Report on the first day of Queen + Adam Lambert’s first Tokyo Dome performance: From “inheritance” to “endless progress” by
@youmasuda
twitter.com/uDiscoverJP/status/1757611125582242183Report on the first day of Queen + Adam Lambert's first Tokyo Dome performance: From "inheritance" to "never-ending progress"
Queen + Adam Lambert's tour to Japan begins with a performance in Nagoya on February 4, 2024. This is a report from the first day of the Tokyo Dome performance, the last stop of this tour and his first. This is a contribution by music critic Yuichi Masuda .
In addition, the setlist of this day has been published as a playlist ( Apple Music / Spotify / YouTube )
Queen + Adam Lambert’s journey to Japan
On February 13, 2024, Queen + Adam Lambert, who are visiting Japan for "The Rhapsody Tour," held their first performance at Tokyo Dome. What was demonstrated was the astonishing reality that this extremely rare creative group is still evolving.
First of all, to clarify the facts, this is the fourth time that Queen + Adam Lambert has landed in Japan. The first time this happened was in the summer of 2014, when they headlined Summer Sonic. It can be said that for many music fans, it was a miraculous moment when the unrealistic dream of ``seeing Queen live'' came true. I don't think even the people at the top were thinking about it.
In 2016, they returned to Nippon Budokan, with which they have had a close relationship since Queen's first visit to Japan in 1975. The 2020 performance in Japan was made possible after the movie "Bohemian Rhapsody" (released in 2018) became a huge hit and became a social phenomenon. Naturally, the tour was larger than in 2016, drawing in people from the generation who first encountered Queen's music through this work, as well as those whose love for them was rekindled. Moreover, this was implemented just before the pandemic became more serious. If the performance date had been scheduled for a few weeks later, there is a possibility that the visit to Japan itself would have been postponed.
This time, the performance was held in Japan after the coronavirus pandemic had ended and various restrictions related to box office performances had been lifted. The significance of this tour being made possible in an environment where there was no need to distance seats or hesitate to sing together is no small thing. If the venue had been unable to operate at full capacity to prevent infection, the supply would have been too low to meet the demand. Furthermore, at their live performances, it can be said that being deprived of the freedom to sing aloud is more fatal than being prohibited from diving, moshing, or taking pictures. In that sense, although it was a long wait since the last time they came to Japan, I think it was very valuable to be able to welcome them in such a well-prepared environment.
His first Tokyo Dome performance
Moreover, the venue for the Tokyo performance is the Tokyo Dome, which is the first time in Queen's history since the 1970s. By the way, this huge indoor stadium, also known as BIG EGG, opened in the spring of 1988. Queen's last performance in Japan was in 1985, during a tour in support of ``The Works,'' which had been released the previous year.
Of course, they have been gaining tremendous support here in Japan since the 1970s, and they even held performances at Nishinomiya Stadium and Seibu Stadium in 1982, but unfortunately they started as a live band before Tokyo Dome was born. activities had ceased. It is surprising that for a band with such a long history, there is still a place where they can stand for the first time, but the reason why they have come to this point is because they continue to move as Queen + Adam Lambert, and the voices that demand them. This can be said to be because of the continued increase in
The introduction was long, but the members must have been deeply moved by the fact that they had reached this point after such a long process. As mentioned at the beginning, in this memorable night's performance, they not only met the demands of the packed audience, but also proved that they have evolved even further. The only thing left for this tour is the second night at Tokyo Dome, which will be the grand finale, and there have been many reports about the contents of the performances at the performances in Nagoya, Osaka, and Sapporo that have been held so far. There's no need to worry about spoilers now, but I'd like to focus on the main points and not follow the entire flow of the performance.
Differences from the previous tour
First of all, as mentioned above, this performance is being held as part of the world tour called "The Rhapsody Tour", but this tour itself started in the United States in the summer of 2019, so in short, they will be performing in 2020. This is the second time they have landed in Japan on the same tour, following 2019. So, as for the specific differences from last time, of course there are stage sets and productions that have been upgraded to stadium level, but one of the elements that was unveiled for the first time in Japan was "Machines (or "Background"). There is an opening that uses "To Humans") as an introduction and continues into "Radio Ga Ga".
This is similar to what happened during the North American tour held from October to November last year, but these two songs, which were performed more like a mashup than a medley, are both included in "Works" (1984). Both songs were inspired by Roger Taylor.
