2.8.20 QAL racks up more great reviews....
Feb 8, 2020 0:03:48 GMT -5
Post by Q3 on Feb 8, 2020 0:03:48 GMT -5
2.8.20 by Adamtopia, on Flickr
Review: Queen + Adam Lambert bring the magic to Mt Smart Stadium
8 Feb, 2020 8:28am
4 minutes to read
8 Feb, 2020 8:28am
4 minutes to read
Brian May and Adam Lambert tear it up at Mt Smart Stadium. Photo / Getty Images.
Michael Burgess
Michael Burgess
By: Michael Burgess
Sports writer for NZME
michael.burgess@nzherald.co.nz @mikeburgess99
In an interview a decade ago, Brian May explained why he couldn't let go of Queen.
He had wrestled with the idea, and tried various solo projects, following the passing of Freddie Mercury and the subsequent retirement of bassist John Deacon.
He tried "running away" for a long time, but decided it was futile.
"Why should I fight the very thing I'd worked so hard to build up for all those years?" reasoned May. "Why can't I just be proud of it?"
Why not, indeed.
Sports writer for NZME
michael.burgess@nzherald.co.nz @mikeburgess99
In an interview a decade ago, Brian May explained why he couldn't let go of Queen.
He had wrestled with the idea, and tried various solo projects, following the passing of Freddie Mercury and the subsequent retirement of bassist John Deacon.
He tried "running away" for a long time, but decided it was futile.
"Why should I fight the very thing I'd worked so hard to build up for all those years?" reasoned May. "Why can't I just be proud of it?"
Why not, indeed.
Adam Lambert, Roger Taylor and Brian May. Photo / Getty Images.
After a spectacular performance on Friday night in Auckland, more than 40,000 fans would be nodding in agreement at May's sentiments.
Though some have mixed feelings about the post-Mercury era, Queen and Adam Lambert brought the magic to Mt Smart on a perfect summer night.
It was large, bombastic and fantastic. They rocked, they rolled and they reigned.
Adam Lambert, Brian May and Roger Taylor. Photo / Getty Images.
The vast majority of the audience wouldn't have seen the original lineup, who only toured New Zealand once, in 1985.
But if you closed your eyes for a moment on Friday, it wasn't that hard to imagine Queen in their pomp, at Knebworth Castle, Budapest, Wembley, or Rio.
May's signature riffs were as thrilling as ever, Roger Taylor has lost none of his power or touch and Lambert was doing a remarkable job of respecting Mercury's legacy while also showing his own mastery of Queen's extensive back catalogue.
Mercury could never be replaced, with his unique stage presence and legendary vocal range, and Lambert made it clear early on he wasn't trying to.
Adam Lambert in full flight at Mt Smart Stadium. Photo / Getty Images.
"Let's address the pink elephant in the stadium," said Lambert, after a stirring rendition of Killer Queen. "I'm a fan just like you. There will only be one Freddie Mercury...the rock god."
He asked the crowd to "give him a chance", before launching into Don't Stop Me Now, one of the highlights as they expertly built to a crescendo.
Queen were always known for their strong production values, impeccable musicianship, sense of fun and theatrics. Those core values haven't changed, with brilliant use of visuals and lighting and a performance that was perfectly paced.
It was a powerful start, with May's silhouette high above the stage, as he hammered out an extended intro to Now I'm Here. Lambert then sprung into action, bouncing around the stage in his platform heels, while Taylor lashed into the drums. Queen were back, and what an entrance, in front of a spectacular baroque set.
Brian May unleashes another solo. photo / Getty Images.
That set the tone for a night of fantasy and fun, with May at the apex, capped off by one of the most remarkable solos you'll ever see.
Lambert showed his penchant for audience interaction during Somebody to Love, while the sequence of Bicycle Race/Fat Bottomed Girls, with the singer emerging from underneath the stage on a white Harley, was brilliant.
May got a little melancholy during Love of My Life - "I'm 11,000 miles from home and all these beautiful lights made me feel like I am home" as the audience sang and waved their phones in the air.
They were playing to several different generations, and mixed in a few b sides and cult favourites, along with the anthems.
Brian May and Adam Lambert tear it up at Mt Smart Stadium. Photo / Getty Images.
There was also a rendition of Doing All Right - "You may have seen this in a movie" teased Taylor, while the drummer did David Bowie proud during Under Pressure.
Queen has a huge stable of hits, but managed to get through most, from Keep Yourself Alive, to The Show Must Go On.
After almost two and a half hours they took their final bow, after their trademark encore, with We Are The Champions are the finale.
Accompanied by the strains of God Save the Queen, Lambert clutched his crown, then stepped back quickly, allowing May and Taylor to soak in the rest of the applause.
As they exited, May, wearing a black New Zealand t-shirt with a koru design, stopped for one last wave, seemingly thrilled and exhausted at the same time.
"That was a hell of a show," said a beaming man in the next row. "That was the first concert I've brought my boys to. You've got to be happy with that."
As the crowd filtered out, humming their favourite tunes, no one was disagreeing.
