6.21.14 Adam News and Info

This thread is for general news and information, please post news about tonight's Winnepeg concert here:
adamtopia.com/thread/2400/concert-mts-centre-winnipeg-canada



The Night Time Stood Still
6.21.14 by Q3

There no time for us, there’s no space for us…..
“Who Wants To Live Forever” Adam Lambert lyrics modification

Last night I got a chance to experience the time-space continuum, a moment that combines space and time into a single interwoven continuum.

Don't you hear my call though you're many years away
Don't you hear me calling you
Write your letters in the sand
For the day I take your hand
In the land that our grandchildren knew.
“’39” lyrics

Last night, time seemed to loop and for a moment, well for 2 hours, 1974 and 2014 were both in the same place.

***

We arrived at the venue, entered the United Center and found that they were still doing a sound check. I heard a bit of Adam singing, then he stopped and it was just the band and techs playing with the sound. I walked up to the security guards and talked to them. I pretended to care what they said. I really was just hoping to hear Adam again. I did not. The banished me.

The sound barrier

Physics is everywhere. Physics cannot be compromised.

The United Center arena is the largest in the United States in physical size and it is an impressive building. It was designed for hockey and basketball, not for concerts – and this venue poses real challenges for sound techs. The United Center's acoustics were designed to amplify the noise level in order to recreate "The Roar" the din from the Chicago Blackhawks fans from the old Chicago Stadium, the "Madhouse on Madison", during hockey games. So, while the sound mix was “muddy” in parts, some parts of the concert hit stratospheric heights because of this odd arena and its completely unique acoustics.

Awesome seats

Once we were allowed in, the reality of my “could not be more awesome” seat location dawned on me. I was on the right side of the center of the catwalk circle. Sitting there looking around, I honestly could not have picked a better seat. Setting that aside, the set design turned out to be brilliant for making many places feel like a front row. And, once the concert started, and the lasers were on full tilt, the set turned out to provide a magnificent platform for even more magnificent performances.

A concert for 2014

This was not like Queen circa 1975 or 1986. This was a really complicated production and a choreographed setlist, a show designed for 2014. The only surprise was that the effects were limited to a spectacular set of lasers (essential), smoke jets (not really needed) and a huge, mirror-encrusted disco ball which was part of the time machine.

Time Travel Act 1: Here I am, now


Adam in a black leather, studded jacked by Versace.

As promised this setlist was filled with songs from the early Queen albums. As promised this was Queen the rock band. I heard the opening guitar riffs from “Now I’m Here” and swooooosh I was whished back to Queen’s first headline tour in the US, February 23, 1975, Erlinger Theatre, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the Sheer Heart Attack tour which opened with this song. Queen was louder, bigger, grander, but still the same hard rock band that performed this almost 40 years ago.

They did a visual version of the audio trick from the album recording of “Now I’m Here” – a sort of video pun. On the album recording, the beginning of the song bounces between the right and left speakers. This time they have an image of Adam appearing on the right screen then the left screen.

Opening the concert with this song was appropriate from many, many reasons. This is the song that Brian May wrote when he was recovering from Hepatitis in 1974 – the illness that cut short Queen’s first US Tour when they opened for Mott the Hopple. Brian has explained the song is about his experiences during their first visit to the US.

Here I stand
Look around around around
But you won't see me

Now I'm here, Now I'm there, I'm just a...

And the song sweetly contains "Go, go, go, little queenie!" at the end, a reference to Chuck Berry's song “Little Queenie.” (1959)

Just a new man
Yes you made me live again

A baby I was when you took my hand
And the light of the night burned bright
And the people all stared didn't understand
But you knew my name on sight

Whatever came of you and me
America's new bride to be - don't worry baby I'm safe and sound

And standing there taller than ever was “America’s new bride to be”, Adam as Adam singing this song.

Just a new man
Yes you made me live again

Adam is not Freddie --- Freddie is not Adam. This was Queen reborn in a new way. But this was the first real Queen concert I had seen since 1982 when Queen last played America. Somehow, at that moment, there was no + separating Adam from Queen. Somehow, at that moment, it was all connected in joy and happiness to hear this music brought to life, in total, uncompromised fullness.

