Queen + Adam Lambert to tour North America this Summer!

[James Bond]

It looks like they've added some more dates to accomodate the demand, including a second Toronto date. Time to decide if I'll go for Round 2, even if I just buy the cheapest tickets (which I'd be totally fine with considering the awesome seats I was able to get for the first one).

[James Bond]

Apparently I'm the only one excited about this.

I did the Facebook pre-sale this time around and scooped some awesome seats in Section 119 for the second Toronto show. That interactive seat map is pretty handy sometimes.

[Andrew07]

i just dont like how adam lambert does the songs.

i gotta agree, even paul was pretty damn good, adam is a good singer but his voice isnt right for queen...just my opinion

[Powerage5]

Apparently I'm the only one excited about this.

I did the Facebook pre-sale this time around and scooped some awesome seats in Section 119 for the second Toronto show. That interactive seat map is pretty handy sometimes.

I thought about checking seats for the second Toronto gig, but it's just too much hassle to unload one of my pairs of tickets if I got good seats for Toronto.

[luciusfunk]

Just bought my tickets.

[ZoSoRose]

Feel like bumping this since the tour kicked off and I feel bad spamming the 2014 concert thread with Queen

Anyways, I bought my tickets yesterday. They are pretty much side stage towards the back so there is a good chance I'll just be lookin' at their backs. Not ideal, but I don't care, I am there! The Detroit show is pretty much sold out so it was the best I could do for the cheapest seats.

The setlist and videos for this tour look spectacular, though. This is the closest thing I will ever have to seeing Queen and I am grateful for the opportunity. It is a bit sad, as my list of big "must see" acts are now dwindling with Jimmy Page and Queen this year. I still have a few more to hit, at least!

Has anyone's show happened yet for the tour?

[Zeppelin]

i just dont like how adam lambert does the songs.

Agreed. Good singer, but just not the right fit.

[luciusfunk]

Seeing them in a little over a week. Can't wait!

[luciusfunk]

The show was amazing. Adam Lambert's performance was surprising (I hadn't watched any performances on YouTube), but he seemed a little over the top. He looked like George Michael and Frank N Furter had a child together.

Only Queen fans can complain about a lead singer being too gay. There were too many "Glamberts" there. I was going to buy a tour program, but they were $30. Wish I'd known I got a raise at work sooner.

Now past the bitching.

Brian and Roger were phenomenal. Brian's usual Love of My Life duet with the crowd was great and it was nice seeing Freddie on it and Bohemian Rhapsody. Roger's son Rufus played drums and percussion a bit and even had a drum off with dear old dad.

The highlights for me were the songs they did without Lambert (especially 39 and These Are The Days of Our Lives) and Under Pressure. Very disappointed that I only saw one person besides my friend and myself doing the claps on Radio Ga Ga and they only played one verse of it. It's one of my favorites.

[Val22]

I'm so sorry I missed this concerts. I saw some of the performance on blabbermouth.net and Adam Lambert did a great job. I would have loved to see the big screens with pictures of Freddy Mercury and the performance of Freddy and Adam doing Bohemian Rhapsody must have been awesome. The Dallas news gave it an excellent rating.

one of my son's friends went to the show and she said when Brian May moved to a certain part of the stage he told the fans how he and Freddy would stand there everynight when they performed a certain song. He forgot which one, but she actually cried.

It think seeing this concert would have brought tears to my eyes too. Freddy was one of a kind and Adam didn't try to mimic him and I think that was very respectful, but Adam did give it his all.

[ZoSoRose]

I'm going to the Michigan gig tonight! Can't believe I'm seeing Queen! (well, the closest thing to it at least!)

[Powerage5]

Can't wait for the Montreal gig on Monday. Haven't watched any videos yet, but the setlist this tour is absolutely killer.

[RussTCB]

I'm going to the Michigan gig tonight! Can't believe I'm seeing Queen! (well, the closest thing to it at least!)

It's not looking like we're gonna make it. We're still up in Frankenmuth as of right now.

Have a great time! Looking forward to your review!

[ZoSoRose]

I'm going to the Michigan gig tonight! Can't believe I'm seeing Queen! (well, the closest thing to it at least!)

It's not looking like we're gonna make it. We're still up in Frankenmuth as of right now.

