Queen + Adam Lambert @ Barclaycard Arena, 23rd January 2015
Tonight Queen + Adam Lambert bring their sell out tour to Birmingham, to the newly refurbished and rebranded National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, which on the face of it is new name same issues, but rather than repeating the negatives about this venue let’s concentrate on the positives, and that is that one of rocks legends are in town.
It’s impossible to even consider Queen without thinking of the late Freddie Mercury and it’s surreal that this year marks the twenty fourth year of his passing. The remaining members of Brian May and Roger Taylor have continued the Queen legacy (John Deacon declining) and previous outings have seen them team up with Paul Rodgers. For this tour vocal duties are taken care of by Adam Lambert, winner of an American television talent show and any reservation about his ability are banished within seconds of the opening number “One Vision”. Clad in black studded leather jacket and aviator shades some could think he’s trying to emulate Freddie but this is simply Adam Lambert doing what he does, and my how well he does it.
His stage presence is huge, but he’s aware he is in the presence of true rock icons; behind him Roger Taylor playing drums that belies his sixty five years and to his left Brian May. No more description is needed; I’ll say it again, Brian May.
The set features a large video screen in a circle, with a walkway which when looked at head-on resembles a large ‘Q’, and the walkway is used to full effect. From Adam laid across a chaise-longue wafting himself with a gold fan during “Killer Queen” to Brian doing an acoustic version of “Love of my Life” before which he tells us about the time the band played Bingley Hall and how noisy the crowd were singing, inspiring them to write “We are the Champions” shortly afterwards. He asks the crowd to sing with him and hopefully something good may happen and it did, as during the second chorus on the screen appears footage of Freddie, singing the song. It was a true ‘hairs of the back of the neck moment’. I recorded this on my phone and each time I’ve watched it since it still has the same effect. Incredible.
Brian is then joined by the rest of the band (minus Adam), including Roger’s son Rufus (who later displays his incredible talent when taking drumming duties on “Tie Your Mother Down”). “39” is amazing and one of my all-time favourite Queen songs, but with a set-list that is one huge hit after another then impossibly hard single out any one song.During “These are the days of our lives” with vocal duties by Roger the back screen displays early photos from a Japanese Tour and a huge roar erupts when John Deacon is shown. It’s a wonderful moment.
There are other highlights including superb drum-off between Roger (on the walkway) and his son on the main stage, an wonderful guitar solo by Brian (leading into “Tie Your Mother Down”) and the set finale “Bohemian Rhapsody”, again the very clever use of old footage of Freddie interspersed with Adam on stage. It is brilliant. The encore is obvious, “We Will Rock You” and “We are the Champions” and then as they take their bows “God Save The Queen” and not a sole has left early. This is possibly one of the best shows I’ll have the honour of seeing this year, yes I know it’s only January but it was that good! If you were there you will agree, if you weren’t (and I’m sorry for your loss) just look at the set-list.
It’s coming to a time where Queen will have been together as long without Freddie Mercury as they were with him, but he IS Queen, and whilst he is not physically with us anymore his spirit is, and the initial burst of dry ice from the end of the walkway before the lights went down just make me wonder if his spirit was indeed just wafting out, as throughout the show he was here, all around us, keeping an eye on things. No need to worry though because Adam Lambert is very safe and capable, albeit in diamante wedges. His vocal range is stunning, he plays the crowd up and they love it.
God Save The Queen
Setlist
One Vision
Stone Cold Crazy
Another One Bites The Dust
Fat Bottomed Girls
In the Lap of the Gods…..Revisited
Seven Seas of Rhye
Killer Queen
I Want Break Free
Don’t Stop Me Now
Somebody to Love
Love of my Life
39
These are the Days of our Lives
(Bass solo)
(Drum battle/challenge)
Under Pressure
Save Me
Who Wants to Live Forever
Last Horizon
(Guitar solo)
Tie Your Mother Down
I Want it All
Radio GaGa
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Bohemian Rhapsody
—–
We Will Rock You
We are the Champions
(God Save the Queen)
Review: Glenn Raybone
Photographs: Katja Ogrin