Queensryche Rocks the Neptune Theater

Blazing across the country and packing venues in support of their latest release, 2019’s The Verdict, Queensyche put on an outstanding performance at Seattle’s Neptune Theater on Wednesday February 5, 2020. The cold and the rain didn’t keep the die hard Rycher’s from coming out in full force to support one the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic and longest running music acts.

Vocalist Todd La Torre, guitarists Michael Wilton & Parker Lundgren, bassist Eddie Jackson, and touring drummer Casey Grillo came to the stage while “Launder the Conscience” was played over the sound system. A good amount of fog filled the venue and backlighting filled the stage as the band jumped into “Prophecy.”

The band played a good amount of songs that are very familiar to the longtime fans. “Operation: Mindcrime,” “Take Hold of the Flame,” “Breaking the Silence,” “Queen of the Reich,” “Empire,” and “Eyes of a Stranger” had everyone head banging, fist pumping and singing along with La Torre, who sounded incredible.

Lundgren and Wilton are a solid and tight guitar duo who complement each other’s style of playing. Jackson and Grillo laid the foundation as a tight rhythm section that keep the beat and timing of each song at a perfect pace.

La Torre stated that though the band does their best to keep their long time happy by playing their more familiar material, they made a concerted effort to include material off of their newest album. The band also performed “Bent,” “Light-years,” “Man the Machine,” and “Dark Reverie.”

In direct support was guitarist extraordinaire John 5, who is touring is support of his latest release Invasion, along with Ian Ross on bass and drummer Logan Miles Nix. They brought their special blend of rock, metal, blue grass and funk and simply shredded for close to 45 minutes. With clips of horror movies playing on the background screens and crazy characters made their way on stage, John 5 and his band put on one seriously hard act to follow.

Queensryche Set List

Launder the Conscience (Intro from Tape)
Prophecy
Operation: Mindcrime
Walk in the Shadows
Resistance
Man the Machine
Take Hold of the Flame
No Sanctuary
Bent
Dark Reverie
Breaking the Silence
Silent Lucidity
Jet City Woman
Screaming in Digital
Queen of the Reich

Encore:
Light-years
Empire
Eyes of a Stranger