MAY 26th 2025
BLUE OYSTER CULT
Review By: Dmitry Sukhinin
Photos By:Polina Kulikovskikh
Gallery:http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/blue-oyster-cult/
I have made a number of regretful mistakes by not going to check out the bands that are on the edge of being my cup of tea, while I could. Some had disbanded and some are never seen around our part of Europe these days. Luckily, this is no longer the case for Blue Öyster Cult - I signed up when I saw them coming.
One of the biggest influences on today’s giants Ghost (right?), Blue Öyster Cult have impacted several genres including heavier ones, even Metallica have paid their tribute on Garage, inc. in 1998 with the Astronomy cover.
But it was the Veteran of the Psychic Wars that got me into a band, the song from 1981s Fire of Unknown Origin - which is still relevant today.
So I had a FOMO and went. It was 1,5 hours from doors until the concert started - a well-plotted sinister plan to make everyone drunk before the first chords that Monday.
The Bladerunner intro is on (great choice!!!), and the band appeared onstage. It looked very casual, like a rehearsal of some buddies - all arriving one by one, tuning, chatting. Richie Castellano came to Eric Bloom, pressed something on his pedalboard, then went back, and after a while BOC started playing Transmaniacon MC.
The sound was even softer than on the original recording from the Blue Öyster Cult self-titled album. This can definitely also be said about the vocals (check this song - you will clearly hear James Hetfield - including some of the vocal effects that Metallica used on Load/Reload). But today the vocals are definitely not as spicy as fifty three years ago. Jules Radino played some break in the middle, screwed it up, but no one was lost.
Blue Öyster Cult use three different sets of Line 6 (including FM3 and Helix) stomps and Roland (FC-300?) with a set of pedals - further sent into Marshalls standing on stage. I assume the main sound comes from the tube heads, which have a really modest amount of gain. With such soft guitar tones, it is Danny Miranda’s (Fender Precision) bass that really stands out. It sounds wonderful, one of the most beautiful bass tones I have experienced live - massive and very pleasant, perfectly intonated.
I’ve checked the setlists from the previous gigs and note that today we have a different one - with some alternative options every gig - different set lists from the last few gigs. Now, this is great! Does your band do the same??
Before the Kiss, and then Golden Age of Leather that starts with acapello of four and melancholically announced as the golden age of the gone years, if I shorten the speech.
The retro rock act is one of the endangered species, but the people around argue about the next song and sing along. A very soft guitar sound transports the audience half a century ago. Not flawless, but no drama either, very chilled, Blue Öyster Cult deliver sixteen songs. If there was one thing I could improve - it would be vocals, that lost all the last traces of badass-ness.
But I am still happy I have checked that box.
One of the biggest influences on today’s giants Ghost (right?), Blue Öyster Cult have impacted several genres including heavier ones, even Metallica have paid their tribute on Garage, inc. in 1998 with the Astronomy cover.
But it was the Veteran of the Psychic Wars that got me into a band, the song from 1981s Fire of Unknown Origin - which is still relevant today.
So I had a FOMO and went. It was 1,5 hours from doors until the concert started - a well-plotted sinister plan to make everyone drunk before the first chords that Monday.
The Bladerunner intro is on (great choice!!!), and the band appeared onstage. It looked very casual, like a rehearsal of some buddies - all arriving one by one, tuning, chatting. Richie Castellano came to Eric Bloom, pressed something on his pedalboard, then went back, and after a while BOC started playing Transmaniacon MC.
The sound was even softer than on the original recording from the Blue Öyster Cult self-titled album. This can definitely also be said about the vocals (check this song - you will clearly hear James Hetfield - including some of the vocal effects that Metallica used on Load/Reload). But today the vocals are definitely not as spicy as fifty three years ago. Jules Radino played some break in the middle, screwed it up, but no one was lost.
Blue Öyster Cult use three different sets of Line 6 (including FM3 and Helix) stomps and Roland (FC-300?) with a set of pedals - further sent into Marshalls standing on stage. I assume the main sound comes from the tube heads, which have a really modest amount of gain. With such soft guitar tones, it is Danny Miranda’s (Fender Precision) bass that really stands out. It sounds wonderful, one of the most beautiful bass tones I have experienced live - massive and very pleasant, perfectly intonated.
I’ve checked the setlists from the previous gigs and note that today we have a different one - with some alternative options every gig - different set lists from the last few gigs. Now, this is great! Does your band do the same??
Before the Kiss, and then Golden Age of Leather that starts with acapello of four and melancholically announced as the golden age of the gone years, if I shorten the speech.
The retro rock act is one of the endangered species, but the people around argue about the next song and sing along. A very soft guitar sound transports the audience half a century ago. Not flawless, but no drama either, very chilled, Blue Öyster Cult deliver sixteen songs. If there was one thing I could improve - it would be vocals, that lost all the last traces of badass-ness.
But I am still happy I have checked that box.