OUR TEMPORARY HOME FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS!!!!
Feb 28, 2015 20:14:24 GMT -5
Post by badassalterego on Feb 28, 2015 20:14:24 GMT -5
Your wish is my command! Oddly enough, there isn't actually much technical stuff in there, but I can always waffle on about that later...
Hi guys
As my attempts at streaming last night's concert failed (I was down on the floor and the bass speakers were obliterating everything), I thought I'd write a review of sorts:
QAL Sheffield - 27th Feb 2015
Going to the last night of the UK/Europe tour was rather like spending a final night with the perfect lover you know is emigrating the next day. It was astounding, poignant and painful, all at the same time.
There was a much more highly-charged atmosphere than in Birmingham. I was down on the floor again, so my view wasn't the greatest as I'm not that tall, but could see most things via the giant screens. The Motorpoint Arena is a bit smaller than the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, but it was packed out. I'd talked to a couple of people on the tram who come all the way from Suffolk as a result of seeing the televised NYE concert. I told them they were in for a treat, so I hope they agreed with me by the end of the evening.
The place erupted from the opening chords of One Vision as the curtains billowed away. The guys were really ripping into the music and Brian was clearly having the time of his life as they cruised through SCC. Adam was at his saucy best in FBG and there were screams of delight from the women (and some of the men) as he twerked and flirted with the audience. We were also treated to a full-screen microphone lick during KQ for extra naughtiness. He was even doing a bit of flirting with Brian and giving him the "come on" looks.
STL was also stunning, with even more high notes incorporated into it. It's always been one of my favourite Queen songs, but the QAL version of it is just incomparable, and it's almost, almost a different song now.
Adam's homage to Freddie was greeted with delight and the first teary moment was LOML. Brian was clearly overcome - he spoke about how this had been the most enjoyable tour they'd ever done. Roger sang DOOL beautifully - the croakiness from a couple of nights previously was gone and there were a lot of teary eyes in the audience at the video montage of Queen in days gone by.
The audience were transfixed by Adam in Save Me and WWTLF - I could almost hear them holding their breath. It's almost impossible to pick out the best bits from a set that was so immaculately put together, but Brian and Adam's improvisation before IWIA was... organic. It takes special skill and rapport to do that in front of a live audience of thousands, and do it slightly different every time.
RGG dissolved into its usual audience frenzy when Adam went down into the crowd, but we were nearing the end too quickly. I'm sure heard a subtle change when Brian introduced Adam - for the first time, I don't think he called him the "new guy", but the audience went WILD for him.
Bo Rhap was immense, as usual, with huge cheers at the "Freddie" footage and the interchange between him and Adam. When WATC started, I think it had started to get to Adam that this was the last performance, and I saw on Twitter that there are pics of him in tears (which I haven't seen yet, for reasons of sanity). He missed out a couple of lines and this was probably because he was too choked to get the notes out.
There were huge amounts of hugging at the end and I think all of the guys were really overcome (I'm tearing up just thinking about it).
All of the guys were stunning throughout - Adam's voice, Brian's guitar, Roger and the lovely Rufus on the drums and not forgetting Neil and Spike. This show was every bit as spectacular as Birmingham and all the other footage I've seen on YouTube. It was the Queen experience that I've known and loved for decades, but with something more.
As I've already spoken about on here, I've been involved with music since I was a teenager and I've seen and heard thousands of performers in classical music, rock, pop and a few other genres as well. But the difference with QAL is that they perform with LOVE - it's not just about doing the music to entertain themselves, or because they think they're good at it, but it's because they truly love what they're doing and want to share it.
There's been loads of stuff on here in the last few weeks about how Adam has given Brian and Roger a new lease of life, and he truly has. I think the thing that made last night so emotionally charged is that we were all aware of the love that there is between them, and how much they have all treasured this experience.
And we have treasured it - I know I've already mentioned that I never thought I'd hear Queen's music live again in such perfection. I think a lot of us are never going to be the same again (and I've tweeted copiously about this!). There are now thousands of us who are now fans of Adam's as well as Queen's and those of us who have been lucky enough to get to the live shows have been able to witness what an astonishing performer he is.
And of course, we now know that this isn't the end of QAL - it's the "pause" button. There is going to be Rock in Rio, and Brian has already acknowledged that the fans (us!!) are mad for more. There *is* space for the things that they all want to do as well, but it looks as though there may be opportunities for us to have more of the wonderful, life-changing experience that is QAL.
