finale the vocals of Moore/Mary take over with ‘An Intentional Confrontation’, with her still sounding great and she like Tate has really thrown herself into the part.

'A Junkies Blues’, a real show stopper as Nicky/Tate riddled with indecision and guilt and loss takes a lethal cocktail of booze and drugs with the haunting melancholy overture of the band behind him. As Nicky slips away into oblivion the vision of doctors and needles haunts him as he lies there his heartbeat slowed down with the intro into ‘Fear City Slide’, suddenly mystery figures with their giant needles inflict their final blow on the body of Nicky.  Again the guitars of Stone and Wilton fill the hall with electrifying energy, whist Jackson and Rockenfield add the backbone to the song with such awe and style that has to be heard to be believed.

The band did top this three hour show with a storming encore firstly opening up with ‘Jet City Woman’, although the highlight of the encore for me was two of my favourite all time Queensryche songs, firstly ‘Empire’ which was just superb before they ended what had been a great night with ‘Silent Lucidity’. A truly great end to an awesome night.