I was lucky enough to see Queen with Freddie Mercury in all their pomp at Elland Road, Leeds, on May 29th, 1982 – fast forward exactly forty years and one day – and the show must go on – and what a show!
While no one can ever replace Freddie Mercury, possibly the greatest frontman of any rock band of all time, Adam Lambert does a superb job in possibly one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll shows of all time.
From start to finish, this is a masterpiece of classic rock ‘n’ roll at its very best, while also acknowledging one of the greatest showmen of our time, who makes several appearances on the big screen.
Lambert admits to being one of the luckiest people alive as a fan of the band who has been given the honour of belting out classic anthems that have stood the test of time.
With so many hits, it is difficult to fit them all in one show – but Queen & Adam Lambert give it their best shot and I’m sure not many left the packed out arena thinking “I wish they had played that!”
I certainly didn’t leave feeling as though I had missed out on one of my favourites, although the enormity of what I had witnessed is still sinking in.
While I was mesmerised by Freddie and the band at their peak in Leeds in May 1982, I was again transfixed by a show of pure theatre and rock music at its very best. Mind you with ticket prices (including booking fees) coming in at £170, compared to £9 forty years ago – it had to be not just good – it had to be spectacular! And spectacular it was.
Lambert has now been performing with the band for a decade and although we had to wait two-and-a-half years for this show due to the pandemic, it was well worth the wait – and what better time to see Queen, the week of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations – and I’m sure Dr Brian May will not let her majesty down when he opens proceedings on Thursday, wearing his special Platinium trainers, sprayed by Renovation Station at Warrington Market – a great link for Warrington with rock royalty!
A pair of “Royal” #vegan trainers under renovation @Reno_station @moransrepairs @warringtonmkt ahead of @DrBrianMay @QueenWillRock #PlatinumJubilee performance for her majesty 🫅- Looking forward to seeing your show in Manchester on Monday guys 🙌 pic.twitter.com/pt6yCq8KjQ
— Gary Skentelbery (@GarySkent) May 28, 2022
Act 1
Innuendo (Queen song) (orchestral version)
Now I’m Here (Queen cover)
Tear It Up (Queen cover)
Seven Seas of Rhye (Queen cover)
Keep Yourself Alive (Queen cover)
Hammer to Fall (Queen cover)
Somebody to Love (Queen cover)
Killer Queen (Queen cover)
Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen cover)
In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited (Queen cover)
Act 2
I’m in Love With My Car (Queen cover) (Roger on vocals)
Bicycle Race (Queen cover)
Fat Bottomed Girls (Queen cover)
Another One Bites the Dust (Queen cover)
I Want It All (Queen cover)
Act 3
Love of My Life (Queen cover) (Brian on vocals)
’39 (Queen cover) (Brian on vocals)
These Are the Days of Our Lives (Queen cover) (Roger on vocals)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen cover)
Under Pressure (Queen cover) (Dedicated to Taylor Hawkins)
Act 4
A Kind of Magic (Queen cover)
I Want to Break Free (Queen cover)
You Take My Breath Away (Queen song) (intro only)
Who Wants to Live Forever (Queen cover)
Guitar Solo (featuring parts of Dvorak’s “New World Symphony”)
Act 5
Tie Your Mother Down (Queen cover)
The Show Must Go On (Queen cover)
Radio Ga Ga (Queen cover)
Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen cover) (pre-recorded operatic section)
Encore:
Ay‐Oh (Queen song) (recorded at Wembley Stadium, 12 July 1986)
We Will Rock You (Queen cover)
We Are the Champions (Queen cover)
“Heroes” (David Bowie song) (exit music)
3 Comments
Adam Lambert is an unbeatable singer in live performances. This is an unquestionable fact. Freddie is long gone. Adam Lambert is not trying to be Freddie. Adam is phenomenal and he is being himself and is celebrating Freddie and keeping the memory of him and Queen alive. Let’s be happy that Queen’s iconic songs are still heard and acclaimed to this day onstage and beyond. Queen forever!
I saw Queen in 1986, at Maine Road, Manchester.
It was the Magic Tour.
Whilst you can’t replace Freddy, this was actually a better show, probably one of the best concerts I have ever witnessed. It’s A Kind if Magic was one of the many highlights of the evening.
I was there on Monday night and have seen Queen with Freddie 5 times, this show was amazing and it was great to see how happy they all were to be on stage again doing what they do best, Freddie would be so proud, its great that Adam is himself and clearly loves Freddie.