Ex-Queensrÿche frontman Geoff Tate has revealed that he currently has no contact with his former bandmates. However, he shared his tremendous respect for Todd La Torre, the singer who replaced him in the iconic progressive metal band. During an appearance on Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Tate recounted a memorable encounter at a Queensrÿche show where La Torre acknowledged his presence in a heartwarming moment.
“I haven’t had any contact, no,” Tate explained. “I went and saw Queensrÿche play in Copenhagen last year. That was interesting to see, ’cause I’d never seen them live before — without me. It was quite interesting. I actually went front row at their show and was hanging out on the barricade.”
Tate described the pivotal moment when La Torre spotted him in the crowd. “The first thing he did when he came out was straddle the barricade and fistbump me, acknowledging that I was there. And he said, ‘Hey, good to see you, man. Stick around. I’m gonna blow you away.’ [Laughs] And he did. He was great. He was wonderful being on the stage that night. It was just really a treat seeing him play.”
The former Queensrÿche vocalist made it clear that despite any rumors or tension in the press, he holds La Torre in high regard. “I know there’s a lot of weird press about myself and Todd La Torre, but I have to say mass respect for the guy for stepping into my shoes, for one,” Tate stated.
While Tate referenced the show as taking place in Copenhagen, additional reporting provides important context about this encounter. The actual performance occurred in early February 2025 in Gothenburg, Sweden, according to Blabbermouth. Both Queensrÿche and Tate’s own band happened to be touring in the region at that time.
This timing allowed for the serendipitous meeting that Tate described. He had a night off from his own tour commitments, which created the perfect opportunity for this meaningful interaction between the two frontmen. The convergence of both bands in Scandinavia made the encounter possible.