Have a great time! Looking forward to your review!

Ah man! Was hoping we could meet up for a hello! Eat a lot of chicken for me!

[luciusfunk]

Can't remember which song Brian said he used to have Freddie standing next to him? Really?

Perhaps this one?

I really didn't enjoy the new Love Kills, which according to Lambert, the way they perform it on tour is how it'll appear on Queen Forever (with Freddie, not Adam). I prefer the really upbeat disco from the original.

It's a very good show even with Adam being over the top.

Edited July 13, 2014 by luciusfunk

[ZoSoRose]

Wow, that was insane.blew all expectations out of the water!

I'll post a review tomorrow

[luciusfunk]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10154368927070037&l=4800351367576183368

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10154368880475037&l=7484336592847367574

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10154368791735037&l=4943047333576432695

[ZoSoRose]

Oh my lord!

Before I really start my review I'll get the obligatory yadda yadda out of the way- Freddie can never be replaced, Deacon wasn't there, and I can relate to people arguing over them using the Queen name.

All that out of the way, that was just a spectacular and special show. I am so thrilled I didn't miss it! My gf was supposed to come with me but she was exhausted so I took my good friend who is a huge fan. So that worked out well! We got to the Palace a bit early and right away I noticed how packed it was. I've seen GNR, Van Halen, AC/DC, Roger Waters doing The Wall, Muse, and more play here and although a lot of those were sell outs too, it was super apparent here. I have been complaining a bit the past week about my tickets, since they were behind the stage but my friend and I managed to just move up like 10 rows, where we snuck into two great seats with a perfect side view where we could see everything but the main screen (they had another screen by us so it didn't matter). We got super lucky, as other people claimed every empty seat around us, but no one came to claim the seats we took. I ended up really digging the view we had.

On to the performance, I have seen all the youtube videos and have read all the reviews. Once people look past the Queen and Freddie arguments, this tour has been getting insane praise. As soon as they opened with "Now I'm Here" it was easy to see why. No, Adam Lambert is not Freddie Mercury. Nobody in history will ever be Freddie, but god damn, there was no one else alive I wanted to see up there than Adam. He was just steller. I totally disagree with people saying he over sings and doesn't have stage presence. I thought he just killed every single song he sang on in the best possible way and I liked how he didn't mimic Freddie, but did his own spin. The last time Queen hit Detroit they were with Paul Rodgers in like 2006. I missed that show and am sure it was stellar, but Adam brings something else to the table and he just fits. I know some people disagree and that is fine, but I loved him last night.

Brian and Roger were both great. Brian, in particular was stellar and his guitar was actually some of the loudest and fullest I have heard at a live show. Great tone throughout the gig with awesome playing. His spotlight solo was a bit long, but since I am a guitar player, I enjoyed it. He really shined on each individual song, though, and this was very much a "guitar show" with lots of extended solos. I really liked the middle of the show with Roger and Brian taking the lead, but I was happy when Adam came back as well. I also really liked how subtle they were with using Freddie. It made "Love of my Life" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" a lot more special, and it was cool seeing him on the screen. I won't go into detail on every single song, as I honestly think they were all great. The setlist for this tour is also phenominal, and the fact that a lot of great songs are missing is just a testiment to how many tunes Queen has.

The stage show was also pretty darn cool. Obviously, its minimal compared to something like AC/DC, The Wall, U2, etc, but I really liked it and thought it fit the show. It was very modern with the giant "Q" screen, props, lasers and lights, a disco ball, and a few moving panels here and there, but it also had an old school feel to it in my opinion. It never distracted from the music and it kept you engaged. The crowd was also one of the best I have been a part of. Everyone singing on "Love of my Life" was increadible, and the enthusiasm and sheer volume of each roar was something else. The only time I had ever been a part of a crowd like that was when I saw the Japanese band X- Japan in Chicago. The fans were nuts, but that was in a tiny theater. It was something else to see an arena completly engaged, and that goes for the little kids I saw there too.

Overall, this was just a stellar show. I'll remember every gig I go to fondly, but this is one of those potentially once- in- a- lifetime shows and I will not forget it. I know a lot of people are hung up on the name and Adam Lambert, but he not only has the chops, he goes above and beyond. Brian and Roger have every right to play their music, and I am glad they are trying to recreate the classic Queen experience so young fans like me can get a glimpse as to what it was like in the past. When it comes down to it, its all about the music and I am so grateful I have a chance to see these legends play their tunes. They're older, and band members die and break up, but at least we have some awesome experiences left like this. It isn't going to be like this in 20 years, folks.

