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 Queensryche, brought his 2026 concert tour “Operation: Mindcrime – Final Chapter,” celebrating the 1988 Operation: Mindcrime album release. Touring with Geoff Tate is the Irish rock band Tomas McCarthy and OGMA.
Tomas 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 in Ireland, with traditional Irish music spanning to Irish Rock music. Tomas McCarthy was nominated for a GRAMMY in 2025 with his single, “Colours.” 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 GRAMMY-nominated song, “Colours.”
So, the next thing I suggest is following these links to more of their music and their journey with Geoff Tate.
https://www.facebook.com/TomasMcCarthyMusic
https://www.instagram.com/tomasmccarthyartist
OGMA, an Irish rock band that has a mixed bag of artists from Australia to the U.S. They have connections to Geoff Tate as guitarist and vocalist James Brown previously performed with Queensryche. a newly formed outfit that had just started touring a few weeks ago and delivered a punchy 30-minute set of covers and originals. Along with 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 Moving,” 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.
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:
https://www.facebook.com/ogmaband.official
https://www.instagram.com/ogmaband.official
Geoff Tate is the iconic vocalist and songwriter for Queensryche. Best known for his vocals on the 1988 Operation: Mindcrime and 1990 Empire album. In 2012, he was asked to leave Queensryche and went on his own. He originally started his own band, calling it Operation: Mindcrime, in 2014 with the same name as the Queensryche album. After years of legal battles, he finally formed his current band.
The night of the concert in Albuquerque, the band came out on stage all back-lit and started playing as the lights came up; the crowd started shouting. Then Geoff Tate steps out on the stage, the crowd went insane and cheered. The opening song he sang was “I Remember Now,” followed by “Anarchy-X.” About that time, the crowd surfing started, and security rushed to the pit. The third song was “Revolution Calling,” and after that, the tour song “Operation: Mindcrime.” Some of the people in the crowd were throwing horns, some pointing a finger to the sky, others screaming and singing along with the band, and dancing in place. Others stood silent, hanging on each 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.
https://www.facebook.com/GeoffTateOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/geofftateomc
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