There is no need to explain that "Radio Ga Ga" is closely related to "Metropolis" (1927), which is said to be the origin of science fiction movies, but the robot that appears in the movie uses it symbolically. When the show opened with this song, accompanied by a video of the song, I felt as if the past and future were competing in my head. To be more precise, I began to feel a gap between the future I imagined in the distant past and the corresponding present, and that perhaps the answer to the future lies in the past. It felt like a wake-up call for how to interact with civilization, and when it was combined with "Machines (or "Back To Humans"), "Radio Ga Ga" took on a new feel. , I thought there must be meaning in the fact that it was placed not only in the opening but also in the encore scene.
Song selection only in Japan
Regarding the specific song selection, two songs that were not included in the set list during the North American tour are included in this Japan performance. Two songs that almost anyone can answer without a hint are "I Was Born To Love You" and "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)." It goes without saying that both songs have deep ties to Japan.
To be honest, during the Nagoya performance on February 4th, the first day of this Japan tour, the appearance of "I Was Born To Love You" seemed a little abrupt, but after that, its placement changed. , this night was a natural progression from "Bicycle Race" and was in full effect. Also, regarding "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)", the lead vocal was handed over from Brian May to Adam, but Adam's performance at Tokyo Dome was better than at the Nagoya performance. I felt like I was able to assimilate this song as my own.
Further evolution of Adam
I was surprised by Adam's further evolution. When "Don't Stop Me Now" was performed at the "Kohaku Uta Gassen" on New Year's Eve, his singing received rave reviews without any prior knowledge or preconceptions, but his overwhelming vocal range and volume. It's a nice, delicate expression, and he just turned 42 years old, so he's in a perfect state. Moreover, his unique brilliance, which appears in different outfits many times during Roger and Brian's solo parts, has been further refined.
It's not just that he doesn't attract attention, but that his confidence in who he is is more than ever. There is no doubt that this is something he has acquired through the amount of experience he has gained in this miraculous place. Without fear of misunderstanding, I think he is currently in a state where he has found the answer to the big theme of "how to deal with history'' within himself.
In other words, it could be called "a way of coexisting with Freddy's illusion". Even on this stage, when Brian performed “Love Of My Life” with an acoustic guitar, Freddie appeared in the second half of the song. Of course, it was his image that emerged from the video, and I knew in advance that such a production would be involved, but I was still able to enjoy the illusion of reality as if he had appeared on the spot. .
At the beginning of the encore, footage of Freddie encouraging the audience to sing along was used effectively, and it actually played a role in heightening the sense of unity in the venue. However, the atmosphere of thinking about Freddie and celebrating his life that strongly accompanied Queen + Adam Lambert's live shows is now changing from something serious to something more spectacular. I couldn't help but feel that. This must be a good thing for Freddie himself, who is probably watching over everything from heaven. I would like to believe so.
From “inheritance” to “never-ending progress”
The way the name of this group, Queen + Adam Lambert, is written, the author feels that "While this is definitely Queen, it is also a special case that is separate from the original Queen". However, I feel that the number of things that are possible because of Queen + Adam Lambert, and things that can be created because of this form, continues to increase in direct proportion to the passage of time. That was the true nature of evolution that I felt.
Of course, there is also the greatness of the completeness of the show and the increasing functionality of the band, including the support members. However, what struck me even more strongly was that their purpose was definitely changing from "inheritance" to "never-ending progress".
In other words, they may have established a sustainable style over the course of their career. For example, as the hurdles for song selection continue to rise year by year, the team intentionally left out some of the most representative songs from the 70s to include suggestive songs like "Is This The World Created...?", it can't be meaningless. Rather than covering popular songs, I think they place more importance on "songs that have something to say that we need to convey right now". This may also have been one of the reasons for the sense that the past, present, and future were in conflict with each other, which I felt at the opening.
When it was decided that they would perform in Japan, many people must have felt that this might be their last chance, considering the age of the members and other factors. However, I would like them to show us the future that lies ahead of them, as they have achieved evolution through continuation. After watching the 2 hour and 7 minute stage full of gorgeous performance content, what I felt was not the feeling of loneliness that comes with feeling satisfied but realizing that something has ended. I had a strong desire to experience what lies beyond history and the present. That's why I'm already looking forward to the "next" opportunity, and I want to believe that it will come my way.
