Live music review: 50 years of Blue Oyster Cult at Paramount Theatre
The touring circuit is a tough line of work in the 2020s. Outfits like The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, AC/DC, and Iron Maiden still make their way around the world, proving that rock and roll knows no age. For Long Island’s Blue Oyster Cult, the heavy metal and hard rock foundations still burn through as an enormous source of inspiration for artists both past and present. At the historic Paramount Theatre, in a rapidly gentrifying Austin, fans of all different backgrounds made their way to Congress Avenue to witness a legacy over 50 years in the making. With a lot of long-running groups being a relic of a time gone by, the New York hard rockers spent an hour and 45 minutes proving otherwise. Following a brief introduction by Paramount CEO Jim Ritts, the show began, and without delay, it was all the hits and more.
Blue Oyster Cult promptly took the stage at 8 p.m. as the sole performers on Monday night’s bill, ready to deliver a career-spanning set of classics and new creations that further proved their influential longevity. The only remaining founding members of the BOC ensemble consist of guitarists and vocalists Buck Dharma and Eric Bloom, the latter taking over frequent keyboard duties throughout each performance. Dharma performed with a headless guitar, with a body that looked like a literal slice of cheese. Opening the set was 1979’s Mirrors kickoff track, “Dr. Music,” an apt choice for a set-starter, making a subtle nod to the songwriting expertise that the performing act has been perfecting for going on six decades.
The five-piece ensemble features worthy talent in the array of Richie Castellano on third, but just as lead guitar, Danny Miranda on bass, and power percussionist Jules Radino on drums. Castellano shined throughout the set, switching from the six-string to keyboards throughout the night, often switching roles with Bloom on various setlist pickings. The seated concert-goers struggled to contain themselves in the seated theatre, with some attendees spontaneously standing to rejoice in their favorite moments throughout the show.
The speeding highway drive shifted into full gear with the superhit “Burnin’ For You,” showing the musicians finding their full footing to enlighten the spectators’ response. The song selections drifted between the classic rock essentials to the roots of heavy metal, with some featuring Dharma laying down his instruments altogether to take the lead vocals seat to focus on his projective frontman howl. The songs heard on old vinyl all those years ago aren’t played live to produce a carbon copy of these classic records; the Dharma-Bloom team is still expanding on these creations, adding new solo sections and allowing the surrounding players to each individually take the spotlight. It took all the members manning their instruments to tackle the heat-sinking “Hot Rails To Hell,” with vocal contributions from all over the stage to capture the 1973 Tyranny And Mutation entry.
Besides a few intros, the performance was largely banterless, with the legendary band not even taking a moment to utter the word “Austin,” but nonetheless, this was Blue Oyster Cult’s world we were living in for the evening, and it was all about the music. 2020’s The Symbol Remains cut “Tainted Blood” was also unveiled, proving that the Blue Oyster company can still write instant classics, a welcome addition to a catalog that’s about anything but nostalgia. The boom-stomp piece “Godzilla” also showed up in the last leg of the set, making room for the all-timer “Don’t Fear The Reaper.” To quote a wise man, “I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!” There was plenty of it to go around, and the audience responded with praise.
The darkly humorous “See You In Black” appeared in the first encore spot, demonstrating that the band didn’t want to halt the expedition just yet. This one felt in line with the British Heavy Metal titan likes of Motorhead and Judas Priest, with some “Hell Bent For Leather” vibes as the shredfest kept trucking on. The cataclysmic climaxes of guitar solos throughout the set treated each offering like the last, presenting the utmost extent of a collective’s well-oiled technical abilities that show no signs of wear. “Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll” served as the ultimate finale, resulting in a final standing ovation from the adoring crowd from all different walks of musical demographics. A symbolic ending, the star-studded quintet made a shining statement that their prowess is here to stay.
Blue Oyster Cult will continue touring the United States this spring before heading to Europe in the Summer. Tickets can be found on the Blue Oyster Cult website.
All photos Casey Chumbley
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