Photos by Andy Argyrakis

When Blue Öyster Cult finally returned to the studio after an almost two-decade absence for the pandemic-era release, “The Symbol Remains,” it seemed to rejuvenate a band that had otherwise turned into a traveling jukebox.

A 50th anniversary celebration followed, though when the group comprised of original singers/guitarists Eric Bloom and Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser, plus multi-instrumentalist Richie Castellano, bassist Danny Miranda and drummer Jules Radino
stopped by a full and wonderfully restored Genesee Theatre, they simply proclaimed to be “On Tour Forever!”

After 90-minutes of pure pandemonium, that could very well be the case as the guys straddled the lines of hard, progressive and classic rock, plus a hearty helping of heavy metal dating back to the early 1970s.

Blue Öyster Cult did indeed tap into “Golden Age Of Leather” and also surprised with the fairly early inclusion of the chart-topping “Burnin’ For You,” though they were bolstered by samples from the current collection, including “That Was Me” and the Castellano-led “Tainted Blood.”

“Godzilla” got everyone screaming along, and though at face value it would appear to be nothing more than a science fiction shout-out, the thought-provoking lyrics of “history shows again and again, how nature points out the folly of men” rang eerily true, perhaps now more than ever.

Yet there was no greater example of Blue Öyster Cult’s ominous imagery than “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” performed with menacing musicality and another chance to collectively sing before boarding the blistering “Hot Rails To Hell.”

Those headliners would’ve easily been satisfying enough as an aggressive evening, but the Genesee got a whole lot more bang for its buck thanks to equally electrifying support from Mark Farner’s American Band.

If those names sound familiar, it because the front man was a co-founder of “We’re An American Band” hitmakers Grand Funk Railroad, and though his solo career also explored Christian and patriotic rock, meaty group standards such as “Bad Time,” “Some Kind Of Wonderful,” “The Loco-Motion” and the chilling troops tribute, “I’m Your Captain (Closer To Home),” were the main focus of another heavy and hearty hour.

For additional information on Blue Öyster Cult and Mark Farner’s American Band, visit BlueOysterCult.com and MarkFarner.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Genesee Theatre include Electric Avenue: 80’s MTV Experience (Apr. 15); Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Collin Raye (May 4); The Beat Goes On: A Cher Tribute (May 5); Brit Floyd (May 6); Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken (May 12); Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles (May 13); Stewart Copeland (May 19); Los Chicos Del 512: The Selena Experience (May 20); John Oates (May 25); The Beach Boys (Jun. 2); America (Aug. 12); “Happy Together” featuring The Turtles (Aug. 18) and The Righteous Brothers. For additional details, visit GeneseeTheatre.com.

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