Was it Queen? If you asked me even a month ago I'd laugh and say absolutely not. But I think a better question is, does it even matter? And I think the answer to that is no. I got to witness Brian May and Roger Taylor recreate a classic Queen experience with precision, passion, and respect for the past with an ensemble of great musicians and that is more than enough for me.

Edited July 13, 2014 by ZoSoRose

[James Bond]

What a set list and what a show. I'm glad I stayed spoiler free. I'll post a review later. Now I can't wait for Round 2.

[Powerage5]

Heading up to Montreal in a few mins

[WFA]

It sucks they're not doing any shows in the south.

[luciusfunk]

Texas is south. Just glad they came here this time. I didn't get to see Q+PR because they were in Arizona and I was too broke.

[Powerage5]

Phenomenal show - I expected great things and Adam still blew me away. I'll post more of my thoughts tomorrow after I'm rested up!

[ZoSoRose]

Phenomenal show - I expected great things and Adam still blew me away. I'll post more of my thoughts tomorrow after I'm rested up!

Really interested to hear your comparisons to Q+PR since you have seen both!

[Powerage5]

Phenomenal show - I expected great things and Adam still blew me away. I'll post more of my thoughts tomorrow after I'm rested up!

Really interested to hear your comparisons to Q+PR since you have seen both!

Am I the only one here who saw both?

So the show was absolutely fantastic - maybe I'm just still wrapped up in the hype, but I honestly think it was in the top 5 or 10 shows I've ever seen, barring the bands I see all the time (Maiden, Anthrax, Alice Cooper, GN'R basically). I know the point of the post-Freddie tours has never been to find a replacement for Freddie so to speak, but last night really felt like Queen to me. They're out there again with a frontman who is flamboyant (Because let's face it, that is a big part of Queen) enough and has a large enough presence to front Queen. And his voice - he just absolutely nails every song. After seeing the show, I really don't know if there's any Queen song Adam wouldn't be able to handle. That's not to say there aren't a few songs that I preferred with Paul (Tie Your Mother Down and Crazy Little Thing Called Love come to mind), but that's just because of his more bluesy style of singing. The stage was very cool - it was just big enough to kind of meet your expectations for Queen, but not so big/flashy that it deterred from the music.

The only small piece of criticism I have of Adam is that, while his actual performance is up to par with Freddie and Paul, I don't think he's quite as good at engaging the crowd the way Freddie and Paul were. That's not to take away from his stage presence, I just don't think he does as much to involve the crowd in the show. I think his stage presence is excellent - he's over the top when he should be (His persona on Killer Queen, his outfit in the encore, etc.), and very grounded when he should be.

My other huge gripe about the show was the pacing felt very off to me. It's a killer setlist in terms on content, but the middle third of the show (Basically from about Love Of My Life to Brian's solo) was such a downer. It's not that I don't like all the songs during that part of the show (On the contrary, '39 and Under Pressure are both in my top 5 Queen songs), but I think it's more a combination of all the solos and the fact that Adam is almost completely absent during that portion of the show.

I don't know how it's been at the shows you guys have seen, but the show started almost an hour late last night - something I wasn't too happy about since I had a 6 hour drive home afterwards. It's not like there was some big delay or anything either; they didn't even start doing line checks until over a half hour after the band was supposed to be on. Then there was the 20 minute intro tape - ridiculous. It didn't do anything to build suspense, I just found it incredibly annoying. The whole late thing just pisses me off, because if another certain artist was an hour late, he'd be crucified by the crowd. But last night there was no booing or anything the whole hour before they actually came on, I just found it very hypocritical that since Queen doesn't have a reputation for that kind of stuff, they could get away with it.

So onto a comparison between Adam and Paul. Adam wins it hands down for me. I loved Q+PR, but it never really felt like Queen - it felt more like Bad Company doing Queen covers. Paul did the songs very well for the most part, but he did them in his own style. Adam is a much better fit for Queen - it feels like Queen, or at least as much as it can without Freddie obviously.