| YourValentine 06.10.2008 04:30 |
Just back from the current tour and here is my opinion - I have not seen many reviews on the board yet. I have to say that on Rock concerts I am not a very critical audience member, Rock music is my escape from real life and I want to have a good time. After the concerts we used to discuss in detail which mistakes we noticed and the little differences between the concerts but it's already getting confused in my mind and I am left with my overall impression. Compared to 2005 the concerts are better prepared, the lights are better, the overall production and concert sound is better and they obviously put more thoughts into the set list and the dynamics of the concert. There is this huge video screen with additional visuals which I personally do not like but probably you need something like this these days. For example we see cowboy images during AOBTD and bicycles during Fat Bottomed Girls - you need to be an expert to understand the connection. During Cosmos Rocks we see animations that remind me of 1995 screen savers but it's just harmelss fun, so why bother. Those who expected that many new songs from the new album would be played will be disappointed but Queen never played more than 4 songs from the new album - they always played the catalogue and mainly the hits. An audience member in Hannover usually does not know what they played in Zurich, so it's only us hard core foillowers who complain about the shows being all the same. My favourite part of the show was between 39 and Say It's Not True - mainly after Roger sang AKOM since Zurich. This part of the show is full of good ideas - the "unplugged" whole band version of 39 is very good, the crew mounting the drum kit around Roger is fun and his "bass solo" with Danny Miranda is also very funny. AKOM is a song Paul Rodgers really does not sing too well, so it was good that Roger took over. Some fans hated it that hits were played in shortened versions but it's probably a good compromise between dropping them and over-annoying frequent concert goers. I admit I was glad they considerably shortened All Right Now which I do not need to hear ever again in my life. Bijou was a definite highlight of the show. I can see how they need to honour Freddie in order to pacify his fans but personally I think it's time to drop that. Luckily, Brian got rid of that pathetic empty stool during LOML. A friend in Zurich (old Queen fan, not a recent follower) asked me where they got this footage of Freddie singing Bijou which is from Innuendo and why he looked so good singing it... All together the Brian solo part : Solo - Bijou-Last Horizon is probably the most entertaining Brian solo ever and he was the definite star of all concerts. And he has so much more hair now :-) I really think they should not send Jamie, Danny and Spike off the stage after the concert. They should be allowed to walk down the cat walk like in 2005. They deserve it. Berlin: was my first concert. The Velodrome is a rather small venue but it was still not sold out. The Berlin audience is hard to please but the show went well and the atmosphere was good. Still, there was this slightly disappointing feeling you always have when you waited for something long enough. The build up is so big that no concert can ever live up to what you expected. But then came Rome: in 2005 we had seen the videos from Italy and sworn that if there would be ever a QPR tour again we would go to Italy and we did not regret it! From the moment the band came on stage there was an unbelievable screaming, shouting, waving, a crowd going mad whenever Brian said something or even shook his head. On our way to Rome we had heard that they had played "Time To Shine" in Antwerp and hoped for a new song but who cares about the set list in Rome. It's just the best audience in the world and if you ever have a chance to see Queen in Italy, just go. Funnily, the audience started chatting, phoning on their mobiles and getting drinks whenever Paul Rodgers sang one of his songs. During "Seagull" the chatting was so loud that the band noticed it on the stage. But as soon as Brian appeared on the stage the crowd just went totally wild. It was the best audience I ever saw, even better than Brixton 2005. Milano: Milano was just like Rome only bigger. In Milano we met all our friends from Modena, Benidorm and Cologne 2005, it was like a big family reunion. Also the Argentinian group arrived and from there it was the same people on all concerts. We had the most expensive "numbered" tickets but in the hall we found that our seats were at the back of the big hall, so we moved to cheaper unnumbered seats near the stage. Pure joy to share the concert with crazy Italians. Milano was probably my favourite concert although there was no change in the set list (yet) Zurich the complete opposite to Italy. Strict security, people handing out free ear plugs in front of the venue and everybody very civilised. Until 10 minutes before the concert the hall was empty but then people started to stream into it and finally the place was packed. Instead of "Seagull" they played "The Stealer" but in Zurich nobody talked during the concert, anyway. It was the first time Roger sang AKOM on the B stage. It was great to see how the reserved audience danced and sang towards the end of the show, everybody standing in the whole house. Mannheim: probably the worst hall of the concerts I saw. It was raining and they opened the outer doors to let people in, so we stood crammed between the doors for 20 minutes in the cold and we all got ill. We Believe premiered in the set list and amazingly Brian sang the first verse. We had great seats thanks to the German fan club and almost sat on the stage. Hannover: typical German over-organization. Queues of several hundred meters because all people were searched but then they noticed that they would not get the audience into the hall in time and everybody went in unsearched in the end. Although Hnnover did not sell out so fast as Mannheim the hall was full and the concerts was a big success. The set list was identical with Mannheim.I was already so ill, that I do not remember much of the concert Again we had the best seats, thanks people of the German fan club, you made digital stores looking even more incompetent. tbc |
