Hello.
I got curious and I'm wondering if there was any concert when Queen did not have the piano on the left side of the stage (as you look at it)? Thought you guys would know in that case.
Yes. On one concert they put they piano on the right side of the stage, and the drums in the front. The guitar rig was inside the Tannoy and the bass rig was on the roof.
I don't know what's worse: When trolls start a topic and every other post is negativity toward the troll. Or, A legitimate question - answered with a troll post.
I'd give a resounding "no" to that question. I've seen tens of thousands of pictures of Queen live, and the piano was always on stage right (audience's left).
There was that time when touring with Paul Rodgers that Brian and the piano were below stage level. If only they had continued the tradition of the piano to the left side of the stage, Brian could have avoided falling into the piano pit. Luckily, Brian was not seriously injured and neither was the Red Special. But that is a good example of "the show must go on", I think.
Now, seriously, a lot of details in Queen concerts were not choreographed and were unique to every night. Others were. The occurrence of the roadies setting the piano in the right side of the stage (or in the centre) would be as unlikely as to have a full Queen concert sung by Roger or to have a version of Crazy Little Thing Called Love with Freddie on drums.
U mean to ask WHY did they always have the piano on the left?
*good question!... even though it's really nothing all that interesting.
Hmm... I guess their staging was A-typical. As a sometime performer and bass player/guitarist. I've been accustomed to bands setting up with rhythm being the foremost. Typically a bassist would set up close to the drummer's hi-hat and snare in order to wax and wane "on the pocket" according to the drummer.... BUT... seeing as how these guys performed in Arenas and huge stadiums.... i wonder why that wasn't the case.
John was frequently at left as well (or stage right as a roadie)
Brian was almost always at right (or stage left)... so this abandons that whole idea.
As another commenter noted... maybe it was through "LOADING" (riggers and gaffers)... maybe the piano was one of the heaviest things to enter the stage and as a consequence, the last to be loaded out and the first to go inside the cargo van/trucks/etc
Thinking about it, it's more likely that this was a decision made in mind to allow BOTH of the FOREMOST writers/performers to have EQUAL STAGE SPACE...
picturing both Freddie AND Brian May on the same side of the stage would have left John Deacon all alone by himself in retireme... *I mean, it would have omitted something that the fans wanted to see, from happening...
i.e. Equal coverage during the performance...from the primary songwriters. It also allows for Freddie to shift from standing to sitting, without crossing paths in front of Brian May, so maybe it was just being tactful. Freddie can hand his baseless mic stand to the grip and hit the piano without traffic... :-)
Hmm... Might wanna ask Brian May.
And as it's been noted sarcastically here, make sure if you're not a Blonde mediocre singer.... please get one to relay the inquiry in order to receive an flattering and timely wordy answer.?
MY JOKE ANSWER... would be: "Cause Freddie always hung to the left" (or the right... depending on if ur talking to a stagehand or fan)
deleted user 25.10.2011 13:31
I was backstage a few times and the Piano was definitely on my right.
kurgan100 wrote: I was backstage a few times and the Piano was definitely on my right.
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I was underneath a piano once and I'm pretty sure therefore it was above me.
Has anyone else been adjacent to a piano, possibly above, and can offer Queenzone a different vantage point?
Because this is fascinating and I would hate to think this discussion might end without us having covered all the angles.
What on earth were you doing underneath a piano? Maintenance?
As for having all angles covered, Lady Ga Ga (soon to be declared Freddie's favourite singer of all time) did get on top of the piano when she performed with Dr Wig. I wish she joined this discussion...
If you are small like a cat, you can slide on your belly and get a good view of the inside of a grand piano (lid closed). It is also a good place to throw up.
matt z wrote:
It also allows for Freddie to shift from standing to sitting, without crossing paths in front of Brian May, so maybe it was just being tactful. Freddie can hand his baseless mic stand to the grip and hit the piano without traffic... :-)
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Bingo. John moved around much less than Brian, so I think we have a winner.
Plenty of bands put the piano and guitar on opposite sides of the stage, with bass and drums in the middle. It's just for visual balance.