Yes, it was “a new man.” And yes, with Adam, Queen is alive again.

When they moved into “Stone Cold Crazy”, also from Sheer Heart Attack, I was flying around that arena. This was a song that I really wanted to hear Queen perform with Adam on vocals. At this point I had two songs from my wishlist, so I was happy if I just got the expected song from Sheer Heart Attack, “Killer Queen.” Little did I know, I was to get one more SHA song!

They moved on to a rock arrangement of “Another One Bites the Dust” and that crowd was all on their feet, singing along. “Fat Bottomed Girls” was just plain assed fun – and in spite of my determination not to sing along, I was once along singing along too. By this point the amount of fun being had on the stage could be felt across the entire venue. Then knock me over, I heard the beginning of “In the Lap of the Gods….Revisited” and my dual thoughts were “another track from Sheer Heart Attack” and “fuck, talon got that on. I am so going to lose.” Then quickly on the heels of that, “have I died and gone to rock and roll heaven?”

When they started to play “Seven Seas of Rhye” I was sure this was Queen fan heaven. Queen played this song starting in 1974. Q+AL played SSOR in 2012, but this seemed like a heavier version – or maybe I was just the overall tone and placement in the set – whatever the cause, it was a more definite performance of the song.

While I was engrossed in SSOR, I noticed two men carrying a fainting couch down the catwalk. Amazingly, they put it down, right next to ME! There was only one person on that stage with the guts to sit on a fainting couch! I quickly ran through the Queen catalog in my head. There was only one song that could involve a fainting couch – “Killer Queen”. Adam was going to sing “Killer Queen” 4 feet away from ME!! I was the one who was going to need that couch ‘cause my knees were getting weak!! Adam arrived and moved into his new home on the catwalk, brilliant gold champagne bottle in tow and playfully using a gold gilded fan. Needless to say, the slayed the vocals on “Killer Queen” and kept it campy fun without a hint of any karaoke cheesiness. If the concert ended now, I would have wanted more but been happy. Thankfully there was much more to come.

Adam sat on his couch and talked about love for a few moments, introduced “Somebody to Love”, the rose from his lair, slowly strutted down the catwalk and we were treated to an impassioned version of “Somebody to Love” – at one point Adam was on his knees and prayed for somebody to love.

I work hard every day of my life
I work till I ache my bones
At the end I take home my hard earned pay all on my own -
I get down on my knees
And I start to pray
Till the tears run down from my eyes
Lord - somebody - somebody
Can anybody find me - somebody to love?

This is one of the Queen songs that Freddie never performed live, but Adam’s soulful interpretation captured the emotion of the recorded version.

Video of “In the Lap of the Gods….Revisited”, “Seven Seas of Rhye”, “Killer Queen” and “Somebody to Love”

youtu.be/-zGXhA6mHfU

The first act ended with another song that Queen did not perform with Freddie, “I Want It All”. It begun with Adam singing the acapella introduction, then Brian joined with his guitar almost mimicking a vocalist – one of the Brian-Adam duets that made this concert so joyfilled.

Queen + Adam Lambert “I Want It All”

youtu.be/So0c2sRW2eI

And thus, the first of the three acts in this show ended.

Time Travel Act 2: Physics lesson

Dr May: Will this be on the exam?

The second act started with Brian at the end of the catwalk – sitting on a stool. He spoke a bit than sang a song for Freddie, “Love of My Life”. The audience roared when Freddie appeared on video in the center of the Q. It was a heartfelt moment – but sweet, not sad. For a moment we were taken back to a better time and place – one that never actually existed but is nice to hope existed.

youtu.be/3Bq8_1td59U

Roger, Tiger and Rufus joined Brian for a sing-along of one of my favorite songs and a highpoint in the concert, “'39”. As a bonus, we got a small physics lesson about the space-time continuum – a theme was starting to form.