| mr.teatime 6803 06.10.2008 04:44 |
Interesting to read this, thanks. About Brian's hair, do you think he's had something to artificially thicken it? I did notice it was looking pretty good recently... |
| YourValentine 06.10.2008 04:57 |
Like on previous occasions this tour would not have been half as much fun if it had not been for the great people who shared it with us. Meeting old friends, putting faces to old internet friends and meeting new friends makes the Queen tour so unforgettable and therefore I want to mention you all. Surely, we will talk soon and swap our photos ;) Berlin: knebworth who travelled with us to Rome, Milano, Zurich and shared rooms in Rome. Martin (Scully) another room sharer, who was on all concerts and is still on tour now, Jeroen, Miklos and Istvan, Annie from the hub and husband, Da-Ae from the hub, I hope you return to Korea safely, the John Deacon Freundeskreis who were on all parties and had the usual party spririts. Rome: Alex, the Russian Bear, it was so great to finally meet you. Happy hour in the Irish pub:) We saw Rome, Milano, Zurich and Mannheim together. Milano: The Benidorm group: Luca (Queenitalia), Fabio, the Modena friends Leo, Willy, Giorgio, Alberto, Roberto, Lorenzo, Dr. Anto. AC - thanks for the organisation of the pre show and aftershow meetings, Ale Queencuttings, the local hero, thanks for getting us the priority access. The first encounter with the English group Sarah, Gavin, Terry amazing party animals. The Argentinian group wilki (finally met you after just missing you in Brixton), forodequeen, Nicholas and Tia from Finnland. gnomo - finally met you , what a pleasure. Zurich: We had to leave right after the concert, so it was just a quick hello to all co-travellers Mannheim Fredo from Austria, somehow we did not really talk, sorry about that. Arrival of Riku and Queenboots, return of Miklos and Istvan plus all the other usual suspects:) Hannover: I had ordered a table for 10 but over 50 people appeared to the aftershow party, so the restaurant made it a closed company, allowed us to play Queen music, allowed smoking and managed to feed us all, a most memorable night with all the previously mentioned people plus the German FC:) Last but not least thanks to my husband who always drives me around, never complains, shares all the fun, and always welcomes crazy Queen fans to our home. |
| gnomo 06.10.2008 07:24 |
Barb, it was a joy and a pleasure to meet you - shame we could not spend more time together. Sorry above all to hear you're unwell - wishing you a speedy recovery!!! )))))*hugs*(((((( Thanks to everyone else too, it was great to be able to put names and faces together at last...! |
| The Man On The Prowl 06.10.2008 09:17 |
Hello! I liked to read your reviews! Of course I enjoyed the concert in Milan and I'm satisfied, as I was in 2005... I liked the lights, the screen, and especially the guys who played! As for the setlist I liked a lot 39 with all the band, Say It's Not True, Brian's and Roger's solos... Spike, Jamie and Danny are really good players. I would have preferred if they gave up playing some hits like Bites The Dust, playing instead some other songs at their place... Hammer To Fall should be a must, and then they could have played some other old songs like One Vision or some rare pearls like Long Away which they played in 2005 in Pesaro or Teo Toriatte and Born To Love You in Japan... even Brian and Roger could have played some of they solo songs, not only Last Horizon... maybe Driven By You, On My Way Up, Strange Frontier... instead of the same Paul's songs which they already played in 2005... and then of course I hoped in some more new stuff... I would have liked if they started to play We Believe during the Italian dates... and also Small is a good song fit for Roger's voice... Anyway a good concert, I'm also satisfied with Paul, I don't understand those fans who don't like him... of course Freddie is unreplaceable... but he has gone... and if he is looking somehow I think he is happy that Brian and Roger keep playing Queen songs around the world today... and instead of choosing some guy with a voice very close to Freddie's I think it's a better choice someone like Paul... I really hope they go on writing and recording other new songs and touring... I hope they are satisfied with tickets and album sales, but hope they go on even if they are not... More dates in Italy on the next tour!!! Maybe in the roman open arena in Verona... |
| Erin 06.10.2008 11:14 |
Sounds like a blast. :-) Thanks for the review, Barb! Now...come over here for the US tour next year. ;-) |
| YourValentine 06.10.2008 12:05 |
