Second night of the Blue Öyster Cult three night stint in NYC with Tyranny & Mutation showcased.

Release Date: 9th August 2024

Label: Frontiers Music s.r.l

Format: 2CD/DVD

The second part of a trilogy of releases that follows the scene setting First Night recording with Blue Öyster Cult delivering a set that includes the band’s second album Tyranny &Mutation performed back-to-back, plus a second set mixing favorites, deep cuts, and classic hits.

With the recent Ghost Stories and The Symbol Remains emerging from the Cult studios, their stock is at a rare high and this set continues the thrill induced by the first release as Bloom, Roeser et al grind their way through the familiarity of the 72/73 cuts of The Red & The Black, a punky Seven Screaming Dizbusters and the Hot Rails To Hell express to hell whilst digging deep for the bluesy Baby Ice Dog and Mistress Of The Salmon Salt, complete with organ flourishes. Tyranny might not be one of their most acclaimed albums, but the benefits of hindsight and the warmth of nostalgia blur the edges. The fact that the band willingly return to it and play the whole thing shows a commitment to their early days and to their legacy.

Thirteen further songs see the band head straight into contemporary Cult with Box In My Head from The Symbol Remains that also contributes a resoundingly heavy That Was Me. A pair that actually have a real weight about them and justify the return to the studio that we thought might never again happen. An immediate cheer rises on recognition of the guitar passage that opens Lips In The Hills from Cultosaurus Erectus and even the under the radar Club Ninja contributes Perfect Water where the textures and melodic guitar and lyrical lines – great solo too – are guilty of offering gentle reminders that amongst the classic tracks and albums, lie some long forgotten and buried gems.

Digging out Tenderloin from Agents Of Fortune and pairing with the pulsing swing of The Revenge Of Vera Gemini and Tattoo Vampire from the same album is a smart move, the latter giving a driving charge to the more obvious finale pieces. And those classics – well, you can’t really expect any BÖC gig sans ETI, The Reaper, Godzilla, Cities On Flame and Burnin’ For You. No doubt they’ll provide the backbone of the Third Night’s fun when they vist what many regard as their best album.

Roll on the Secret Treaties set!

Here’s 7 Screaming Dizbusters from the set:

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