BLUE ÖYSTER CULT: 50th Anniversary Live in NYC, Third Night (2 CD + DVD)

 

The third and final release of Blue Öyster Cult's 50th-anniversary celebration is perhaps the one most keenly anticipated by fans because it includes a live rendition of Secret Treaties, arguably the band's finest album.

And 50th Anniversary Live in NYC Third Night (Frontiers) does not disappoint. From the opening chords of "Career of Evil" through the closing strains of "Astronomy," this latest iteration of BÖC rips through the Secret Treaties set with an enthusiasm that belies the individual members' age and instead demonstrates their musical assurance. 

It helps that many of the Secret Treaties songs have found a permanent home in the band's setlist for the last five decades. "Subhuman," "Dominance and Submission," "M.E. 262," "Harvester of Eyes," and "Flaming Telepaths" are all familiar, even to casual fans of the band's live performances. Sadly, most have fallen out of regular rotation on rock radio, which is less a commentary on the songs' quality than it is of the moribund state of AOR rock in 2025. 

The Secret Treaties material is followed by a smartly chosen second set, highlighting BÖC's eclectic catalog. While the obligatory tunes ("Burnin' for You," "Godzilla," and "(Don't Fear) the Reaper") are represented, so too are lesser-known gems. The band's collaboration with fantasy writer Michael Moorcock, "Black Blade," sounds terrific, as do "I Love the Night" and "Joan Crawford," from the Spectres and Fire of Unknown Origin albums, respectively. "The Alchemist," a standout track written by BÖC's latter-day jack of all trades, Richie Castellano, is also a welcome addition here, carried over (maybe for reasons of length?) from its performance on Night Two. 

Night Two's musical guests Kasim Sulton and Albert Bouchard are back for Night Three (Bouchard plays all three nights, as well he should), joined by Andy Ascolese on keyboards when Castellano is busy rocking the six-string during the aforementioned "Alchemist." Jules Radino on drums and Danny Miranda on bass provide their usual exemplary performances. 

But BÖC's two longest-tenured members, founders Eric Bloom on vocals and Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser on lead guitar and vocals, deserve the most praise. How often has Bloom introduced "Godzilla," yet still cackles with maniacal glee? How often has Roeser played the solo from "(Don't Fear) the Reaper), yet still wrings emotion from it? At a time when many of their contemporaries are long retired, these two only talk obliquely of "winding down" at some indefinite point in the future. 

And if so, retirement will be well-deserved. Yet if they still find the inspiration to do what they do, even with less frequency, then every performance is a gift from them to the fans. Which is a long-winded way of saying that a live album and DVD are great, but they're no substitute for fans seeing Blue Öyster Cult live while they still can. 

 

Blue Öyster Cult: 50th Anniversary Live in NYC Second Night (Deluxe Edition 2CD+DVD)

 

If you're buying Blue Öyster Cult's 50th Anniversary Live in NYC Second Night, chances are you aren't a casual fan. You're likely a diehard. 

Everything about this set caters to the lifelong aficionado of the thinking person's prog rock/metal band. The set, the second of three nights recorded at Sony Hall in 2022, opens with a complete performance of Tyranny and Mutation, the band's sophomore effort from 1973. Similarly, the first 50th-anniversary release last year featured live performances of all songs from the band's eponymous debut, while the third will open Secret Treaties, arguably BÖC's best album, in its entirety. 

The focus on Tyranny and Mutation in Night Two means some great, yet underplayed, songs receive a welcome spotlight. This includes the album's so-called "red" or second side: "Baby Ice Dog," "Wings Wetted Down," "Teen Archer," and "Mistress of the Salmon Salt (Quicklime Girl)". Fans will also encounter "The Red & the Black," a reworking of "I'm on the Lamb But I Ain't No Sheep" from the first BÖC album. 

But the surprises don't end there. The second two-thirds of the set offers other rarities, at least for this listener.  From the band's commercial breakthrough album, Agents of Fortune, comes "Tenderloin," which benefits from guest vocals and guitars by former touring member Kasim Sulton. "The Revenge of Vera Gemini" features founding BÖC member and former drummer Albert Bouchard on the six-string and lead vocals. 

Of course, no Cult performance is complete without that triumvirate of radio-friendly tunes, "Burnin' for You," "Godzilla," and "Don't Fear the Reaper." The renditions here offer nothing new, but they don't have to, instead showcasing the band's never-waning enthusiasm, even in its fifth decade. 

Members perform like the well-oiled machine they are. Drummer Jules Radino and bassist Danny Miranda have the low-end well in hand. Richie Castellano, a triple threat on vocals, guitar, and keyboard, shines throughout, the glue that holds this modern iteration of BÖC together. Of course, founding members Eric Bloom on vocals and guitarist/vocalist extraordinaire Don "Buck Dharma" Roeser continue to do what they've done so successfully for so long—rocking the crowd with their finely honed skills. 

In his late seventies, Bloom's voice is understandably not what it once was, yet its sometimes reedy, almost whispery tone adds a new layer to the already creepy "Unknown Tongue," and his obvious joy as the spokesperson of the band is undimmed by time. The sight of a teleprompter throughout the set is likely necessary for the less frequently performed songs, given their lyrical complexity. 

And what else can be said about Roeser? Truly one of the industry's most underrated guitarists, he burns his way through solo after solo, with standouts "E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)" and "Teen Archer." This, in addition to his lead vocals on many of the band's biggest crowdpleasers, makes him a force to contend with. 

The only sour note is the inclusion of "Box in My Head" and "That Was Me" from the band's 2021 triumph, The Symbol Remains. Not that they're bad songs, but they were already featured on the first night's setlist, and their inclusion here bumps other worthy songs from that album. When will "The Alchemist," "Florida Man," or "Secret Road" receive their live due? On Night Three, let's hope. 

Overall, two discs of music and one DVD capture the intensity of the current group. A cover offering a new perspective on the original cover of Tyranny and Mutation could be a symbol for the band itself, offering fresh takes on so many of the songs in its storied repertoire. If rumors about the members' retirement from touring at the end of the year are true, these sets are the perfect way to say goodbye. 

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