7.24.14 Adam News And Info

Fit For A Queen

Adam Lambert Rocks It Like a Champion

By Josh Kruger


When Simon Cowell opined to Rolling Stone that Adam Lambert had a “touch of Freddie Mercury and the sexiness of Prince,” Lambert was still coming off his American Idol fame, eyeshadow and all. Cowell probably didn’t realize just how on point he was.

Now, years later, Lambert is out on tour with the modern incarnation of Queen, once led by Mercury, who died of AIDS in 1991 when Lambert was nine years old.

Queen, aptly named considering the band is inarguably rock royalty, brings its 20-year catalogue to Atlantic City for a Boardwalk Hall extravaganza, with Lambert singing lead vocals aside original Queen members Roger Taylor and Brian May. And man, how thrilling it’ll be to witness Lambert singing in tribute to the unique styles of the charismatic Mercury, including the song that made Wayne’s World famous, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and pretty much every other Queen hit that has become worldwide rock standard. The tour’s been well received, too. Writes Jason Bracelin of the Las Vegas Review-Journal: Lambert sings with “an almost off-handed operatic flair” which fits the band well, particularly given that Lambert is prone to “unselfconsciously wear a leopard-print suit . . . eliciting neither grimaces nor guffaws.”

Lambert’s comfort in his own skin-tight jeans probably accounts for his wide appeal in America, among audiences of all sexualities. That Lambert, like Mercury, is gay may not exactly be news of the world — but it gives Queen’s ongoing legacy a kind of magic. n

Eight Things That Amazed Me Watching Queen + Adam Lambert

A Hardcore Queen Fan's Tour Review

1. This was the best concert I’ve ever been to in my life.

2. Adam Lambert was sublime. He tackled the problem of replacing Freddy Mercury the only way you can, which is by not trying to replace him. This was very much Adam Lambert fronting Queen, not Adam Lambert as “the replacement.” He did his own thing, and it meshed beautifully with what Queen has always done.

3. Brian May. Oh my god. Not only has the man not lost a lick, I’m pretty sure he gained about three of them just on the way to the venue.

4. Song selection. Sure, they did “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” etc., but mostly in elegantly shortened versions, leaving plenty of time for the really good stuff. They opened with “Now I’m Here” and rocked out “Seven Seas of Rhye,” “Tie Your Mother Down” and frickin’ “‘39”, for god’s sake. It was a good night to be a true fan.

5. Adam Lambert’s stage presence is phenomenal. The boy is cocky as anything, in just the right way. He claims a piece of stage like it’s been his since the beginning of time. Also: He’s very, very funny.

6. Roger Taylor’s kid is a hell of a drummer. They did a little dueling, which was awesome, and they let him rock out on one of the songs in the second half. He’s like nineteen or something, and playing with Queen. I wonder if he has trouble getting dates.

7. They weren’t old. At all. Somehow.

8. Vocally, I won’t compare what Adam does to what Freddy used to do in the high range—it’s its own thing, a little melissimatic for my tastes, but no competition—but in his mid-high range, Adam’s power is just phenomenal. It really was a chance to hear the songs in an entirely new way. Either go see for yourself, or weep in despair. There is no third option. — CAMERON MCNARY

www.atlanticcityweekly.com/arts-and-entertainment/features/FIT_FOR_A_QUEEN-268329072.html?page=1&comments=1&showAll=



QUEEN + Adam Lambert
Classic rock. New voice.
Don't miss this worship worthy tour.



Interview begins on Page 9 and is worth reading.

onnow.onenation.livenation.com/



Boston Reviews

Adam Lambert earns a temporary spot on Queen throne

By Sarah Rodman


ZACK WITTMAN FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE


Adam Lambert took the role of Freddie Mercury as Queen performed at the TD Garden Tuesday.

It’s always fraught when a classic rock band tours without its original singer, particularly when that person is dead. Queen devotees definitely fall in the top 5 of divided fan bases since the powerful and imaginative British rock titans were gifted with one of the most legendary entertainers in rock history in Freddie Mercury, who passed away in 1991.

Those who believe guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor are desecrating his memory by touring with Adam Lambert, who first met and played with the duo when he was competing on “American Idol,” were likely not among the robust crowd at the Queen + Adam Lambert show at the TD Garden Tuesday.


Many in the audience looked young enough to have been robbed of the chance of actually seeing the band with Mercury — and retired original bassist John Deacon — and eagerly took the opportunity to see what May, Taylor, Lambert, and a quartet of backing musicians had cooked up.

It was an intriguing, thoughtfully curated, two hour and 10 minute performance.

There were plenty of hits sung Lambert, a fine singer in his own right who clearly shares a kinship to Mercury in terms of theatrical flair but who wisely avoided mimickry of the inimitable legend.