Queen + Adam Lambert dial the theatrics up to 11 for Wellington
Kylie Klein-Nixon02:29, Feb 06 2020
Rosa Woods/Stuff
Adam Lambert and legendary guitarist Brian May perform at Sky Stadium in Wellington during The Rhapsody Tour.
Folks will tell you stadium rock really died the day people exchanged their bic lighters for the torch on their cell phones.
Those folks have never seen 10,000 glittering iPhone torches waving about over Wellington's Sky Stadium to the sound of Queen and Adam Lambert putting his vocal chords through their paces.
Kylie Klein-Nixon02:29, Feb 06 2020
Rosa Woods/Stuff
Adam Lambert and legendary guitarist Brian May perform at Sky Stadium in Wellington during The Rhapsody Tour.
Folks will tell you stadium rock really died the day people exchanged their bic lighters for the torch on their cell phones.
Those folks have never seen 10,000 glittering iPhone torches waving about over Wellington's Sky Stadium to the sound of Queen and Adam Lambert putting his vocal chords through their paces.
KYLIE KLEIN NIXON
10,000 phone torches lifted in song at Sky Stadium for Queen + Adam Lambert.
"That's right, light 'em up," legendary guitarist Brian May says at one point. "That's what iPhones were made for."
It's Queen's first show in Wellington in their 50 year career and the city's put on the perfect balmy, breezy, Summer's evening especially for it, it seems - It was hiffing it down yesterday, but you'd never know it tonight.
6m 19s
10,000 phone torches lifted in song at Sky Stadium for Queen + Adam Lambert.
"That's right, light 'em up," legendary guitarist Brian May says at one point. "That's what iPhones were made for."
It's Queen's first show in Wellington in their 50 year career and the city's put on the perfect balmy, breezy, Summer's evening especially for it, it seems - It was hiffing it down yesterday, but you'd never know it tonight.
6m 19s
Something else that's perfect is the carnival atmosphere in the stadium.
There are fans in full regal regalia, dolled up to the eyeballs, velvet capes, tiaras, crowns - it's a regular right royal command performance.
The finery in the crowd matches what's going down up on the stage too, as animated curtains rise on a baroque "set" that would make the Opera House blush. The visuals hint at past incarnations of the band, late lead singer Freddie Mercury cast in gold, the band's coat of arms, crowns and Metropolis-style robots - the nostalgia vibe is delightfully strong.
With the theatrics dialled all the way up to 11, the band kicks off with a blistering rendition of Now I'm Here.
Give Lambert his due, while his voice is never as strong or unique as Freddie Mercury's - in fact that vibrato of his turns is all a little High School Musical a couple of times - his stage persona is just as large and flamboyant.
The fact he owns his un-Freddie-ness from the get go, addressing "the pink elephant in the room" just a couple of songs in, makes it easy to just... let that go and enjoy the show for what it is: the rock equivalent of a hearty, heart-warming, nostalgic sing-along, on a massive, massive, gilt and spangle covered scale.
Rosa Woods
Queen and Adam Lambert perform at Sky Stadium in Wellington.
From there they roll seamlessly into a medley of 70s bangers, including a far too short snippet of Keep Yourself Alive that they could have played for three solid hours straight and I wouldn't have complained.
But why stick to the classics when you've got a fifty year catalogue of hits to choose from? Tonight they play the absolute lot, the singles, the ballads, a couple of adorable b-sides, even duets.
Don't Stop Me now has the crowd all but frothing at the mouths (my love for that song has been somewhat influenced by its appearance in classic zombie romcom Shaun Of The Dead), you haven't lived until you've heard and entire stadium chanting "I want it all and I want it now!", I hope it didn't freak out some poor, frazzled politician working late at the Beehive.
Brian May "duets" with the late Freddie Mercury: the show is reverential towards Mercury's memory through out.
KYLIE KLEIN NIXON
Brian May "duets" with the late Freddie Mercury: the show is reverential towards Mercury's memory through out.
As for Fat Bottom Girls... apparently Wellingtonians really like big butts and they cannot lie.
Drummer Roger Taylor and Lambert dueting with Lambert on Under Pressure, with Taylor taking Bowie's part and giving it an added poignancy with his tremulous, breathy voice, is a stand out. As is the epic hysteria of Somebody To Love and an absolutely killer version of Who Wants to Live Forever complete with Neon Demon-meets-The Highlander-on-acid lightshow.
Across it all strides May, the lanky, silver ringmaster of this rock circus, whose scorching solos are the real spectacle we're all here to see. Every time he comes to the front of the stage the crowd goes absolutely bonkers. In return, May, is gracious, affable and affectionate - not for nothing is he considered the favourite whacky uncle of rock.
Sorry, the whacky, nerdy, uncle of Rock. His rendition of Last Horizon/New World Symphony, delivered spectacularly from atop an asteroid hurtling through space - No, I'm not kidding - as the planets wheel around his head and he recreates the sounds of radio waves bouncing around the solar system, is literally one of the best things I have ever seen on a stage in my entire life.
As the band take their bows to a Brian May version of God Save The Queen (natch), there's another, more abstract feeling to go with the throat that's raw from singing and feet numb from stamp and jumping. It's satisfaction.
