Atlanta was ground zero for metal theater on April 2nd as Geoff Tate brought his Operation: Mindcrime – The Final Chapter tour to a packed house at Center Stage. This wasn’t just a nostalgia trip—it was a dramatic, tightly executed rock opera brought vividly to life by a commanding performance from Tate and his fierce, international band. With Operation: Mindcrime performed front-to-back for the last time, the night felt not only historic but deeply personal for the fans who’ve carried this record close for decades.

The evening kicked off with a lively set by the Irish trio Tomas McCarthy on their Fire and Water tour. The pairing of McCarthy’s vocals with Clodagh McCarthy on sax and vocals was sublime. Solid guitar work by James Keegan kept the beat going. They were a rocking band that made you crave a pint of Guinness and the rocky shores of Ireland. I’m looking forward to hearing more from them.

From the moment the house lights dimmed and the intro “I Remember Now” played over the PA, a palpable electricity settled over the room. It was clear the audience—made up of diehards in vintage Queensrÿche tees from every era—wasn’t here just to see a show. They were here to witness a legacy unfold one last time.

And what a legacy it is. Operation: Mindcrime remains one of the most ambitious and revered concept albums in metal history, telling the story of a disillusioned man pulled into political conspiracy, addiction, and eventual self-destruction. It’s part Orwell, part noir, and completely cinematic in scope. Hearing the album played live from start to finish is an immersive experience—like being dropped inside a dystopian novel with a crushing soundtrack.

Geoff Tate, as ever, was the magnetic centerpiece. At 66, his voice remains an instrument of astonishing power and control. He moved effortlessly from snarling accusations to vulnerable falsetto cries, capturing the complexity of the album’s protagonist, Nikki, with every note. “The Mission” was delivered with searing intensity, while “Suite Sister Mary” felt like a theatrical event unto itself, thanks in large part to the standout performance of Clodagh McCarthy, who handled both keyboards and the operatic vocals of Sister Mary with commanding poise. Her duet with Tate was goosebump-inducing and one of the evening’s most memorable moments.

Backing Tate was a band that felt hand-picked not just for their chops, but for their chemistry. Triple-threat guitarists James Brown, Amaury Altmayer, and Dario Parente made for an absolutely lethal trio—each one bringing distinct flavor while staying locked in step. Brown tore through solos with precision, Altmayer brought soulful phrasing, and Parente added the rhythmic backbone that made tracks like “Spreading the Disease” and “The Needle Lies” punch with grit.

On drums, Robert “Baker” delivered with relentless drive, mixing finesse and force through complex time changes and breakdowns. His playing on “Breaking the Silence” and “My Empty Room” gave the material emotional weight without ever dragging. Holding it all together with smooth authority was bassist Jimmy Wynen, whose thunderous low end kept the night grounded—even when the guitars soared into atmospheric territory.

By the time “Eyes of a Stranger” closed the Mindcrime portion of the show, the audience was already on their feet, cheering not just for a band that had nailed a flawless performance, but for the moment—a goodbye to a live chapter that has defined much of Tate’s post-Queensrÿche career.

But the show wasn’t over. Tate and his band returned to the stage for a rapid-fire encore that hit some fan-favorite highlights: “Empire” thundered with relevance, “Jet City Woman” rang out like a mission statement, and “Take Hold of the Flame” ended the night with an exclamation point. It was a fitting send-off to a tour that has celebrated not only a landmark album but an entire career’s worth of storytelling and musicianship.

Geoff Tate doesn’t just perform Operation: Mindcrime—he inhabits it. And with a band this sharp and a crowd this invested, the Center Stage show felt less like a concert and more like the final act of a rock opera decades in the making.

If this truly was the final full live performance of Mindcrime, Tate didn’t just do it justice—he gave it a hero’s sendoff.