When I see "adults only" in the poster, it's initially a bit of a turn off. It's not that I prefer to go to shows with children in attendance (au contraire!), but because "adult entertainment" has unfortunately become a soft-peddling synonym for hardcore pornography, which is something I would never, ever support or want to see. But getting beyond their decision to prioritize "adults only" on the poster, I find a lot about this show that would make me very interested to see it...

I'm not a huge fan of Queensryche ... they have some good songs, but they're not one of my favorite bands. But I do love to see an ambitious, innovative, exciting stage show, and this looks to be what they're aiming for this time around. Sounds like fun!

I love that they're adding circus entertainment and ballet, and I'm a huge fan of drag shows when they feature quality performers.

The band's choice to describe the show as a "cabaret" makes me think right away of one of my all-time favorite films ("Cabaret," of course) and to reframe my thought of Queensryche's inclusion of burlesque ... in a cabaret show, one would expect to see perhaps a modern rock and roll interpretation of the world of old school bulesque vs. the sad, vulgar stage shows seen more often today in so-called "gentleman's clubs."

I am also intrigued to learn that this show will tell a story of sorts, using old and new music by the band. I wonder what story it will tell? An interview with Geoff Tate (full article posted in my source list below) gives some hints:

--Quote--
"“The cabaret-style show, inspired in part by Teatro ZinZanni and Cirque du Soleil, syncs the band’s songs with the action on stage. And the audience will be encouraged to interact with the performers.

“A lot of the songs in the show are ones we haven’t played in a long time. Or in the case of three of them, songs we’ve never played live. And taking these different kinds of Queensryche songs and writing a storyline that connected all these songs to each other.”

The presence of the performers — dancers, jugglers, trapeze artists and the like — works within the context of the story.

“It’s an interesting show you can enjoy on a lot of different levels. There’s definitely a beginning, a middle section with conflict, and then a resolution. And at the end there’s a bit of a moralistic lesson. I have to say, it’s very entertaining. I’m very pleased with the whole thing. It’s got funny parts, but also sad parts — like life itself.”
--Quote--

The comparison with Teatro ZinZanni (see pic below) caught my interest...awesome! Check this link to the ZinZanni website below for more info. Their show is described as "a bewitching evening of European Cabaret and Cirque, Divas and Madmen, Spectacle and Sensuality with Live Music and a Gourmet Five-Course Dinner – set in the nightclub of your dreams!"

So despite my initial skepticism...count me in! If this show came to Chicago, I'd love to see what Queensryche came up with by combining their music with these circus, drag, ballet, old-school burlesque, and theatrical inspirations!

I will not be able to see this Queensryche tour, however anything Queensryche sounds like it will be amazing. I seen them in concert many years back, and it was probably the best concert I had ever seen.

Am I the only one to see a resemblance to this advertising and Perry Farrell's advertising for the early Lollapalooza? Trying a little too hard to be seen as "off the beaten path"? Hmmm, maybe not. Hopefully this will live up to it's own billing more than Lollapalooza did. Don't get me wrong, L7, George Clinton, Beastie Boys and Smashing Pumpkins back to back to back pretty much blew me away, but the rest of the event was dissapointing. Perhaps real music lovers will always get their biggest charge out of the music and not the "extras". I won't be going, but would be interested in hearing opinions

Here's an interesting little article about Lollapalooza then and now:
http://www.seattlepi.com/pop/136299_lollapalooza23.html