LIVE: Blue Öyster Cult @ The Egg, 03/04/2022
It has been 55 years since Blue Öyster Cult formed in Stony Brook, NY as Soft White Underbelly. A name change in 1971 led to an influential, fifteen album career. Most bands from this era that still tour are strictly nostalgia acts. BÖC is a different animal. They still write, record and tour on new material. Their most recent release The Symbol Remains was released in 2020. Led by original members Buck Dharma and Eric Bloom, BÖC hit the stage at The Egg on Friday night bringing new songs and deep cuts to compliment the hits. The show was a near sell-out as I only noted a handful of empty seats. They opened the show with two tracks from their self titled 1972 debut album, “Transmaniacom MC” and “Before the Kiss, a Redcap.” Bloom noted that the debut record was released almost exactly fifty years ago.
The setlist included seventeen songs drawn from eight of the fifteen band’s albums. It also included a new unreleased track. Bloom and Dharma traded off lead vocal duties throughout the evening. Neither of them has lost a step musically. Their dual guitars were complimented by Richie Castellano on guitar and keyboards. The rhythm section of Danny Miranda on bass and Jules Radino on drums were equally impressive.
This reviewer was familiar with the hits. Having never seen BÖC live, I was impressed with their energy and musical ability. I was even more impressed by the audience. I spoke with several folks who have been following the band since their Soft White Underbelly days. That kind of band loyalty is what keeps these bands on the road.
They closed out their main set with their biggest hit, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” off of 1976’s Agents of Fortune. The encore included “The Alchemist” from their latest release and “Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll” from their debut.
Setlist:
Transmaniacon MC
Before the Kiss, a Redcap
Golden Age of Leather
That Was Me
Burnin’ for You
Dancin’ in the Ruins
Harvest Moon
E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
Buck’s Boogie
Tainted Blood
Train True (Lennie’s Song)
Then Came the Last Days of May
Godzilla
Buck’s (New?) Boogie
(Don’t Fear) The Reaper
Encore:
The Alchemist
Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll
Buck’s Boogie is an old BOC chestnut dating back to 1st album days. It’s not on any studio album, but on several live ones. They play it during most every show.