“’39” has a simple set of lyrics and even people who were not too familiar with the song were singing along with it by the end. At one point during this song, Spike Edney looked over at the seat I was in and then looked up at the whole stadium filled with standing people, singing along, all focused a 4 people playing a simple song. A smile accompanied by the unmistakable look of joy. It was clear, Queen had return to re-conquer America.

youtu.be/FiqGDKPFvwk

The time travel theme continued as Roger led fans down memory lane with “These Are the Days of Our Lives” accompanied by a video of Queen on tour.

youtu.be/kXUF3TY9Xt0

Next up was “Under Pressure”. Roger on drums and vocal and somehow the time machine brought Adam Lambert back and Roger joined him in 1981. The third act had begun with one of Queen’s hits in the new arrangement debuted in Burbank – “Under Pressure” (rock edit).

youtu.be/CrEh3wY8G5Q

Somehow it was now Brian and Adam singing “Love Kills”. I somehow blinked and the world shifted. Adam introduced the song. The performance was excellent. And we were all pulled back from the past by the newness of the sound.

youtu.be/QNjb6txwGM0

This act ended with a guitar solo by Brian. It was in two parts, the first was a great 1980's style guitar solo….

Brian May Solo Performance (Lost Horizon)

youtu.be/_sQC3Mps-ug

Time Travel Act 3: We are now, again

The concerted moved to the now with a energizing rock set of “Tie Your Mother Dow”, “Radio Ga Ga” and the ultrafun, get your Elvis move on “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”. By now it was apparent that the six musicians tearing up the stage were having way too much fun to be working! This was clearly not a “paycheck” concert.

When Adam stared to sing “The Show Must Go On” everyone was nodding their heads in agreement – “Yes, I thought. Please play for 3 or 4 more hours!”

The encore was the big stadium hits: “We Will Rock You” and “We are the Champions”. And it all ended with a bow line on stage, the pre-recorded Queen cover of “God Save the Queen“ and a massive shower of gold metallic confetti.

We had gone from now to then to some future ’39 back to now and it was all good. The concert was over. There was a King to stand to the right of the Queen, and the universe was back in balance.


ADAM LAMBERT @adamlambert
Leopard Suit designed by afrancodesigns - thank you Anthony! instagram.com/p/peuIBQONMT/

Setlist
Lead vocals by Adam Lambert except as indicated.

Now I’m Here (Sheer Heart Attack, 1974)
Stone Cold Crazy (Sheer Heart Attack, 1974)
Another One Bites the Dut (A Night at the Opera, 1975)
Fat Bottomed Girls (The Game, 1980)
In the Lap of the Gods….Revisited (Sheer Heart Attack, 1974)
Seven Seas of Rhye (Queen II, 1974 – a clip of this song was on Queen, 1973, but it was a different song)
Killer Queen (Sheer Heart Attack, 1974)
Somebody to Love (A Day at the Races, 1976)
I Want It All (The Miracle, 1989)
Love of My Life (acoustic, vocals by Brian May) (A Night at the Opera, 1975)
’39 (acoustic, vocals by Brian May) (A Night at the Opera, 1975)
These are the Days of Our Lives (vocals by Taylor) (Innuendo, 1991)
Drum Battle (instrumental by Roger Taylor and Rufus Taylor)
Under Pressure (vocals by Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert) (non-album single, 1981, later released on Hot Space)
Love Kills (Freddie Mercury single, 1984; first song he recorded as a solo artist, to be released in 2014 by Queen)
Who Wants to Live Forever (A Kind of Magic, 1986)
Guitar solo/Lost Horizon (instrumental by Brian May) (Released by Brian May on Back to the Light, 1993)
Tie Your Mother Down (A Day at the Races, 1976)
Radio Ga Ga (The Works, 1984)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (The Game, 1980)
The Show Must Go On (Innuendo, 1991)
Bohemian Rhapsody (A Night at the Opera, 1975)

Encore:
We Will Rock You (News of the World, 1977)
We are the Champions (News of the World, 1977)

Pre-Recorded:
God Save the Queen (A Night at the Opera, 1975)




2014 Queen + Adam Lambert Tour Dates



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