7.18.19 QAL Phoenix "Brilliant", Headline Microsoft Show
Jul 17, 2019 23:27:44 GMT -5
Post by Q3 on Jul 17, 2019 23:27:44 GMT -5
Queen + Adam Lambert concert review: An astonishing way to celebrate their legacy
Ed Masley, Arizona Republic Published 11:04 a.m. MT July 17, 2019 | Updated 1:38 p.m. MT July 17, 2019
Tuesday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena, Queen + Adam Lambert made their first appearance on a Valley stage since "Bohemian Rhapsody" conquered the multiplex on its way to becoming the most successful biopic of all time.
And their sold-out concert felt at least a little like a victory lap for Queen, whose popularity has not only endured but transcended the comforting glow of nostalgia.
No 20th century record has pulled in more streams in the digital age than "Bohemian Rhapsody." And at ranker.com, they're rated just behind Led Zeppelin as the second-greatest rock band of all time. But only when you break the voting down to just millennials. That's some cross-generational impact there.
And you could see that in the number of young faces in the house. I haven't seen that many teenagers singing along at a classic-rock concert since before most of those kids were even born.
So yes, they are the champions, my friends.
Of course, only two members who played on the actual records their reputation ultimately rests on were onstage Tuesday night – guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor.
Freddie Mercury died in 1991. And bassist John Deacon hasn’t played with Queen since 1997, joining his bandmates on stage one final time at a show paying tribute to Mercury in Paris.
Lambert is the second singer May and Taylor have recruited since Mercury's passing.
Adam Lambert of Queen + Adam Lambert perform during their Rhapsody Tour at Talking Stick Resort Arena on July 16, 2019 in Phoenix, Ariz. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)
And he's definitely risen to the challenge in a way that suits the music and the memory of Mercury much better than their previous attempt to fill the void — Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame.
That's not a slag on Rodgers, a perfectly wonderful singer whose voice brought a bluesier edge to the proceedings without the flamboyance of Mercury.
With Lambert, you get the flamboyance and an awe-inspiring vocal range that makes it feel like he was born to sing these songs. That much was clear to May and Taylor from the moment they first shared a stage in 2009 on "American Idol," backing Lambert and that season's eventual winner Kris Allen on "We Are the Champions."
Three years later, they played their first concert together in Kiev. This was followed by their first of several tours as Queen + Adam Lambert.
That was seven years ago, and they're still out there selling out arenas.
It's not that anyone's replacing Freddie Mercury. That can't be done.
And their sold-out concert felt at least a little like a victory lap for Queen, whose popularity has not only endured but transcended the comforting glow of nostalgia.
No 20th century record has pulled in more streams in the digital age than "Bohemian Rhapsody." And at ranker.com, they're rated just behind Led Zeppelin as the second-greatest rock band of all time. But only when you break the voting down to just millennials. That's some cross-generational impact there.
And you could see that in the number of young faces in the house. I haven't seen that many teenagers singing along at a classic-rock concert since before most of those kids were even born.
So yes, they are the champions, my friends.
Of course, only two members who played on the actual records their reputation ultimately rests on were onstage Tuesday night – guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor.
Freddie Mercury died in 1991. And bassist John Deacon hasn’t played with Queen since 1997, joining his bandmates on stage one final time at a show paying tribute to Mercury in Paris.
Lambert is the second singer May and Taylor have recruited since Mercury's passing.
Adam Lambert of Queen + Adam Lambert perform during their Rhapsody Tour at Talking Stick Resort Arena on July 16, 2019 in Phoenix, Ariz. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)
And he's definitely risen to the challenge in a way that suits the music and the memory of Mercury much better than their previous attempt to fill the void — Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame.
That's not a slag on Rodgers, a perfectly wonderful singer whose voice brought a bluesier edge to the proceedings without the flamboyance of Mercury.
With Lambert, you get the flamboyance and an awe-inspiring vocal range that makes it feel like he was born to sing these songs. That much was clear to May and Taylor from the moment they first shared a stage in 2009 on "American Idol," backing Lambert and that season's eventual winner Kris Allen on "We Are the Champions."
Three years later, they played their first concert together in Kiev. This was followed by their first of several tours as Queen + Adam Lambert.
That was seven years ago, and they're still out there selling out arenas.
It's not that anyone's replacing Freddie Mercury. That can't be done.
Adam Lambert, Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen + Adam Lambert perform during their Rhapsody Tour at Talking Stick Resort Arena on July 16, 2019 in Phoenix, Ariz. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)
And no one knows that more than Lambert, who did a masterful job of addressing that reality after one of Tuesday's most compelling arguments that he's the perfect singer for the task at hand and that, in fact, his talents would be wasted on most other artists' music – "Killer Queen" performed on top of a piano while fanning himself.
It was brilliant.
"Can you believe that we've been working together for about eight years now?" he asked. "And still, to this day, every time I take the stage, I'm so honored and I feel so lucky to have this incredible opportunity. Seriously. Because I'm actually a fan, just like all of you guys. And just like all of you, I miss Freddie. You know what I mean? Do you love him?"
