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Blue Oyster Cult Assembles and Reaps Praise from Faithful Followers in Nashville

by Rich and Laura Lynch

In recent months it seems everyone is fearing the reaper. So much so that normal everyday and extracurricular activities have been curtailed less they are deemed to be a super-spreader event. Thankfully, however, cooler heads are prevailing and much missed happenings like concerts are beginning to return. Take classic rock legends Blue Oyster Cult for example. They showed no fear when they climbed to the top of the new Assembly Food Hall in Nashville for a generously portioned sample of their fare on Friday, August 27, 2021.


Eric Bloom, Richie Castellano, Buck Dharma, and Danny Miranda at the forefront in Music City.

B.O.C. took the stage in timely fashion at 9 p.m. as the weekend craziness was in full swing five stories below them on Broadway. The fantastic five-piece quickly set the pace with "The Red and the Black" - the first song from their second studio album, "Tyranny and Mutation" that perhaps was their way of commenting on the strangely mutating and increasingly tyrannical times we now find ourselves in. The second track "Before the Kiss, a Redcap" reached all the way back to their 1972 debut revealing that this show would be a career spanning juggernaut in Music City.

Unlike some of their contemporaries from back in the day Blue Oyster Cult is still spreading their message and remaining vital when many of their rivals have gone fishing or worse. Consider their latest full album of new material The Symbol Remains that was released in 2020 along with two significant live albums that marked their 45th anniversary as a band and the 4th decade since the release of the chart topping "Agents of Fortune".

The Symbol Remains was heavily featured during the group's fiery 100 minute set starting with the Eric Bloom sung "That Was Me" - a brooding track that feels nostalgic as it surveys a dark landscape of regret. Buck Dharma handled the vocals on "Box In My Head" that recalled the commercial appeal of some of the rocker's earlier hits. Richie Castellano, the young gun in the band and the relative new guy on third guitar impressed with his determined and convincing performance of "Tainted Blood" that pulsed with anthemic power.


Founding member and lead singer of the radio hits Buck Dharma in Nashville.

Of course, no Blue Oyster Cult concert is complete without the epic giants comprised of "Godzilla", "E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)" and "Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll" that had quite a few classic rock aficionados letting out shouts of joy and expressive cries of ecstasy. The biggest reaction of the night came from the always hot MTV hit "Burnin' For You" while "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" was dedicated to the recently passed Charlie Watts.

SETLIST: The Red & the Black | Before the Kiss, a Redcap | That Was Me | Golden Age of Leather | Burnin' for You | Harvest Moon | E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) | Box in My Head | Buck's Boogie | Then Came the Last Days of May | ME 262 | Godzilla | (Don't Fear) The Reaper | Encore | Tainted Blood | Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll

Assembly Food Hall is a multi-level, comprehensive culinary and entertainment destination, that complements and rounds out the downtown Nashville experience. The over 100,000 square-foot project is a central gathering place with 30+ eateries and bars, Sixty Vines restaurant, three live performance stages and a massive rooftop terrace featuring a live music venue with epic Nashville views delivering a fun, energetic vibe that now draws visitors from all across the region.


Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma on the rooftop stage at Assembly Hall in Music City.

Related Links: For more information on BLUE OYSTER CULT and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Blue Oyster Cult | Assembly Food Hall






















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