Sorry to put a downer on last night's gig in Newcastle, but for me Paul Rodgers spoilt the show!
It was the first Queen gig I have been to as I was too young to see them first time around. However I have seen numerous pub and club acts perform Queen songs with more skill, talent and quality than the 'out of his league' Rodgers.
His pub singer style completely ruined AKOM and his laughable Vic Reeves style singing in Champions just left me with a bitter taste. As for his Fu(k up in the encore Sunshine of your Love - well there is no other word for that but embarrassing !
Why did they need him?
Brian and Rodger did a fantastic job on their own. The highlight was the middle part of the gig where it was just them two. Love of My Life was truely amazing and emotional and Hammer to Fall was out of this world.
The songs were right, the set was right, the atmosphere was right but Rodgers was wrong ! Sorry boys. The excellence of BM and RT saved the night from being a total waste of money !
I wasn't there last night, but saw them on 1st April in Madrid and Paul Rodgers was fantastic!
I am old enough to have seen Freddie live with Queen in 1986, and I think Freddie himself would have been the first to admit that Paul Rodgers is easily his vocal equal! His interpretation of the songs is fabulous and adds new life to some old material. Pub singer? You have got to be joking, unless his voice problems have returned with a vengeance and it is seriously affecting his singing, which would be a great shame.
As for seeing tribute bands singing songs better than Rodgers, I think if he were trying to do Karaoke, that could be the case...hell, the tribute bands probably do some of the stuff "better" (i.e. closer to the studio version of songs) than Queen with Freddie! Paul Rodgers has soul and style and one of the best voices in the history of rock.
Apart from that, they don't need PR to fuck up A kind of magic. The song just doesn't fit the setlist as was discussed many times by now. And Paul is not to blame for that, Brian and Roger are (I suppose they pick the songs).
It's funny how different opinions people have... After seeing their show in Stockholm I realised that I had been wrong to doubt the talents of Paul Rodgers. Instead I noticed that "Queen" were nothing more than a backing band. :/
I must admit I came away from the Brixton gig disappointed, something just wasn't quite right, don't know exactly what, but I felt cheated in some way.
I just hope tonight's show is better, otherwise it will be an expensive mistake.
Here's my take
I'm a fan of PR's. So I like him singing anything.
Hell, I'd almost pay to see PR sing adverts out of the phone book.
And I love Queen's music,and I love Brian's playing. So nothing can deter me from the fact that this is a great thing for me. I love hearing the re-interpretation of these songs. I want them as different from the originals as taste will allow. I can always listen to a album if I desire the original, which I do often.
I would be way more disappointed if they had a singer who resembled Freddie in the slightest of ways.
OK.i accept good and bad opinion about Queen+Paul shows, if they are made with respect like this time.
Personally i loved the two shows i saw.
Anyway it's a matter of different tastes, and of attitude toward the shows.
Simoriah wrote: I must admit I came away from the Brixton gig disappointed, something just wasn't quite right, don't know exactly what, but I felt cheated in some way.
I just hope tonight's show is better, otherwise it will be an expensive mistake.
I enjoyed the Brixton show, but it was not a band as the bass and keyboards were so far out of the way that it felt more like 2 bands playing.
I will still enjoy the next gigs I am goig to see though.
deleted user 04.05.2005 14:09
I wouldn't complain about that show if you offered my £1,000,000. It was BRILLIANT, and I don't care what anyone else says, least of all dg22. I'm just grateful I have seen Queen finally, even if Freddie wasn't part of it. Queen has been RE-BORN!!!!