His best moments came during the songs that played up his range and stamina. The grand, gospel-tinged pleader “Somebody to Love,” the high drama “Who Wants to Live Forever,” and the sky-scraping wails of “Under Pressure” were particularly well-suited to both his vocal prowess.

Taylor and May also took the opportunity to step up to the microphone, in part to pay tribute to their old friend. May, nimble as ever on his elastic solos, was particularly moved at the reception to a joyfully celestial mid-set version of the Beatlesque “Love of My Life” that featured an audience singalong and an appearance from Mercury on video. Taylor tackled the poignant “These Are the Days of Our Live” as younger visions of the quartet floated by onscreen.

Mercury also got the final word during the still giddy and combustible “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Lambert cheekily returned for the encore of “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” in a fabulous sparkly crown.

www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2014/07/22/adam-lambert-earns-temporary-spot-queen-throne/8GWjHqCrdvkEjYcrHEGfcN/story.html


Last Best Show: Queen + Adam Lambert at the Garden




Filling in for the late Freddie Mercury, Adam Lambert, left, performs with Brian May of Queen.


Wednesday, July 23, 2014
By:Bill Brotherton

Is this the real life, or is this just fantasy? Adam Lambert sings those words from "Bohemian Rhapsody" every night as the featured vocalist for beloved British rock royalty Queen, and he must ask himself that very question. For the kid from San Diego, who is the latest singer to take the place of Freddie Mercury, the charismatic Queen frontman who died in 1991, it must be a little of both.

And Lambert, 32, is certainly the right man for the job, as he ably proved Tuesday night during a 2 hour, 15 minute show at the TD Garden billed as Queen + Adam Lambert.

Lambert, an "American Idol" runner-up, is theatrical and dramatic like Mercury, all thunderbolt and lightning. His powerful tenor and multi-octave voice amazed all night, whether he was caressing the lyrics of "Somebody to Love," belting out a hard-rocking "Another One Bites the Dust" or going over the top during a sensational "Who Wants to Live Forever" that was punctuated by lasers, a disco ball, once-frowned-upon synthesizers and yet another guitar solo by Brian May that brought down the house. During a killer "Killer Queen," divo Lambert luxuriated on a divan and played up the song's campiness. Most importantly, Lambert didn't attempt to imitate or impersonate the incomparable Mercury; his own affable, chatty personality shined through.

May, who sports a massive gray afro and who turned 67 last Saturday, and drummer Roger Taylor, who turns 65 this Saturday, are the sole original members (bassist John Deacon retired in 1997) and they remain the heart and soul of Queen. May, in particular, dazzled on guitar, a replica of the famous "Red Special" that May and his dad made using bicycle and motorbike parts and wood from an old fireplace. A camera mounted on his axe gave the near-capacity crowd an up-close look at his skills -- he uses a coin instead of a pick! -- and his abuse of the whammy bar. His solos during "Fat Bottomed Girls," "I Want it All" and the closing "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Will Rock You"/"We Are the Champions" demonstrated why May places so high on Greatest Guitarist of All-Time lists.

Taylor, whose son/bandmate Rufus Tiger demonstrated he's a terrific drummer in his own right, is a steady and strong player. He provided muscle to a tightly wound "Under Pressure" and "Tie Your Mother Down" and the rhythmically perfect "Radio Gaga," during which fans clapped in all the right places. Taylor sang lead on the heartfelt "These Are the Days of My Life," which featured video of Mercury, Deacon, May and Taylor through the years.
Mercury, in fact, had a commanding presence throughout the show via video. He appeared on-screen while May sang a heartfelt acoustic "Love of My Life" and contributed mightily to "Bohemian Rhapsody" via old concert footage.

A mid-set series of bass, drum and guitar solos disrupted the momentum a bit, but did little to minimize the fun quotient. And I wish the band performed "The Show Must Go On," which is one of Queen's finest songs and has been played in nearly every show on this tour.

I was blessed to have seen Queen in concert back in the '70s at the Orpheum and the Music Hall. They were something special. Tuesday night, May, Taylor and Lambert did Freddie proud, delivering a crackerjack show that added to the legacy of one of rock music's greatest bands. Bravo!

bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/guestlisted/2014/07/last_best_show_queen_adam_lambert_at_the_garden


U Review It: Queen and Adam Lambert at the TD Garden
Alisha Jackson
July 23, 2014 8:13 AM



(Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Last night, Adam Lambert took the Queen throne (literally), and to the surprise of the Queen fanatics in the crowd, he ruled.

Lambert took his time warming up the crowd, holding back his glitz and glam until about the 4th song in. At first, I was afraid that his drastic outfit change from Harley Ken-doll to Rock Diva Barbie would be too much for the crowd to handle, but as Adam continued his outfit changes throughout the night, the crowd only seemed to get louder and louder. Especially when he quite literally took to the Queen throne on stage, and sang an entire song lying down on a red velvet couch in Cleopatra fashion.

