Live albums are like souvenirs. If you were there, it’s a portal back to the magic and energy of the performance that beguiled you (hopefully). If you are only experiencing the performance second hand through the recording, its sort of like that souvenir t-shirt your parents brought you from their fabulous vacation; nice for what it is, but it surely is no substitute for being there.
Once in a very rare while, a live album transcends its limitations to transport you into a world of shared nirvana (think Yessongs or Frampton Comes Alive). It’s a complete mystery as to what will make a live album fall on one side or the other. I’ve been lucky enough to see Blue Öyster Cult in smaller theatres and in large arenas, and these boys bring it home every time. In September 2022, BOC performed three nights at Sony Hall in New York City, each night featuring one of their first three albums in full. Night two gives us the complete Tyranny And Mutation as well as an interesting selection of songs throughout their long and storied career.
The first disc opens with Tyranny played in its original running order. In 1973 the band had yet to become a hit-making machine. As this performance makes perfectly clear, they were still experimenting with combining a hard rock and heavy metal sonic assault with prog rock pretensions and savvy vocal harmonies. Fast forward to 2022 and Blue Öyster Cult still play as if their lives depend upon it. With only the core of guitarists/vocalists Eric Bloom and Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser remaining from the original band, Richie Castellano (guitar, keys, vocals), Danny Miranda (bass, vocals) and Jules Radino (drums) contribute with all the conviction and passion of fervent believers worshipping at the foot of the hooked cross. Tyranny And Mutation in particular benefits from the live rendering. The studio versions of these songs hit hard, but the live versions are like a sucker punch you never see coming. The Red & The Black takes a few moments of flexing its muscles before getting down to business. By the time they get around to Mistress Of the Salmon Salt (Quicklime Girl), the final track on the album, you feel bruised and bloodied by the power and aggression on display. 7 Screaming Diz-Busters is a particular highlight of the first set. The vocals can seem a bit ragged at times, but both Bloom and Roeser were well into their seventies at the time of recording. With the vocal assistance of Castellano (future Jon Anderson collaborator) and Miranda, the band still pulls off their iron fist in a velvet glove harmonies. Blue Öyster Cult have always been a formidable live juggernaut. Even compared to classic live albums like On Your Feet Or On Your Knees and Some Enchanted Evening, these versions of the songs from Tyranny and Mutation fare pretty favourably.
Not to be outdone, Disc Two has a number of its own delights to share, both in terms of song selection and comfortable looseness. Kicking off with Box In My Head from 2020’s The Symbol Remains, the band proves they have lost none of the edge that made them so special fifty years ago. Later in the set, That Was Me lends weight to the argument that Symbol did not get the fair shake it deserved. Launching into Burning For You, the band shows how they managed to successfully marry sweet harmony, twin guitar leads, and pop sensibility with convincing rock credibility. Lips in The Hills off 1980’s Cultosaurus Erectus could have easily fit onto any of the first three albums. Perfect Water is an unexpected inclusion which only serves to explain why Club Ninja was a hitless disappointment. Tenderloin is the band’s tribute to late keyboardist and guitarist Alan Lanier. One of the darker songs on Agents Of Fortune, it sits comfortably amongst the other songs in the set, and Castellano’s synth solos beautifully replicate Lanier’s tone. It segues beautifully into another cut from that album, The Revenge Of Vera Gemini, sung by guest and original member Albert Bouchard. ETI (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) completes the Agents trifecta, giving Bloom a chance to play with the melody and Roeser another opportunity to prove his bona fides during the extended outro. Extended versions of both Godzilla and [Don’t Fear] The Reaper allow the band to stretch out, and Roeser plays the hell out of both.
The encore commences with Unknown Tongue, a fine deep cut from Cultosaurus, where Castellano shows off his piano chops. Agents, the album that broke the band into the big time, reveals another gem with Tattoo Vampire. The final song is the classic Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll, once more with Bouchard taking the lead vocal. The band sounds like they are having the time of their lives and play with the fervour of a new band trying to convert an untested audience.
Blue Öyster Cult’s 50th Anniversary Live – Second Night is not a quintessential live album that will expose them to the masses, but if you are already a convert, it’s a must have. The set comes with a DVD (unavailable for review), so if you’ve never seen the band, here’s your opportunity (sort of). Even fifty years on and with the core members pushing eighty, this live document dispels the notion that rock and roll is a young man’s game. These guys can show those young whipper snappers a thing or two.
TRACK LISTING
Disc One
01. The Red & The Black (5:09)
02. O.D.’d On Life Itself (4:53)
03. Hot Rails To Hell (5:00)
04. 7 Screaming Diz-Busters (7:01)
05. Baby Ice Dog (3:35)
06. Wings Wetted Down (4:12)
07. Teen Archer (4:10)
08. Mistress Of The Salmon Salt (Quicklime Girl) (5:11)
Time – 39:11
Disc Two
01. Box In My Head (3:38)
02. Burnin’ For You (4:50)
03. Lips In The Hills (4:30)
04. Perfect Water (5:11)
05. Tenderloin (3:45)
06. The Revenge Of Vera Gemini (3:56)
07. E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) (5:37)
08. That Was Me (3:13)
09. Godzilla (7:02)
10. [Don’t Fear] The Reaper (6:45)
11. Unknown Tongue (4:24)
12. Tattoo Vampire (2:49)
13. Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll (6:13)
Time – 61:53
Total Time – 101:04
MUSICIANS
Eric Bloom – Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser – Guitar, Vocals
Richie Castellano – Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Danny Miranda – Bass, Vocals
Jules Radino – Drums
~ With
Albert Bouchard – Guitar, Drums, Percussion, Vocals
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Frontiers Music Srl
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Date of Release: 9th August 2024
