This week, I got the opportunity to capture one of the most iconic shows, and what a great start to the new year. At the famous Sunshine Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico,  Geoff Tate, former vocalist and songwriter for Queensrÿche, brought his 2026 concert tour, “Operation: Mindcrime – Final Chapter,” celebrating the 1988 Operation: Mindcrime album release. Touring with Geoff Tate are the Irish rock band Tomás McCarthy and OGMA. 

Tomás McCarthy from Cork, Ireland, has been traveling with Geoff Tate. McCarthy’s band consists of his wife, Clodagh McCarthy, saxophonist and vocalist, and James Keegan, guitarist and vocalist. The band is also known as Fire & Water. McCarthy has been in the music business for a long time and is well known in Ireland. He and his wife are accomplished musicians there, with traditional Irish music spanning into Irish rock music. They opened the show with “Stand Your Ground,” followed by a traditional Irish song, “Siuil a Ruin,” and then “Battle My Way.” They also performed their song, “Colours.”

So, the next thing I suggest is following these links to more of their music and their journey with Geoff Tate.  

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OGMA, an Irish rock band that has a mixed bag of artists from Australia to the U.S., has connections to Geoff Tate. A newly formed outfit that had just started touring a few weeks ago, they delivered a punchy 30-minute set of covers and originals. Along with James Brown, Colin Frecknall (drums), Jimmy Wynen (bass), and lead singer/guitarist D.J. O’Sullivan, the band performed like seasoned veterans, bringing an energetic stage presence that showcased a bright future as they continue to develop their original material.

The band came on stage and immediately turned up the action. They performed “Keep Movin,” then rolled into a cover of “Jailbreak” by Thin Lizzy and another original song, “New Day.” They were also celebrating their bass player, Jimmy Wynen’s, birthday during the performance. Wow, what a night for Wynen! It was a great way to celebrate. 

The band, being a young band, really had a powerhouse feel of experience. I am really interested in seeing where they go from here. Follow these links:

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Geoff Tate is the iconic vocalist and songwriter for Queensrÿche, best known for his vocals on the 1988 Operation: Mindcrime and 1990 Empire albums. His solo career has grown by leaps and bounds. At this point, he has traveled all over the world, released four albums, and is looking to release the final chapter of the Operation: Mindcrime series this summer, titled Operation Mindcrime III. This tour, he is full of energy and ready to rock the world. 

The night of the concert in Albuquerque, the band came out on stage, all backlit, and started playing as the lights came up; the crowd began shouting. Then Geoff Tate stepped onto the stage, and the crowd went insane, cheering loudly. The opening song he sang was “I Remember Now,” followed by “Anarchy-X.” Around that time, crowd surfing began, and security rushed to the pit. The third song was “Revolution Calling,” followed by the tour song “Operation: Mindcrime.” Some people in the crowd threw horns, some pointed a finger to the sky, others screamed and sang along with the band while dancing in place. Others stood silently, hanging on every word coming out of Tate’s mouth. Tate would come to the edge of the stage and connect with the crowd.

Geoff Tate is one person you need to listen to in person to understand the depth and reason he is so popular. Here are a few links to follow and keep up with the band. 

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