Savatage

Handful Of Rain is really good. Probably my second favorite after Edge Of Thorns.

Handful of Rain was my main introduction to the band. I heard the songs "Gutter Ballet" and "Edge of Thorns" first, maybe on MTV or something, but the first album I ever owned by them was Handful of Rain. It's excellent. "Chance" blew me away the first time I heard it. Still does. Such a brilliant tune.

It's not their best album, but it is damn good.

I first saw the video for Gutter Ballet on tv. Local library was carrying the then new Dead Winter Dead, so I got that for 2 weeks, and loved it.

The first album I bought was Streets. I got it second hand for pennies. Now I own all of them.

I really miss this band. Haven't spinned any of their albums in quite a while.

I know I've said this many times before 'round here but it bears repeating: the Savatage gig I saw in Brooklyn, NY on the Gutter Ballet tour in 1990 was the (Comic Book Guy voice) BEST. SHOW. EVER. To this day, I still get a woody when I think back to that show.

I never did get to see Savatage live. Last year's Wacken was probably my last chance, considering Jon's current health.

I have seen both Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle live. JoP played on a festival and the set was very heavy on Savatage material. I think the only Pain song they played was Through the Eyes of the King.

Circle II Circle I saw a couple of years later, on the Delusions of Grandeur tour, I think. They played mostly originals, with Edge of Thorns as the only Savatage song that night. They were supporting Primal Fear, and since I'd seen PF before and I don't care much for them, I left before the headliner.

I actually like Circle II Circle a lot so I didn't especially want them to spend stage time on old 'Tage tunes, so I was happy with that set. As for the JoP show, I maybe expected more Pain favourites of mine to be played, but I guess since it was a festival they felt they needed to cater to a larger crowd and played what most who showed up were familiar with. And hearing Jon sing stuff like Gutter Ballet was pretty great, so no complaints either way. And Matt LaPorte was terrific.

Gilbert wrote:

 I really miss this band.  Haven't spinned any of their albums in quite a while.

These guys (the extended Savatage family) have been making so much music since Poets and Madmen that there really shouldn't be a reason to miss them. There's more "Savatage" albums released AFTER 2001 than before. And they all scratch a different itch. JoP is obviously very Olivas centered, with archive Criss riffs and Jon's quirky taste in music. Caffery solo reminds me a bit of Doctor Butcher. Circle II Circle is basically just Zak-era Savatage (though they could definitely use Paul O'Neill & Jon Oliva to polish the songwriting up a little).

And speaking of Paul O'Neill, he's definitely getting his part of the Savatage equation out of his system via Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

I saw them on the "Hall of the Mountain King" tour, fantastic show!

Lari wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

 I really miss this band.  Haven't spinned any of their albums in quite a while.

These guys (the extended Savatage family) have been making so much music since Poets and Madmen that there really shouldn't be a reason to miss them. There's more "Savatage" albums released AFTER 2001 than before. And they all scratch a different itch. JoP is obviously very Olivas centered, with archive Criss riffs and Jon's quirky taste in music. Caffery solo reminds me a bit of Doctor Butcher. Circle II Circle is basically just Zak-era Savatage (though they could definitely use Paul O'Neill & Jon Oliva to polish the songwriting up a little).

And speaking of Paul O'Neill, he's definitely getting his part of the Savatage equation out of his system via Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Agreed. Anyone missing Savatage should be listening Jon Oliva's Pain, Circle II Circle, and Chris's solo albums. And TSO if you're into all that theatrical stuff.

I do have one JOP album which i didn't appreciate a lot. Also picked up on amazon a double circle ii circle best of which is ok. But i am a fan of the old savatage material, basically sirens and dungeons. It is this sound that i miss the most.

I think Maniacal Renderings is their most Dungeons-like sounding release. It also has a bunch of Criss riffs.

Lari wrote:

I think Maniacal Renderings is their most Dungeons-like sounding release. It also has a bunch of Criss riffs.

Great let me check it out!

I have JOP's Global Warning and like it a lot. I have yet to pick up anything from them but plan on it, eventually. I keep reading good reviews on their stuff co my interest is really piqued on them

I lost interest with Savatage after Gutter Ballet and their pompy direction on Streets. I never liked the Zak Stevens era either. I thought Doctor Butcher was excellent and I highly recommend their lone album! I also like Jon Oliva' Pain - in particular I thought their best album was Maniacal Renderings. Chris Caffery's solo albums have a many good tracks on them and are worth getting. I have no interest in Circle II Circle.

I saw Savatage several times, but only with Jon Olivia. Not sure why I never saw them with Zak Stevens even thou living in Tampa, I had a chance see them several times with Stevens but never did.

As much as I liked Savatage, I never checked out any of spin off bands outside of TSO. Need to change that soon.

Doctor butcher is indeed an awesome release.

Indeed. And if you like Dr. Butcher, then Caffery's Faces and Pins & Needles are also excellent sort of continuation to it.

Bummer about Jon

Hmm, perhaps not quite as bad as I remember...

I have liked Savatage since they went by Metropolis, going back just a little bit

Quote :

TSO's winter tour 2016 sold the most tickets per show in the group's history, with a total in excess of 927,000. The tour also set a record gross for TSO with a total of more than $56.9 million.

RIP Savatage

Well, that's a well-paid job. In this day and age, that's impressive.

Doesn't mean they couldn't do Savatage as a hobby.