I took my wife, step son, and son to this concert because I wanted to give my youngest son the experience of his first concert of being Queen as it was mine way back in 1980! I had gotten the option of having dinner at the Fresh Water Restraunt on the upper level of the Excel Centre. We arrived from our home at 4 p.m. - about and hour and a half drive for us and walked around the Excel Centre looking at different things that also included a 'bike show' that was in another area.
As we got to Gate 5 for the dinner we could hear the band doing their sound check and the security people there were telling us that this was very unusual because the bands that play there usually get done with their sound check before they open the restraunt up. As 5.30 rolled around we could still hear them playing and then all of the sudden stopped. We peeked behind the curtain at the back of the stage as we walked up the stairs and my young son's eyes got really big. We got to the restraunt and we again snuck over to the curtain and looked (and took some pix of the stage)...and then all of the sudden Queen appears again. My son (a HUGE Brian May fan) yelled out 'There's Brian...and Roger - There they are...' I said yep, there they are! he was so excited that he didn't even think about eating anything. We went into the restraunt and Queen continued to play the entire time we were in there...BONUS! I asked the Maitre'd about how many bands would do this and she said that no other band had ever done that in the time she had worked there and she was suprised to hear them play as they did.
When we got done eating we all ventured down to the main level to purchase t-shirts and so forth...My son was too excited and had to 'hurry to his seat' even though it was another half an hour to show time. I was suprised to see the place not filling up as fast as it was, but when they dimmed the first set of light and the crowd let out a little howl I knew it would get better.
'It's a Beautiful Day' rang out and my son was now about to jump out of his skin! He is only 11 and has been a Queen fan since he was 4! He was so anxious that when they began with Paul singing he said - 'here we go!' and then he heard the 'Red Special' and went absolutley bonkers! He sang and danced the entire night. My wife told me that he copied me a lot standing when I stood and so on.
When Brian came out onto the runway and sat down my son said 'LOVE OF MY LIFE' and we both were kind of sad about how Brian had put it about Freddie...but it was awesome that he did this song. We both sang and cried as we echoed out the words that will be forever etched into our memories! My son looked at me and said - 'Wow - this is it - really' and I said 'What?' and he said 'No more Queen live shows but I am so glad that you brought me!' and then he gave me a great big hug! I cried even harder...yes, I did cry and am a bit teary eyed now writing this because it was so damned special.
My family and I were witness to something special and yes the songs that they did there at the Excel Centre were out of this world. I loved how they added in Dragon Attack, Under Pressure (one of my fav's) and The Show Must Go On! I was so taken by how Brian could make the Old Lady sing out like I had never heard before.
I had thought that they were going to do '39, but still wasn't disappointed by anything they offered to us...Just so pleased that I got to see them - once again!
Thank You Queen and Paul Rodgers for making this experience for family, friends, and everyone who has the opprotunity to see you all! A TOTAL CLASS ACT!
Rock on -
Yeah!!! I am glad you had a good time with your family---how special. I was at the SP show --I thought the crowd was lame in general...but we had good time as did Brian, Paul and Roger. Brian did some nice chiming effects in his solo at this show.
I agree with you about the crowd being lame, but none-the-less a good time by all. Being a Queen fan I found that this wasn't the case back in 1980 when I had seen them in Ames, Iowa.
The group really looked like that they were having fun up there. So many times have I seen a band play at a place where the fans aren't up to the call and just get so bummed out that they don't perform very well. I think that Queen + Paul Rodgers are professional enough to figure that they cannot control what it takes to make it a special night.
Thanks for the reply to my original post...I love getting replies..lol
ta for now
~r.