Live Review: Geoff Tate (Queensryche) / Eric Martin (Mr Big) and David Cotterill (Demon) / Mark Daly & The Ravens – The Button Factory, Dublin 02,09,2023

Geoff Tate’s Greatest Hits tour was on Irish shores for a few dates and arrived to Dublin’s Button Factory with a strong support line up in tow, that being Eric Martin of Mister Big + David Cotterill of Demon and Mark Daly and the Ravens.

So opening the night was Cork native Mark Daly and his band the Ravens, Mark being a well established singer/songwriter and a member of Geoff’s super group Operation: Mindcrime. Also Geoff has in the past featured on other work with The Voodoos another of Marks earlier projects.
Two other members of the Ravens also feature in Geoff’s band.
Tonight the guys played a five song set which was over way to fast even something Mark himself apologised for but there was a lot to fit in tonight so stage time was limited, but it did feature a new song only released a few hours before and this was the first time playing it since its release and that being Crying Shame.
The third song on the list was dedicated to all the weirdos in the crowd.
Set List.
Peace of Mind
Gotta Run
Addicted to the Throne
Crying Shame
Don’t Look Back

Second up were special guests on this tour Eric Martin (Mr Big) and David Cotterill (Demon) the two guys wielding acoustic guitar took to the stage with some huge cheers from the crowd, have to say mostly the ladies as a number of them seem to still have a teenage crush on Eric and had gathered at the front under his mic stand and for the night had either phones out or hands out reached hoping to touch their idol.
The guys opened with Electrified. Wild World created a large sing along to the chorus as did To Be With You, Other songs on their list included Fragile / Take Cover / Voodoo Kiss / Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song) / Alive and Kicking and Dancin’ With My Devils. The latter being dropped probably as they had chosen to play Wild World which wasn’t on the set list.

So we didn’t have to wait long before Geoff and the band hit the stage and bursting on to it they did with what couldn’t have been a better opening song! Operation Mindcrime, we knew from then on it was going to be hit after hit.
The crowd tonight has a number of Americans that have paid 4000 dollars (according to one of them) to travel with the band and attend the three shows on Irelands shores, now that’s diehard fans right there.

After O,M we were told that its going to be a mix tonight and if you get lost hold on to till next one which you might know and the band will be dropping into all decades of Queensrÿche and thank you for being around throughout it all.
Damaged / I Don’t Believe in Love, followed this little chat and all the time its fast paced from the band members! either taking centre stage for guitar bits or bass bits and Geoff himself making use of ever inch of the stage.
Take Hold Of The Flame took us into another chat time where Geoff informed us! this ones from the 1986 period and was well received in Dublin back than, but some thought the material from around that time was a little strange and what the fuck is this lol.
He was talking about Walk In The Shadows which was followed up with Neue Regel / Screaming in Digital.
Like so many bands it was pandemic chat time and how Geoff had never in his life being grocery shopping as he was always on the road so never needed to, so while out one day he is approached by his biggest fan (fans words) and Geoff is asked to sign albums where this fan mentioned how he love a certain song and how it got him true some difficult times. Geoff asked what the song was to which this fan replied Silence in Tennessee lol the venue was in stitches and yep the band went into the all time classic that is Silent Lucidity and not a pin could be heard dropping for the whole song. The best I Can and one of my all time favourites Empire followed.
Can’t you feel it coming? (empire)
Can’t you hear it coming (empire)
Can’t someone here stop it?
Once you here those words you cant help but sing along trying to imitate Geoff’s voice (well I cant anyway)
That brought a close to the main set, a very! short break and they’re back and Geoff introduced the band members and asked what do yous want to hear? how about Jet City Womam? which got a huge welcome from the crowd and was followed up with Eyes of a Stranger again getting huge cheers. ” do yous want more? ” and the night is finished out with Queen of the Reich.
I never got around to catching Queensrÿche and has always been something of a regret, but after last night I’m truly satisfied as it may not have been Queensrÿche, but it was!