QueenZone discussion #1423464

winterspelt wrote: ... according to a glambert, it seems the show was being recorded just like the ones in the MSG and AUS..

Wow. That was a fantastic review. beautifully described. Cheers mate. miraclesteinway wrote: That was a pretty cool camera that Brian had on his guitar headstock! I loved that bit in Fat Bottomed Girls. Actually I loved the whole show. It was done with so much love, and they played so well. Sure - Roger let Rufus take over on the drums at some points, but Rufus is an awesome drummer. The excitement in the air was palpable, there was a real energy in the whole arena, and I'm pretty certain there were some hardcore Queen fans to please there. I would say it really was a case of Adam Lambert stepping in because Freddie is unavailable, rather than they've replaced Freddie. It was done with so much taste and respect to Freddie that I couldn't fail to love it. Wasn't it really moving during Love of My Life to hear Freddie take the last verse? Brian shed a tear, and it was clear that he found that part a little difficult but really wanted to do it for Freddie. I got the impression that Brian and Roger actually can't believe what is happening to them, that there is this resurgence, this interest. So many people I spoke to were there because they were into Queen when they were young, but were just a little too young to hear them in '86 and had decided to support them on this tour. The difference between this tour and the PR tours is that this tour really is a Queen show. The PR tour was a mix, focusing heavily on Queen of course, but somehow even though they were musically brilliant, the balance didn't quite work. Queen needs a theatrical showman to bring it off properly, and Adam Lambert is all that. I've heard some people comment that Adam doesn't have the range of Freddie. That is not true. Adam Lambert has Freddie's range and then some. He has a very different colour to his voice, it is a different sound, he delivered the songs in a different way. Rather than being a Freddie imitator, I would go as far as to say Adam took the songs, keeping them still very much in the 'Queen' sound, and overlaid on to that his own unique style. It was more musical theatre and in some cases operatic than Freddie did, and he can really rock but it's done with a different sense of style. Adam Lambert has breathed so much energy into the music, and into the band, and I am thankful to him for giving Brian and Roger a new sense of hope, and bringing Queen back into the public arena. Also, I'm thankful to Brian and Roger for giving someone the chance to bring Queen back out on tour. It must have been very difficult for them, at first, to think about how to integrate Adam into the band, and have a front man so much younger than they are, but it really didn't come across as a mis match at all. When Brian plays these days, he has the same energy going through the instrument as he did in '86. Roger is playing with a different technique (it's more efficient - fewer large movements but more speed in the stick giving more sound, but also they are taking things a touch slower it's true), but the quality of playing is equal to anything he's ever done. Someone posted that they miss Freddie's piano playing. Yes. I miss Freddie's piano playing too. He had this fire in him when he played, and a rhythmic sense like nothing else. Freddie was a real all-round musician, and that's how he sang as well, when you think about it. Adam has the operatic style, the theatrical sense and this beautiful range, but he doesn't yet have this driving force inside him - but then for a 33 year old who isn't all that well known in the UK (yes, we do know him but he's not that famous here, tbh) to front the greatest band in rock history, with the most iconic front man ever as your predecessor and in some ways mentor, it can be forgiven him if he doesn't quite have that yet. I can't put it into words - but I think it's a sense of rhythm - not rhythm as a noun, a static thing, but rhythm as a verb - does that make sense? It's like I could say to you 'Freddie knew how to rhythm' and 'Adam has rhythm' see the difference? It makes no sense in English but perhaps you get what I mean. Spike's keyboard playing was consistently excellent, and you could tell from the concert that he was in some ways, the musical director of the whole thing, and that because of that, the band were able to trust him and really fly. There were no low points in the show for me, but high points were One Vision (the excitement of seeing them come on in person, tears!), Stone Cold Crazy, Killer Queen I really liked - it was like being at a giant cabaret. Radio GaGa - the first time I've stood in a crowd and clapped to that with its writer. Wait - no, the second, but that was in 1994 when I was still in short trousers (OK, I'm older than I admit....) Lap of the Gods was beautiful, and he did both verses - I found myself feeling a bit choked at that, I don't know why, but it was just played so beautifully I couldn't quite believe it. Save Me was gorgeous and powerful, and Love of My Life was - well, I tried to sing along and really did have a choked up moment - for a moment I didn't realise Freddie was gone, you know. I think the whole crowd felt that. The Guitar Solo - now, in videos it's never my favourite part of the show (sorry Brian, really, I love you, but sorry) but in Wembley the other night, it was absolutely stunning. It was spectacular to be surrounded by that sound, and a beautiful light show. Those of you who check my twitter will see the laser show, with Brian appearing in a red silhouette. Under Pressure was epic, Tie your mother down was slowed down and really rocked because of that (just slowed down a shade, not a different version), and Adam tackled The Show Must Go On with such grace it was just beautiful - although that was the point where the tuning went a bit sharp - easily done in a live show so it wasn't a problem to me. They didn't disappoint by giving us Rock you and Champions as the closer, and a shoot of gold confetti from some kind of cannons in the arena. I can't stop saying it was spectacular, but that's really the best word for it. For me, they sounded as Queen-like as they ever have. You know, it goes without saying that we miss Freddie, but we didn't feel short-changed. The only thing that I thought could have been done was during the bass solo they could have mentioned John's name, said they were thinking of him or something. The bass solo was a lovely tribute to John's playing and role in the band, but I think they could have voiced it (unless John had specifically asked them not to). Neil Fairclough is as good a bass player as you'll find, and he played with a great deal of taste, and for the sake of it being Queen I'd rather John was able to play, but Neil did an exceptional job. All in all, I think those who are Adam-haters are completely missing the point, and have missed out on the great joy of being able to hear the best rock music ever performed by two of the original creators in the most authentic setting. Play a DVD if you like, any time, you can put it on. Play Queen on the stereo, on YouTube, on whatever, but to go and be able to be rocked out by the band, in person, and be sung to by such an amazing and gracious performer as Adam, and to see Brian and Roger performing with such energy and a deep sense of gratitude, and do it with 12,000 other like minded people is far better. And yes, it has been good for Adam's career - because of that concert I will happily go and hear Adam in his own concerts and listen to his back catalogue. He's won over a new league of fans. So. Thank you Queen - Freddie, John, Brian and Roger, and thank you Adam Lambert, and thank you to the backing musicians Spike, Rufus and Neil, and the crew, for the most amazing night out I've ever had.