QUEENSRYCHE/ ACCEPT

When the Volume & Vengeance Tour was announced, I was praying that a Houston stop was in the cards and thankfully, my prayers were answered.  This was a “can’t miss” double bill so truth be told, I would have made the journey to another city if need be.  It would be very easy for them to just play on the nostalgia circuit but both bands are still very relevant producing new music while still honoring the past.

ACCEPT wasted no time proving that point, opening their set with a blistering take on “The Reckoning” from last year’s “Humanoid”.  Despite its recent vintage, the song carries all the trademarks of classic Accept, and the Houston crowd greeted the band like returning heroes.  As their show progressed, they moved between albums with ease, showcasing many highlights throughout their catalogue.  The title track from “Restless and Wild” landed early, followed swiftly by “Midnight Mover,” and by that point the outcome was clear - ACCEPT could do no wrong, and the audience headbanged along to every riff.

Rather than treating new material as an obligation, Wolf Hoffmann and company leaned into it, tearing into “Straight Up Jack.”  The song fit seamlessly alongside the classics, and nearly 40 percent of the set drew from the Mark Tornillo era.  One of the night’s most pleasant surprises came with a deep cut from 1981 “Breaker.”  Having seen the band multiple times, it was a rare treat to hear it dusted off, a reminder of just how rich the back catalogue remains.

The latter half of the set struck an ideal balance between eras.  “Metal Heart” and “Fast as a Shark” sounded razor-sharp, while “Blood of the Nations” highlights “Teutonic Terror” and “Pandemic” held their own among the classics.  ACCEPT closed their concise but powerful set with the inevitable “Balls to the Wall,” sending the Houston crowd home satisfied (well, after QUEENSRYCHE of course).

Adding a personal touch to the evening, the audience (joined by members of QUEENSRYCHE) paused to sing “Happy Birthday” to Wolf Hoffmann.  Since Mark Tornillo’s arrival, ACCEPT have sounded reinvigorated, playing with renewed power and purpose. This performance was clear proof that the band is not merely surviving on legacy but continuing to earn its place among the metal elite.

I have literally been a QUEENSRYCHE fan since 1983 and have attended every tour since “Operation: Mindcrime”.  Needless to say, there was no way I was going to miss this concert.  Just like opening act ACCEPT, they are still balancing great, new material with a deep respect for their storied past.  They started the evening right at the very beginning with a spot-on version of “Queen of the Reich.”  The band wasted no time by quickly launching into “Walk in the Shadows” from the criminally overlooked “Rage For Order” record.  Diehards like myself love that album so I’m so happy they still include material from that era.

Determined to give fans exactly what they came for, QUEENSRYCHE leaned heavily into “Operation: Mindcrime”, though not by performing the album straight through. Instead, the band smartly peppered the tracks throughout the main set and encore. The first taste arrived with “Breaking the Silence,” quickly followed by “I Don’t Believe in Love,” sending the Houston metal faithful (myself included) into a frenzy as the band tore through one classic after another.  While the evening leaned on legacy material, QUEENSRYCHE made a strong case for their modern era as well.  With the band continuing to release new music, it was encouraging to hear selections from the Todd La Torre period.  “Arrow of Time,” from “Condition Human”, fit seamlessly alongside the classics, and the crowd welcomed it like an old favorite which was a promising sign that the band’s newer material is resonating with the QUEENSRYCHE faithful.

Before delivering the night’s biggest highlight (at least for me), the band reached back to their debut full-length with “NM 156.”  The inclusion of “London,” from “Rage for Order”, sealed the deal. Frankly, QUEENSRYCHE could have ended the show right there and I would have left completely satisfied.  Still one of my favorite songs in their catalogue, it was performed flawlessly, with La Torre and company capturing every ounce of drama and intensity from the studio version.  The set continued to balance eras, as “Behind the Walls” and “In Extremis” from “Digital Noise Alliance” (their latest release - though already three years old) represented the band’s more recent output. Sandwiched between those tracks were the timeless “Take Hold of the Flame” and “Speak,” further reinforcing the band’s ability to bridge decades without losing momentum.