From the moment that Adam Lambert shared a stage with
Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor in the final of American Idol in 2009, one
thing was glaringly apparent to all who was privileged to watch their inspired
collaboration; Adam Lambert was the natural successor and the heir apparent to
the Freddie Mercury crown as not only the consummate showman, but the future of
Queen.
Never before had another man sounded so accomplished with
the rock legends, singing Freddie’s songs, and this moment clearly stuck in the
heads of the two elder statesman, when Paul Rodgers left the Queen fold in
2009. When they accepted their lifetime achievement award at the MTV Europe
Music Awards in November 2011, there was only one person who could fit the bill
and step in to take the stage to perform with Taylor and May respectively.
The result was “a kind of magic” (pun intended), but in all
seriousness, one of the most powerful performances you could ever wish to set
eyes on. It was utterly captivating, and begged the question as to when the duo
would enlist Lambert’s services on a permanent/semi-permanent basis.
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Initially booked to headline the Saturday night of this
year’s Sonisphere, prior to its cruel cancellation, their three night tenure at
the HMV Hammersmith Apollo was the band’s way of making up the cancellation of
the hotly anticipated appearance in the capital. It was, at long last, the
chance to finally see Lambert taking the role he was born to play.
Tonight’s show is an energized Queen, back to their
scintillating best, empowered and given a new lease of life by Lambert. He is the
finest showman of a generation, blessed with bucketloads of charisma and an
enigmatic presence that makes him utterly compelling to watch; you simply
cannot take your eyes off him. He not only walks the walk, but he talks the
talk too – possessed with one of the finest vocal ranges around, he
effortlessly smashes every single song he tackles out of the park tonight. Taylor
and May are on fire also, upping their game here to keep up with the young
upstart as he struts and gyrates, owning every inch of the stage. He is in
imperious, awe-inspiring form, and this evening, Lambert and Queen are simply
unstoppable.
Starting a 120 plus minute set with a blistering opening
salvo of Seven Seas of Rhye, Keep Yourself Alive and a sped up version of We
Will Rock You which has since long become a tradition of Queen shows, the band
mean business from the very first moments of tonight’s set, and it only gets
better. Adam kills Don’t Stop Me Now, and an anthemic I Want It All. By the
time he sends chills down the spine of all in attendance on a moving and
emotionally fraught Who Wants To Live Forever (with one of the finest vocal
showings you will hear all year), anyone who didn’t know who he was before the
evening started, is surely no longer in any doubt.
He rightfully receives a standing ovation for one of the
most incredibly powerful performances of the evening.
He then teams up with Roger Taylor for a joint version of A
King Of Magic. It is at this juncture where he leaves the stage, and it takes a
full 50 minutes for him to return as Queen take centre stage, and perform a
number of songs on their own; needless to say, after such a compelling first 40
minutes, as entertaining as their segment is, there is a real sense of
anticipation waiting for Lambert’s return. There are the inevitable drum and
guitar solos (which are, of course, incredibly well done) and after Taylor
sings These Are The Days of Our Lives, May takes an acoustic to The Show Must
Go On, and incites a huge campfire sing-along to Love of my Life, Freddie
making appearance on a video screen behind him to rapturous applause. Taylor
also returns for a run through of the country-esque ’39, which sounds
incredible. As great as these moments are though, the set loses the momentum it
had when Lambert was fronting the duo, and as soon as he returns, the set picks
up once again.
Whether it’s Another One Bites The Dust, I Want To Break
Free, Crazy Little Thing Called Love or a sensational Somebody To Love, there
are huge moments throughout, showcasing Lambert’s talents to the full, but also
reminding all in attendance (as if they needed reminding!!) that Queen have
penned some of the finest rock songs ever written.
Their extensive catalogue is second-to-none.
Radio Ga Ga is massive, and Bohemian Rhapsody typically
brings the house down, Lambert and Mercury sharing an incredible awe-inspiring
moment as they trade lines; Lambert on stage, Mercury on the video screen. It
is a beautiful moment and a real high point of a set filled with many.
They inevitably close on a one-two of Queen staples We Will
Rock You and We Are The Champions, before they take centre stage for a standing
ovation. Lambert is keen to acknowledge Taylor and May as the “rock royalty”
they are, and seems so humbled to take his ovation, but it is the two icons who
are keen to let him take his applause following the most incredible of
performances from the singer. They push him to the front of stage for a well
earned reception from the hardcore who take him as one of their own tonight. He
simply owned every moment. Queen are back, and in their best form since Freddie’s
untimely passing. Hopefully this collaboration is one that will run and run. It
would be a shame to see it end after this run of shows.
It is the most incredible of evenings.
#MIND.OFFICIALLY.BLOWN.
Simply world class . . .
Setlist – Flash – Intro / Seven Seas of Rhye / Keep Yourself Alive / We Will Rock You
(Fast) / Fat Bottomed Girls / Don't Stop Me Now / Under Pressure / I Want It All /
Who Wants to Live Forever / A Kind of Magic / These Are the Days of Our Lives / The Show Must Go On (part) / Love of My Life / '39 / Dragon Attack / Drum Battle / Guitar Solo / I Want to Break Free / Another One Bites the Dust / Radio Ga Ga / Somebody to Love / Crazy Little Thing Called Love / Bohemian Rhapsody / Tie Your Mother Down / We Will Rock You / We Are the Champions
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