@ Mr. Teatime: you don't regrow your hair, there must be some "artificial help" which is perfectly okay imo. Brian's hair is his trademark and he looks really good. @ Erin: I travelled with your 1998 companions;) I would love to come but who pays for my flight... |
| Lisser 06.10.2008 15:34 |
YourValentine wrote: @ Mr. Teatime: you don't regrow your hair, there must be some "artificial help" which is perfectly okay imo. Brian's hair is his trademark and he looks really good. @ Erin: I travelled with your 1998 companions;) I would love to come but who pays for my flight... I'll pay for it!!!! |
| Donna13 06.10.2008 21:29 |
Great review. Thanks, YV. |
| wstüssyb 06.10.2008 22:06 |
Yea, You need to come to Motown if they come or Chi town, You could always sell blood or something to raise $$ to come to the states, it's cheap here, You'll have free place's to stay :) |
| brians wig 07.10.2008 05:04 |
Despite your view that the Italians are the best crowd ever, it also seems as though they are extremely rude and ignorant? For anybody going to a concert, whether you like Paul or not, it's rude to chatter & use phones during his songs. You're in a concert venue, NOT sat on your settee watching TV where you can chat and go get a drink during the "adverts". It annoys the hell out of me that people talk at concerts. If you want a conversation (rather than a brief comment), sod off and go outside and do it instead of ruining MY enjoyment. |
| Mr. Scully 07.10.2008 07:41 |
Well, I also didn't enjoy how all the Italians talked all the time during the silent parts of the gigs... but still Italy was the highlight for me, all those incredibly friendly people, friends I knew from the Internet etc. I think Milan was the highlight of this whole tour for me. Not the concert itself but everything around it. As for gigs, I really enjoyed Zurich because the sound was excellent in the venue. Rotterdam, here we come! |
| AC 07.10.2008 13:44 |
I'd like to thank YourValentine, Alberto, Lorenzo, Ale and all the other friends from QueenItalia and Queenzone that I met in Milano. It was a pleasure to finally meet Mr. Scully and Jeroen, as well as wilki and his friends. Many thanks to all fo you for the nice time we spent together! "I will pay for her" "No, I will pay for her!" "No, you can pay for him, I will pay for her!" :-D |
| April 07.10.2008 14:55 |
The reviews are very interesting! thank you!!! |
| Sunshine__123456 07.10.2008 15:14 |
Great review!! I went to see Antwerp and Hamburg. There was a big difference in playing. They just had a bad day in Antwerp, so many mistakes and Brian not smiling at all. Hamburg was a totall blast. Despite it was written on the ticket that the gates would open around 18.00, we had to wait in the pouring windy cold rain until 18.30. Annoying. I had a very good place, right in front of the catwalk. I saw Brian so up close, it almost took the magic away. Just a normal man basicly. The playing was tremendous, just great! Highlights were We Believe with Brian singing the first verse and Bijou-guitar solo- Last Horizon. Fantastic. Brian plays unbelievable. But: PLEASE Brian, learn how to dress. He wore a black pants with totally NO shape that my grandpa stopped wearing in 1974 when he already was 85. Then this totally ugly south african yellow-red-orange sun shirt or whatever it is. Terrible. And a dull white shirt. And Roger looks like a nurse in his totally white outfit. Paul is the only one who wears the right clothes that suit him. Oh and Brian with his Nike airs that dont match anything. I dont understand how he can wear those things, really. |
| iron eagle 07.10.2008 15:26 |
Thanks for the reviews YV-a teffific read i wish i could've been there to enjoy with you and some other zoners! |
| Mr. Scully 07.10.2008 20:51 |
Well, Brian's black pants are indeed terrible but then he's never been a master of fashion. Apologies to all Italians regarding the talking at gigs - the Dutch were even worse today :-) |
| Erin 07.10.2008 21:08 |
Mr. Scully wrote: "Well, Brian's black pants are indeed terrible but then he's never been a master of fashion." No clothing selection of his will ever be worse than this: link ;-) |
| RedSpecial1979 07.10.2008 22:16 |
Zoinks! Bring back the clogs, just once! |
| Sunshine__123456 08.10.2008 03:21 |
Erin wrote: Mr. Scully wrote: "Well, Brian's black pants are indeed terrible but then he's never been a master of fashion." No clothing selection of his will ever be worse than this: link ;-) Haha no that is true:) This one is from the Back to the Light tour 1993... But Brian was ahead of his time with his skinny jeans haha....he looks like a flamingo with his extremely skinny legs:D |
| YourValentine 08.10.2008 05:16 |
William, I would like to come to the USA but selling blood won't be enough, lol. As to the talking in Rome: yes, it's annoying when people talk during the concert, I was not defending it. It was just very strange. I know that many Italian fans did not like it. What I really enjoy about Italy is the anarchy - people just do not like to do what they are told and I admire that a lot - because in Germany nobody would cross a red traffic light at 3 in the morning even when they are all alone in the street. In Rome we had the most expensive seats right in front of the stage and when we arrived early two people were sitting on them, so we asked them to move which they did. Soon we noticed that almost none of the people around us had paid for their seats, they just decided that they liked the best seats better and had given up their own seats in favour of the better ones. When the people who had paid for them arrived they did not insist on their seats but just chose another one nearby! 