NEWS: Geoff Tate’s Operation Mindcrime Announce Their Return to The Belfast Empire on Wednesday 20th February 2019

Ex-Queensryche front man Geoff Tate’s Operation Mindcrime band have announced a return to The Belfast Empire on Wednesday 20th February 2019.

Tickets on sale Friday 05 October – Buy yours from Ticketmaster.

Earlier this year, Geoff and his band undertook an extensive tour of the UK including a packed out show at The Empire to celebrate the 30^thanniversary of the classic Queensryche album ‘Operation Mindcrime’, with a number of the dates completely sold out.

One of the greatest singers in rock and metal, Geoff was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1959 with his family relocating to Tacoma, Washington shortly after his birth. His first band was a cover band called Tyrant and after they split up, he hooked up with  progressive band Babylon. While in Babylon, Geoff was asked to sing with a cover band called The Mob (who would later become Queensrÿche) and after Babylon broke up, Geoff performed a few live shows with The Mob.  Following this, another progressive metal band, Myth, lured him as both lead vocalist and keyboardist before The Mob came back into his life in 1981 when they wanted him to help them record a demo tape.

The Mob worked with Geoff to write the song “The Lady Wore Black” and the band produced a demo of 4 songs, which would become the bands first EP later released on their own label called 206 records. Geoff and the band decided to change the name of the group to Queensryche and were subsequently signed to EMI Records in the summer of 1983. They recorded six full length albums for the label including ‘Rage For Order’ in 1986, their career defining ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ in 1988 and it’s multi-platinum follow up, ‘Empire’ in 1990.

After leaving Queensrÿche in 2012, Geoff started a project called ‘Operation: Mindcrime, named for his critically acclaimed concept album, and re-invented himself with his Operation Mindcrime band mates, going on to produce three inter-connected albums, ‘The Key’ in 2015 followed by ‘Resurrection’ in 2016 and the final piece of the puzzle, ‘The New Reality’, being released in 2017.  All three albums are part of a concept album trilogy involving virtual currencies, internet banking and stock trading, which were met with largely positive reviews.

Tickets priced £20 + B/F for Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime at The Belfast Empire on Wednesday 20th February 2019 go on sale Friday 05 October at 9am. Tickets available from The Belfast Empire Bar and all usual Ticketmaster outlets