"Queen Performs With New Front Man" link
ET was on the scene, as stadium supergroup QUEEN ruled Hollywood this weekend with a powerful performance at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring new front man PAUL RODGERS.
The band rocked a packed house on Saturday with an extensive set that had the audience movin' and groovin,' with incredible renditions of "We Will Rock You," "We Are The Champions" and more classic hits! This show was the first time that Queen has played in the U.S. in 23 years.
Queen just wrapped up a 32-date, sold-out European tour, which kicked off March 28 in London and has continued almost non-stop throughout much of Europe.
Rodgers was chosen to fill the spot previously occupied by Queen's powerfully flamboyant singer FREDDIE MERCURY, who led Queen to international stardom with his incredible voice and alluring stage presence. Freddie tragically passed away in 1991.
Rodgers rose to fame fronting such classic rock bands as FREE and BAD COMPANY, and for the current tour, the group will be performing songs by both Queen and Rodger's previous bands. Original Queen bassist JOHN DEACON decided not to join the tour.
The band is billed as QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS, making it clear that Rodgers is not meant to replace Mercury, but rather to perform Queen's songs with his own flair. According to guitarist BRIAN MAY, "I was always against the idea of putting someone in there trying to impersonate Freddie in any way. Then suddenly I'm looking at this guy (Rodgers) who doesn't in any sense try to take the place of Freddie. He comes from his own place musically and we can reinterpret these songs with someone who understands us -- the songs would actually mean something new."
Following the Hollywood show, the band's busy schedule will continue in Japan, with six shows scheduled, beginning with an October 26 performance in Tokyo.
Fans of the band's new incarnation should definitely pick up the recently released live two-CD set, and keep an eye out for the new live DVD, which hits stores October 24. Both CD and DVD were recorded at the May 9 Sheffield Arena performance.
ET was at the Hollywood Bowl concert, and we had a chance to sit down with the band! Watch ET tonight for the inside scoop on Queen + Paul Rodgers.
I'll be DVRing this tonight. If anyone has any idea how I can share it with those of you that won't be able to see it, let me know. I'd be happy to share it.
Ah, great, it's not shown in my area! We have a tasteless newsmagazine called Access Hollywood instead...or, as I like to call it, The Paris Hilton/Lindsey Lohan Show...pure tripe!