His theatrical stage performance may sound alienating for Queen fans, but Adam offered a perfectly calculated balance of respect for Freddie Mercury, and Queen as a whole, both in between and during his spotlit moments.

Halfway through the concert, for instance, Adam disappeared into the shadows on the stage and left for a solid chunk of the show in order to let the rock royalty shine on without him.


Roger Taylor and Brian May took this opportunity to pay tribute to their irreplaceable friend, Freddie Mercury, with a stripped down acoustic set performed on the catwalk in the middle of the crowd. One thing’s for sure – Brian May can still shred. And, 22 years after their performance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, he shouted out Extreme as one of Boston’s most magical contributions to the music world.

Guess he is still “real friends” with them:



Before the Lambertless set ended, Roger Taylor entertained the crowd by playing drums out on the catwalk and battling his young touring side drummer, who sat at a kit back on the stage. The kid looked like a 20-year-old Taylor Hawkins, and he held his own during the battle, which ended with an awesome synchronized drum solo.

May not only colored us impressed with what seemed to be a 15-minute-long guitar solo, but also his willingness to let Lambert into his court. Compared to Taylor and May, Adam is only in the infantile stage of his career, yet Brian actually looked like he gave a damn when he shredded beside the newly crowned queen. While the pairing of an ex-American Idol contestant with a Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame band may seem confusing, it made total sense on stage.

There are 2 last things we have a duty to touch upon before you take over the reigns on the review:

1. Bohemian Rhapsody: After hearing what Adam could do with his voice throughout the night, the crowd knew that he could deliver the seemingly untouchable operatic ballad on his own. However, we like what the band ended up doing much better.
While Adam got to kick off the song, Freddie joined in on screen during a taped live performance for the second verse, and then the band’s music video and studio recording took over for the Wayne’s World car scene. The end of the song featured Adam and Freddie singing back and forth, with Freddie fittingly getting the last word.

2. We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions: When Adam came back out on stage during the encore, decked in a leopard print suit and an over-sized queen crowd, we knew he was going to rock us



The encore clearly satisfied the crowd, as I didn’t see one person leave the TD Garden early.

What did you think? Check out our “U-Review” below!

wzlx.cbslocal.com/2014/07/23/queen-adam-lambert-td-garden/



REVIEW: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT AT TD GARDEN

By Samantha Mellman

There was no lack of leather, studs, heels, and flare when Adam Lambert took to the stage as Queen’s front man. Last night Queen + Adam Lambert rocked the TD Garden for the first and possibly last time.


The glory days of rock ‘n’ roll are nostalgic to those old enough to have witnessed it and classic to those who were born since the Madonna era. Today, we are lucky enough to see 50% of living rock band from the 60s and 70s.

Brian May and Roger Taylor are the last original members of Queen. John Deacon (still alive) retired from the band in ’97. Each band member spotlighted their profound abilities to take their instruments to the highest levels. May took the audience to intergalactic space with his trippy guitar solo and Taylor banged out an epic drum battle with his son Rufus Tiger Taylor.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the American Idol star, but his trademark operatic voice belted out renditions of Freddy Mercury’s legacy. He was brimming with charisma, having a ton of fun on stage, and interacting with the crowd. “Is anyone else sloppy drunk like me? C’mon it’s Rock ‘n’ Roll! Fuck Yeah!”

There were also incredibly touching moments throughout the night. May took front and center playing the acoustic song “Love of My Life” and asked the audience to sing along. He said something magical may happen. At the end of the song Mercury is projected on screen singing the last few words and the stadium filled with cheers.

There were frequent on stage shout outs to Mercury throughout the show. During “Bohemian Rhapsody” the culmination of past and present came together. Adam led the song followed by footage of Mercury and the band from their music video as May and Taylor accompanied. I was stunned when white afro May came out wearing the most fabulous golden wardrobe straight from the closet of Queen’s yesteryears.

When Queen + AL made their exit the crowd wasn’t through and stomped their feet and clapped to the beat of “We Will Rock You.” The band rejoined for an encore and Adam rocked out one more flamboyantly fantastic outfit. A full leopard printed suit, gold chain, and a sparkling crystal crown, embodying the ultimate Queen of rock.
digboston.com/boston-music-concerts/2014/07/review-queen-adam-lambert-at-td-garden/





Share your concert story or review!!
6.28.14 by Q3

Everyone wants to read about your concert experience. So, if you are inclined to share, please do. It is fun to read them even if you attended the same concert. Everyone has a different experience and sees different things.

If you do want to share a review, please post it in the CONCERT thread. Then, so we don’t miss it, post a short note with a link to your review in the current Daily News thread.

If you already posted it in both places, that fine. Just leave it as it is. If you did not post it in the concert thread, please post a copy in the concert thread so we can include it in the concert archive.

Thanks to all who have shared. And I hope/expect to read hundreds more! So post away!

2014 Queen + Adam Lambert Tour Dates



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