Queen and Adam Lambert play Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium on Friday February 7, and Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium on Monday, February 10. Tickets from Ticketmaster.
QAL Tour Calendar + Adam Events
Korea 2020
18-Jan Seoul Gocheok Skydome
19-Jan Seoul Gocheok Skydome
19-Jan Seoul Gocheok Skydome
Japan 2020
25-Jan Tokyo Saitama Super Arena
26-Jan Tokyo Saitama Super Arena
28-Jan Osaka Kyosera Dome
4-Feb new Adam track released!
New Zealand 2020
5-Feb Wellington Westpac Stadium
7-Feb Auckland Mt Smart Stadium
10-Feb Dunedin Forsyth Barr Stadium
Australia 2020
13-Feb Brisbane Suncorp Stadium
15-Feb Sydney ANZ Stadium
BENEFIT CONCERT 16-Feb FIRE FIGHT AUSTRALIA Sydney ANZ Stadium
QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT “Rhapsody Tour” UK; EUROPE 2020
24-May Bologna, Italy Unipol Arena
26-May Paris, France AccorHotels Arena
27-May Antwerp Belgium Sportspalais
29-May Amsterdam, Netherlands Ziggo Dome
30-May Amsterdam, Netherlands Ziggo Dome
2-Jun London, UK O2
3-Jun London, UK O2
5-Jun London, UK O2
6-Jun London, UK O2
8-Jun London, UK O2
9-Jun London, UK O2
Adam Solo: Velvet EU "Tour"New Zealand 2020
10-Feb Dunedin Forsyth Barr Stadium
Australia 2020
13-Feb Brisbane Suncorp Stadium
15-Feb Sydney ANZ Stadium
BENEFIT CONCERT 16-Feb FIRE FIGHT AUSTRALIA Sydney ANZ Stadium
19-Feb Melbourne AAMI Park
20-Feb Melbourne AAMI Park
23-Feb Perth Optus Stadium
26-Feb Adelaide Adelaide Oval
29-Feb Gold Coast Metricon Stadium
20-Feb Melbourne AAMI Park
23-Feb Perth Optus Stadium
26-Feb Adelaide Adelaide Oval
29-Feb Gold Coast Metricon Stadium
19-Mar Adam on Newsweek Conversations
20-Mar Full VELVET experience released! Pre-order now: Empire.lnk.to/Roses
Adam Solo: Velvet USA "Tour," more dates to come
Apr-22 Las Vegas, Venetian Theatre
Apr-24 Las Vegas, Venetian Theatre
Apr-25 Las Vegas, Venetian Theatre
Apr-22 Las Vegas, Venetian Theatre
Apr-24 Las Vegas, Venetian Theatre
Apr-25 Las Vegas, Venetian Theatre
QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT “Rhapsody Tour” UK; EUROPE 2020
24-May Bologna, Italy Unipol Arena
26-May Paris, France AccorHotels Arena
27-May Antwerp Belgium Sportspalais
29-May Amsterdam, Netherlands Ziggo Dome
30-May Amsterdam, Netherlands Ziggo Dome
2-Jun London, UK O2
3-Jun London, UK O2
5-Jun London, UK O2
6-Jun London, UK O2
8-Jun London, UK O2
9-Jun London, UK O2
11-Jun Manchester, UK Manchester Arena
12-Jun Manchester, UK Manchester Arena
14-Jun Birmingham, UK Birmingham Arena
15-Jun Birmingham, UK Birmingham Arena
17-Jun London, UK O212-Jun Manchester, UK Manchester Arena
14-Jun Birmingham, UK Birmingham Arena
15-Jun Birmingham, UK Birmingham Arena
18-Jun London, UK O2
20-Jun London, UK O2
21-Jun London, UK O2
20-Jun London, UK O2
21-Jun London, UK O2
24-Jun Berlin, Germany Mercedes-Benz Arena
26-Jun Cologne, Germany Lanxess Arena
28-Jun Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadion
29-Jun Munich, Germany Olympiahalle
1-Jul Copenhagen, Denmark Royal Arena
2-Jul Copenhagen, Denmark Royal Arena
7-Jul Madrid, Spain Wiznik Centre
8-Jul Madrid, Spain Wiznik Centre
26-Jun Cologne, Germany Lanxess Arena
28-Jun Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadion
29-Jun Munich, Germany Olympiahalle
1-Jul Copenhagen, Denmark Royal Arena
2-Jul Copenhagen, Denmark Royal Arena
7-Jul Madrid, Spain Wiznik Centre
8-Jul Madrid, Spain Wiznik Centre
30 Aug Manchester - Manchester Pride
1 Sep London - The SSE Arena Wembley
3 Sep Amsterdam, Netherlands - AFAS LIVE
4 Sep Cologne, Germany - Carlswerk Victoria
5 Sep Berlin, Germany - Huxleys
7 Sep Warsaw, Poland - Expo
8 Sep - Hamburg, Germany - Große Freiheit
9 Sep - Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
12 Sep - Helsinki, Finland - ICE