Concert Review: The Black Queen at Elysium

The Black Queen rocked Austin’s goth faithful at Elysium celebrating debut album Fever Daydream’s 10-year anniversary.

Greg Puciato has built one of the most eclectic careers in modern heavy music. Best known for the unhinged chaos of The Dillinger Escape Plan, he has also fronted the supergroups Killer Be Killed and Better Lovers, collaborated with Jerry Cantrell, and pursued a successful solo career.

Given his track record, fans weren’t expecting him to revisit his Synthwav/darkwave project The Black Queen, who released two stellar albums last decade backed by compelling live shows, only to fade into the ether.

So it was a pleasant surprise when they announced their return with a tour celebrating the the 10th anniversary of its debut album, Fever Daydream, bringing the tour to Austin’s Elysium for an evening that felt both nostalgic and remarkably current.

Following strong opening performances from Code Orange guitarist Reba Meyers and industrial rock outfit Black Magnet, The Black Queen took the stage with a reconfigured lineup. Alongside founding members Puciato and guitarist/keyboardist Steven Alexander, the new lineup features drummer Chris Pennie, with former Nine Inch Nails multi-instrumentalist Danny Lohner filling in for original member Josh Eustis.

The band performed Fever Daydream in its entirety, albeit out of sequence, and the material sounded anything but dated. In an era where dark synth-pop and electronic music have once again found a mainstream audience, these songs feel as relevant today as they did a decade ago. In fact, much of Fever Daydream could have been released yesterday and still sounded ahead of the curve.

From the opening pulse of “That Death Cannot Touch” through the syncopated thump of “Ice to Never,” the band’s sound drew from classic synth-pop and new wave while retaining a distinctly modern edge. Echoes of Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails surfaced throughout the set, particularly on tracks like “Secret Scream” and “Distanced,” but The Black Queen’s cinematic blend of electronic textures, industrial atmosphere, and emotional songwriting remains uniquely its own.

The performance itself was a masterclass in dynamics, texture, and tension. Alexander and company constructed vast, glacial soundscapes that provided the perfect backdrop for Puciato’s remarkable vocal range. Whether delivering intimate croons or soaring melodies, he moved effortlessly through the material. Drummer Pennie proved equally essential, performing with machine-like precision while injecting a muscular energy that distinguished these live renditions from their studio counterparts.

Clad in a tattered tank top, leather shorts, and a baseball cap, Puciato spent much of the night smiling, dancing, and interacting with fans. His enthusiasm was infectious. At one point he joked that he wasn’t sure anyone would show up when the tour was booked, a concern that proved unfounded given the crowd’s enthusiastic response.

The atmosphere remained playful throughout the evening, with Alexander even handing his guitar into the crowd during several songs, creating a memorable audience-band connection.

Other ighlights from Fever Daydream included cinematically majestic “Taman Shud” and the emotionally charged ambient ballad “The End Where We Start.” The darker, industrial undercurrents of the material felt especially potent in Elysium’s shadowy confines. The band performed largely in darkness, illuminated only by sparse lighting and drifting clouds of smoke that accentuated the music’s mysterious atmosphere.

The group also dipped into material from 2018’s Infinite Games. “Even Still I Want To,” “Thrown Into the Dark,” and the title track showcased the band’s ability to weave delicate electronic textures into soaring, hook-filled anthems. A reimagined version of “One Edge of Two” added a pronounced R&B influence, while Puciato’s towering vocal performance drew some of the night’s loudest reactions.

The evening concluded with an unexpected encore. After Lohner made an off-color reference to Madonna and joked that the late Johnny Cash owed him royalties for Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt,” the band launched into a cover of Björk’s “Army of Me.” Puciato quickly downplayed the performance as something of a goof, but the moment served a larger purpose. Before leaving the stage, he confirmed that The Black Queen are officially back, with a new album featuring Danny Lohner expected by the end of this year or early next year.

Judging by the crowd’s rapturous response, the band’s return is more than justified. A decade after Fever Daydream first emerged, The Black Queen sound revitalized, relevant, and creatively energized. Most importantly, they haven’t missed a beat.