The audience naturally cheered in response to his question. Then, Lambert continued with, "And I know I'm not him, but I'm gonna do my best tonight to sing these songs and to honor this rock god's memory, his legacy. So can you do me a favor and can we celebrate Freddie and Queen together?"
And with that, he led the May, Taylor and three sideman in "Don't Stop Me Now," a joyous rendition that certainly felt like a celebration of Freddie and Queen, complete with a breathtaking solo from May, whose tone and keen melodic sensibilities have made him one of rock's most instantly identifiable guitar gods.
Introducing an unplugged performance of "Love of My Life" at the end of the runway, May said, "I used to do this with my dear friend Freddie when he used to stand right there."
May's vocal provided a tender, emotional highlight of the concert — even before he was joined at the end of the song by video of Mercury singing.
Taylor also had his moments in the vocal spotlight, from "I'm In Love With My Car" to the opening verse of an unplugged performance of "Doing All Right" and the David Bowie parts on a soaring "Under Pressure."
And Mercury made two more guest appearances on video — joining Deacon, May and Taylor on the bridge of "Bohemian Rhapsody" to close the proper set and kicking off the encore by leading the crowd in a call and response from the stage of Wembley Stadium in 1986.
It was just enough Mercury, really, to effectively salute his memory while still allowing ample room for Lambert to command the stage. It was a task the 37-year-old singer had no trouble pulling off, from the time he made his entrance, singing "Now I'm Here" in a slick gold-and-black brocade suit and a black ruffled shirt wearing fingerless gloves and looking every bit the proper rock god as he prowled a lavish stage that came complete with opera boxes.
Adam Lambert of Queen + Adam Lambert perform during their Rhapsody Tour at Talking Stick Resort Arena on July 16, 2019 in Phoenix, Ariz. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)
He's a charismatic presence with all the bravado and swagger required. You could even see an actual twinkle in his eye on the video monitors during "Somebody to Love," which featured some of Lambert's most impressive vocals of the night. And to be clear, a vocal standing out as something special in the context of the other vocals he turned in at Tuesday's concert had to be astonishingly brilliant, which this was.
The singer made his way through several costume changes and after ceding the spotlight to Taylor for "I'm in Love with My Car" made his second big entrance, rising from beneath the runway on a motorcycle while rocking a black leather jacket and shades for a crowd-pleasing version of "Bicycle Race," which was followed by "Fat Bottomed Girls."
By the time the encore ended in a hail of confetti for "We Are the Champions," they'd dusted off 11 of the 14 tracks on the U.S. edition of "Greatest Hits," from a suitably funky "Another One Bites the Bust" to the rockabilly swing of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" to the triumphant glam-rock bravado of their debut single, "Keep Yourself Alive."
And that still left plenty of time in a 30-song set for a beyond-impressive overview of their career — two album tracks and "Keep Yourself Alive" from their debut to "The Show Must Go On" from the final Queen album released during Mercury's lifetime, "Innuendo."
"The Show Must Go On," of course, is now as much a mission statement as a song. And it's a mission well worth stating.
If May and Taylor want to celebrate their legacy while they've still got the chops to thrill an audience the way they did when the Rhapsody Tour hit Talking Stick Resort Arena and they've found a singer with the voice and personality to do their legend proud?
Don't stop them now.
Adam Lambert and Brian May of Queen + Adam Lambert perform during their Rhapsody Tour at Talking Stick Resort Arena on July 16, 2019 in Phoenix, Ariz. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)
Queen setlist
"Now I'm Here"
"Seven Seas of Rhye"
"Keep Yourself Alive"
"Hammer to Fall"
"Killer Queen"
"Don't Stop Me Now"
"In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited"
"Somebody to Love"
"The Show Must Go On"
"I'm in Love With My Car"
"Bicycle Race"
"Fat Bottomed Girls"
"Machines (Or 'Back to Humans')"
"I Want It All"
"Love of My Life" (Freddie on screen at end)
"'39"
"Doing All Right"
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
"Under Pressure"
"I Want to Break Free"
"You Take My Breath Away" (recording)
"Who Wants to Live Forever"
"Last Horizon"
Guitar Solo ("Brighton Rock")
"Tie Your Mother Down"
"Dragon Attack"
"Another One Bites the Dust"
"Radio Ga Ga"
"Bohemian Rhapsody"
Encore
"Ay-Oh" (Freddie appears on screen from live recording at Wembley 1986)
"We Will Rock You"
"We Are the Champions"
Link: www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2019/07/17/queen-adam-lambert-keep-their-legacy-alive-rhapsody-tour-phoenix/1740489001/
Queen + Adam Lambert headline Microsoft show in Las Vegas
By John Katsilometes Las Vegas Review-Journal
July 17, 2019 - 3:37 pm
If you hear an unexpected version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” over the Las Vegas Strip tonight, blame or credit Microsoft.