Oh dear, I've written a lot. Sorry chaps, I needed to emote as I'm smile emoticon and cry emoticon all at the same time. Just tell me if you want me to go away and write a blog instead...
Hi guys
As my attempts at streaming last night's concert failed (I was down on the floor and the bass speakers were obliterating everything), I thought I'd write a review of sorts:
QAL Sheffield - 27th Feb 2015
Going to the last night of the UK/Europe tour was rather like spending a final night with the perfect lover you know is emigrating the next day. It was astounding, poignant and painful, all at the same time.
There was a much more highly-charged atmosphere than in Birmingham. I was down on the floor again, so my view wasn't the greatest as I'm not that tall, but could see most things via the giant screens. The Motorpoint Arena is a bit smaller than the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, but it was packed out. I'd talked to a couple of people on the tram who come all the way from Suffolk as a result of seeing the televised NYE concert. I told them they were in for a treat, so I hope they agreed with me by the end of the evening.
The place erupted from the opening chords of One Vision as the curtains billowed away. The guys were really ripping into the music and Brian was clearly having the time of his life as they cruised through SCC. Adam was at his saucy best in FBG and there were screams of delight from the women (and some of the men) as he twerked and flirted with the audience. We were also treated to a full-screen microphone lick during KQ for extra naughtiness. He was even doing a bit of flirting with Brian and giving him the "come on" looks.
STL was also stunning, with even more high notes incorporated into it. It's always been one of my favourite Queen songs, but the QAL version of it is just incomparable, and it's almost, almost a different song now.
Adam's homage to Freddie was greeted with delight and the first teary moment was LOML. Brian was clearly overcome - he spoke about how this had been the most enjoyable tour they'd ever done. Roger sang DOOL beautifully - the croakiness from a couple of nights previously was gone and there were a lot of teary eyes in the audience at the video montage of Queen in days gone by.
The audience were transfixed by Adam in Save Me and WWTLF - I could almost hear them holding their breath. It's almost impossible to pick out the best bits from a set that was so immaculately put together, but Brian and Adam's improvisation before IWIA was... organic. It takes special skill and rapport to do that in front of a live audience of thousands, and do it slightly different every time.
RGG dissolved into its usual audience frenzy when Adam went down into the crowd, but we were nearing the end too quickly. I'm sure heard a subtle change when Brian introduced Adam - for the first time, I don't think he called him the "new guy", but the audience went WILD for him.
Bo Rhap was immense, as usual, with huge cheers at the "Freddie" footage and the interchange between him and Adam. When WATC started, I think it had started to get to Adam that this was the last performance, and I saw on Twitter that there are pics of him in tears (which I haven't seen yet, for reasons of sanity). He missed out a couple of lines and this was probably because he was too choked to get the notes out.
There were huge amounts of hugging at the end and I think all of the guys were really overcome (I'm tearing up just thinking about it).
All of the guys were stunning throughout - Adam's voice, Brian's guitar, Roger and the lovely Rufus on the drums and not forgetting Neil and Spike. This show was every bit as spectacular as Birmingham and all the other footage I've seen on YouTube. It was the Queen experience that I've known and loved for decades, but with something more.
As I've already spoken about on here, I've been involved with music since I was a teenager and I've seen and heard thousands of performers in classical music, rock, pop and a few other genres as well. But the difference with QAL is that they perform with LOVE - it's not just about doing the music to entertain themselves, or because they think they're good at it, but it's because they truly love what they're doing and want to share it.
There's been loads of stuff on here in the last few weeks about how Adam has given Brian and Roger a new lease of life, and he truly has. I think the thing that made last night so emotionally charged is that we were all aware of the love that there is between them, and how much they have all treasured this experience.
And we have treasured it - I know I've already mentioned that I never thought I'd hear Queen's music live again in such perfection. I think a lot of us are never going to be the same again (and I've tweeted copiously about this!). There are now thousands of us who are now fans of Adam's as well as Queen's and those of us who have been lucky enough to get to the live shows have been able to witness what an astonishing performer he is.
And of course, we now know that this isn't the end of QAL - it's the "pause" button. There is going to be Rock in Rio, and Brian has already acknowledged that the fans (us!!) are mad for more. There *is* space for the things that they all want to do as well, but it looks as though there may be opportunities for us to have more of the wonderful, life-changing experience that is QAL.
Oh dear, I've written a lot. Sorry chaps, I needed to emote as I'm smile emoticon and cry emoticon all at the same time. Just tell me if you want me to go away and write a blog instead...