I had 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 the storm to New Mexico with his 2026 concert tour “Operation: Mindcrime – Final Chapter,” celebrating the 1988 Operation: Mindcrime album release. Touring with Geoff Tate is the Irish rock band Tomàs 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. But he and his wife are accomplished musicians in Ireland, with traditional Irish music to 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 “Colours” as the crowd went wild.
So, the next thing I suggest is to follow these links to more of their music and follow their journey with Geoff Tate.
https://www.facebook.com/TomasMcCarthyMusic
https://www.instagram.com/tomasmccarthyartist
OGMA, an Irish rock band featuring a mix of artists from Australia to the U.S., is a newly formed group that 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 group performed like seasoned veterans, bringing an energetic stage presence, showcasing 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.
As a young band, they had a powerful sense of experience and were 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 former vocalist and songwriter for Queensryche. Best known for his vocals on the 1988 Operation: Mindcrime and 1990 Empire album. 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.
On 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 started shouting. Then Geoff Tate steps out on 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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