Marc Martel performing with Brian & Roger at the Freddie for a Day benefit

@AdamMethos

Found any new news of MM or articles with regard to his performance? Seems it hardly made a blip on the radar..sadly. Wonders when QE will post new dates? Asking you because you seem to find schtuff on tha net.

Nope. Nothing new. No blip on the radar. Not really surprising since the Savoy was a celebrity event, not for fans or the general public. The reporting on it was mainly about Fergie & Eugenie (and what they wore!) and Tom Jones.

Nothing new about QE dates either other than they could be posted any day now. They announced dates for the first tour two months before the tour started. If they follow the same pattern and the next tour is starting mid-November, then they should announce something mid-September.

Getting into more speculative territory, something's up with the QE vocalists...

JSS announced that he's touring with the Trans Siberian Orchestra from mid-November through December so it doesn't look like he will be QE on the next tour. Strange because in an interview in June he talked about how QE is a dream job; that he asked Roger to be a part of it; and that he's willing to re-arrange his other commitments (like touring his solo album) to be a part of QE. So did he change his mind or is Roger cutting QE vocalists for budget or other reasons?

Last week American Idol fansite Vote For The Worst posted spoilers for the upcoming X-Factor season and mentioned that Jennifer Espinoza auditioned but didn't make it. (They speculated she might have been discounted because she already appeared on Idol.) Then Jennifer teased fans that they should watch the X-Factor premiere this Wednesday and Thursday, so it looks like her audition will be aired. If Jennifer made it through auditions, would X-Factor commitments have conflicted with QE? Jennifer's mom made a comment on Facebook that people who didn't catch the first QE tour really missed out because that was the only time those four vocalists would sing together. So was she referring to JSS leaving or is Jennifer gone too?

I haven't heard anything about Yvan. But if Roger is cutting vocalists, it's hard to believe that Jeff or Jennifer would go before Yvan since Yvan is most similar to Marc in vocal range and you'd think he'd want more diversity among the lead vocalists not less.

AM - I suspect the TSO gig is probably more lucrative for Jeff (can't blame him for that), plus it's a brand new show for them this year so can't blame him for wanting to be a part of it. If you haven't seen their show - go if you have the opportunity !!! (nothing close for me this year) I saw it the first year Jeff joined the cast and it's amazing (and he was too :))

@AdamM - Well, hmmmm, maybe what you suggest is true or maybe QE is done. I'm sure glad I got to experience it the first time around. Like you, as for vocalists leaving or being cut, I think Yvan should be the one to go, he just didn't contribute much imo. I just can not imagine Roger ending QE, I feel it would grow increasingly more popular with more exposure. (between you and me if Brian has any influence, I think he's a brat!) I cant help but think something was up with the FFAD deal, Roger not playing...? What was that? Are he and Brian interacting at the function? I haven't had time to view all the pics. lol...I'm not a very good Sherlock H.

cjpew, interesting about TSO! The only thing I know about how much QE pays is that during the QE auditions one of the (bitter) Queen tribute band members who didn't make the second round made a comment that the non-fulltime musicians auditioning were foolish to be potentially quitting their jobs just to go on tour for a year and what will they do after the year is up? And one of the people who did make the second round responded with something like adequate compensation is not an issue. I tried to find the exact comment on YouTube, but YouTube had a makeover just after the contest was over and a lot of the old comments went byebye.

Missreclusive, I did say speculative territory! This is waaaaaay speculative... but all of the QE musicians can sing. Roger couldn't be sure they could do Queen's multi-layered harmonies until QE rehearsals started. I'm wondering if he's deciding to go with less leads and have the musicians carry the backup vocals?

I think there's going to be at least one more QE tour because Marc seemed so convinced of it when I spoke to him. He acted like it was common knowledge that there's going to be a fall tour and the only question is what dates. He thought the QE.com website already said something to that effect and when I told him there was nothing on the website, that's when he said that they're currently booking venues and the website should be updated soon. I suppose it's possible that he's WAY out of the loop as to the current status of QE, but I think it's more likely that there's at least a fall tour but beyond that is unknown.

From the FFAD pics, it seems Brian sat with Tom Jones for dinner. Didn't see any pics of Brian and Roger together but there aren't that many pics of Roger at the event, or of the event in general relative to the amount of guests that attended. Seems the photographers mainly took a few pictures of each performance and concentrated the non-performance pics on the higher profile guests at the event. Brian arguably has a higher profile in the British public than Roger.

As for Roger not playing, that's a puzzle. Grasping at straws but maybe he wasn't feeling up to it (ageing is harder on drummers than guitarists?) or didn't have time to attend the rehearsals? I think it's too soon to start inventing conspiracy theories anyway. LOL

Perhaps Brian and Tom were exchanging haircare tips, or Brian was having a pop at him for not selecting Kerry Ellis at her audition in The Voice

cmsdrums, hahaha. The articles said that apparently Brian and Tom are good friends.

One rumor killed. Vote For The Worst got it wrong. It's Jessica Espinoza (Jennifer's sister)who auditioned for X-Factor, so JSS is the only one who will likely not be back:
http://www.jasonthegleek.com/2012/08/25/the-x-factor-season-2-spoilers-the-rumored-top-30-videos/