Oh, and Queen + Adam Lambert.
The legendary rockers, who headlined Park Theater in September, are performing a massive but private corporate event for 25,000 to 30,000 conventiongoers Wednesday night at the Festival Grounds at the north end of the Strip, along Sahara Avenue. The event is the Microsoft Inspire 2019 Conference in town through Thursday at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Those in nearby high rises are being told to expect live entertainment, including fireworks, through 12:30 a.m.
MGM Resorts International owns the parcel and frequently books corporate events over the 40-acre venue.
“We’ve been working together for a year on this and many different projects,” MGM Resorts vice president of festivals and entertainment Daren Libonati said Wednesday. “We’re happy to be a great showcase space for the private and public market here at the Festival Grounds.”
Queen + Adam Lambert is conveniently in the area, having played Talking Stick Arena in Phoenix on Tuesday night. A band of that caliber usually commands about a $2 million appearance fee for an event of this scale. The expected turnout is more than double what the iHeart Radio Music Festival’s Daytime Stage drew last September, and more in line with the daily attendance for the two-weekend Rock in Rio festival in 2015.
The 40-acre Festival Grounds site has replaced its natural grass with artificial turf that can be rolled out for specific events.. The next IHeart Radio Music Festival’s Daytime Stage event is Sept. 21, headlined by Billie Eilish and Maren Morris.
The Microsoft convention has also taken over T-Mobile Arena this week with a series of industry keynote (or, as the company calls them, Corenote) speakers in a multimedia format.
Link: www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/entertainment-columns/kats/queen-adam-lambert-headline-microsoft-show-in-las-vegas-1757255/
Queen without Freddie Mercury ‘is NOT a tribute band’ Brian May SLAMS ‘half-a**ed critic’
QUEEN and Adam Lambert were called a “tribute band” without Freddie Mercury by one critic, which Brian May found “insulting” and “condescending”.
By George Simpson
PUBLISHED: 09:12, Tue, Jul 16, 2019 | UPDATED: 09:25, Tue, Jul 16, 2019
Back in 1991, Queen lost Freddie Mercury and it looked like it was the end of the road for the band. Six years later bassist John Deacon retired, but that didn’t stop Brian May and Roger Taylor keeping Queen alive. In the years that followed the rockers collaborated with Paul Rodgers, before their current team up know as Queen and Adam Lambert which has been together since 2011. Now they’re on their Rhapsody Tour together following the success of Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.
So far Queen and Adam Lambert have performed in Vancouver, Tacoma and San Jose, with Phoenix being their next stop on the tour.
While praising fans in San Jose, May has revealed he found it insulting and condescending of one critic to call the act a “tribute band” without Freddie Mercury and Roger Deacon.
May wrote on his Instagram: “Me and my Bro’ say THANKS San Jose for a great welcome tonight.
Promoted Story
“Me and my Bro’ might disagree about anything you care to name, but we have learned mutual respect over the years, and somehow when we play together, some kind of magic still happens.”
Promoted Story
“Me and my Bro’ might disagree about anything you care to name, but we have learned mutual respect over the years, and somehow when we play together, some kind of magic still happens.”
May wrote on his Instagram: “Me and my Bro’ say THANKS San Jose for a great welcome tonight.
Promoted Story
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“Me and my Bro’ might disagree about anything you care to name, but we have learned mutual respect over the years, and somehow when we play together, some kind of magic still happens.”
Promoted Story
Compare The Top Savings Accounts of 2019 Compare The Top Savings Accounts of 2019 (NerdWallet)
“Me and my Bro’ might disagree about anything you care to name, but we have learned mutual respect over the years, and somehow when we play together, some kind of magic still happens.”
Meanwhile, in a previous post, May praised Adam Lambert as the reason Queen is still alive, saying Freddie would approve.
He wrote: "Here is the Modern Marvel without whom, for sure, Queen would not be out here delivering at the top level.
“ADAM LAMBERT is only now beginning to be recognised by the greater public as the true phenomenon that he is.
“Gifted with a voice in a billion, for himself he is a passionate and unyielding perfectionist. Gifted to us, he is the reason that we are still alive as a functioning rock band.”
QAL North American Tour 2019
12 Jul Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
14 Jul San Jose, CA SAP Center
16 Jul Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Arena
19 Jul Los Angeles, CA The Forum
20 Jul Los Angeles, CA The Forum
23 Jul Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
24 Jul Houston, TX Toyota Center
27 Jul Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
28 Jul Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
30 Jul Washington, DC Capital One Arena
31 Jul Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
03 Aug Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
04 Aug Boston, MA Xfinity Center
06 Aug New York, NY Madison Square Garden
07 Aug New York, NY Madison Square Garden
09 Aug Chicago, IL United Center
10 Aug St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
13 Aug Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
15 Aug Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
17 Aug Ft. Lauderdale, FL BB&T Center
18 Aug Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
20 Aug New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center
22 Aug Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena
23 Aug Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center