10 minutes before the show the rightful owners of the expensive seats arrived and unbelievable arguments started while security tried to "negotiate" with people who refused to move because their own seats were already taken by someone else. I never saw such shouting, gesticulating and arguing before a concert. Finally, people simply sat on the stairs and security tried to move them because it's not allowed but they were told to "fuck off" in no uncertain terms! (security were the same people who sold pop corn!). Then the lights went out and hundreds of cameras and mobile phones went up accompanied with an unbelievable screaming. Security dived into the audience telling them to put away the cameras but the people pushed them away shouting on top of their lungs that the next person had a much bigger camera!! - which was true. We saw a woman who had a huge professional tele lens - how did she get it into the venue? Probably nobody looked:) It was the funniest scenes I ever witnessed in a Rock concert. |
| Vali 08.10.2008 06:19 |
hahahahahah !! totally agree YV ! I was there in Rome and couldn't believe the huge quantity of professional cameras amongst the audience. I was also in one of the most expensive seats, first row just at one side of the end of the catwalk, and two of the italian guys next to me were recording the show with their video cameras with total impunity !! even in Spain the security is much more strict when someone is seen recording any show !! but ... yes, we do also cross the red lights at any time ;) |
| Holly2003 08.10.2008 09:25 |
Anyone else going to Cardiff? After originally deciding that I wasn't going to watch this tour in the end I thought that I would regret missing possibly my last chance to see Brian May and Roger Taylor live, so I bought a ticket today. Hope they play lots from TCR ! |
| Erin 08.10.2008 10:22 |
YourValentine wrote: William, I would like to come to the USA but selling blood won't be enough, lol. As to the talking in Rome: yes, it's annoying when people talk during the concert, I was not defending it. It was just very strange. I know that many Italian fans did not like it. What I really enjoy about Italy is the anarchy - people just do not like to do what they are told and I admire that a lot - because in Germany nobody would cross a red traffic light at 3 in the morning even when they are all alone in the street. In Rome we had the most expensive seats right in front of the stage and when we arrived early two people were sitting on them, so we asked them to move which they did. Soon we noticed that almost none of the people around us had paid for their seats, they just decided that they liked the best seats better and had given up their own seats in favour of the better ones. When the people who had paid for them arrived they did not insist on their seats but just chose another one nearby! 10 minutes before the show the rightful owners of the expensive seats arrived and unbelievable arguments started while security tried to "negotiate" with people who refused to move because their own seats were already taken by someone else. I never saw such shouting, gesticulating and arguing before a concert. Finally, people simply sat on the stairs and security tried to move them because it's not allowed but they were told to "fuck off" in no uncertain terms! (security were the same people who sold pop corn!). Then the lights went out and hundreds of cameras and mobile phones went up accompanied with an unbelievable screaming. Security dived into the audience telling them to put away the cameras but the people pushed them away shouting on top of their lungs that the next person had a much bigger camera!! - which was true. We saw a woman who had a huge professional tele lens - how did she get it into the venue? Probably nobody looked:) It was the funniest scenes I ever witnessed in a Rock concert. _______________________________________________________________________ If you do find a way to get over here, Barb, as William said you will have plenty of free places to stay and transportation. I wouldn't cross the road on a red light either....even at 3:00 am. With my luck a cop would pop outta nowhere! When I was in Germany, I was surprised by the way the subway worked on an honesty system. I was told that there could be random checks to see if you bought a ticket, but I was never checked. The thing with the Italians and the seats sounds stressful. ;-) |
| Donna13 08.10.2008 10:42 |
Very funny post, YV! I can just imagine the scene. I've been to Rome and I still chuckle when I read my travel diary. You must have had so much fun! |
| Rick 08.10.2008 12:09 |
Mr. Scully wrote: Well, Brian's black pants are indeed terrible but then he's never been a master of fashion. Apologies to all Italians regarding the talking at gigs - the Dutch were even worse today :-) Explanation? I guess it depends on where you're standing/sitting. At the right side of the catwalk everybody was really into it (including myself). |
| Stone Cold Leo'82 B.R. 08.10.2008 16:31 |
Great Barbara, great review! :-) What can I say, it was great to meet you again after some years, and the same for all the other guys (Jeroen, Giorgio and all the others, you know who you are!). As the Milano show was the only one for me I can't do a great review because I wanted to full enjoy the show in the first raw... Stone Cold Leo'82 B.R. |
| Erin 09.10.2008 10:27 |
^^ Nice pics! Looks like y'all had a great time. :-) |
