Queen, unlike virtually any other band of their ilk, stick with the misguided idea that people (certainly not fans) cannot handle anything not on a greatest hits album. The Stones, Springsteen, and so on play virtually everything from their catalog. Deep album cuts, b sides, covers, you name it. Queen are either scared of, embarrassed of, or not confident enough in their own tried and true catalog.[/QUOTE]
Queen, unlike virtually any other band of their ilk, have sold more greatest hits albums than all of their studio albums combined.
Who else is on this exclusive list? Abba? The Eagles? That's about it.
And that's why they play so few album tracks live - because they know most people don't know them. I'm sure they loved playing It's Late, but after a few weeks they probably saw a few too many blank faces, and had to let the tunes go. The hardcore fans who know the album tracks are in the minority.
Queen were an albums band for only a few years. They have been a hits band since 1980. They had to become a hits band if they were going to survive the 1980s. FM radio switched to playlists by the late 70s, and the album as a medium began to die.
Name one artist commercially successful in 1975 who survived the 1980s by making albums instead of singles.
When you realize you can't do that, maybe then you'll realize why Queen's show in 2017 is what it is.
Hell, we can't even name five artists commercially successful in 1975 who survived the 1980s at all.
I'm on your side - I wanted to hear these songs too, and so many others. But I also see the practicalities. They play it safe, because they assume that most people are seeing the show once, and they play what people know.
Brian May plays his guitar solo because it's an event, and people remember events at shows far more than which obscure songs they played. The same reason why there's a drum duel instead of playing yet another obscure song. Brian walking down the catwalk. Brian doing the selfie stick thing. The vaudeville intro to Somebody To Love, and Brian and Adam walking down the catwalk during the second verse to find Roger Taylor popping up on a smaller drum kit. Events - that's what makes for a memorable show. And Queen perfected this philosophy already in 1975. It wasn't nearly as spontaneous as we'd like to think. It was choreographed to the Nth degree - because it worked then, and it works now.
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]SweetCaroline wrote:[/b]
Adam honors him and gives the spotlight to him more than Freddie did.[/QUOTE]
Nor should he have. 1986 and 2017 are completely incomparable situations.
Over 30 years have passed since 1986, and over time people become legends. Even Freddie Mercury wouldn't have gotten a show-stopping response in 1986 for walking down a giant catwalk. That moment in the Q+AL show is one of the most powerful and effective, because people now have the benefit of hindsight.
And just in case (younger) people aren't certain of the greatness they're in the presence of, Adam takes a few minutes to educate them after a few songs.
The show is very well orchestrated. These guys are smarter than most people on forums like this will ever give them credit for.
cmsdrums · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
It wasn't nearly as spontaneous as we'd like to think. It was choreographed to the Nth degree - because it worked then, and it works now.
[/QUOTE]
Which is why it's annoying bollocks that Brian trots out about them being 'dangerous, spontaneous, risky etc'!!!
SweetCaroline · Member since
It's LIVE, doesn't that make it dangerous?
scottmax · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]SweetCaroline wrote:[/b]
It's LIVE, doesn't that make it dangerous?[/QUOTE]
No........
Iron Butterfly · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]cmsdrums wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
It wasn't nearly as spontaneous as we'd like to think. It was choreographed to the Nth degree - because it worked then, and it works now.
[/QUOTE]
Which is why it's annoying bollocks that Brian trots out about them being 'dangerous, spontaneous, risky etc'!!![/QUOTE]
Yea, I guess he had to pimp the shows somehow.
SweetCaroline · Member since
Pimp the shows? What kind of Brian and Roger fan are you? Their time to tour may be coming to an end!
Iron Butterfly · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]SweetCaroline wrote:[/b]
Pimp the shows? What kind of Brian and Roger fan are you? Their time to tour may be coming to an end! [/QUOTE]
I am a fan, need I or should I explain that to you again?
Yes, it very well could be. Even a bigger shame to drop three important songs and to have less of Freddie in these shows.
I hope the overseas audiences will be fortunate set list wise.
queenfanbg · Member since
"Why Queen are boring live (in 2017) ?"- simple,this isnt Queen
SweetCaroline · Member since
That's right! They are not Queen! They are Queen + Adam Lambert which is anything but boring! Whatever they decide to include in their future shows is fine with me because they know best!
queenUSA · Member since
Having a moan is a fan's right. But let's be honest. Who spreads their wings and flies anywhere any more? Todays audiences are too busy texting and taking selfies. They bore off easily. Sad. Sorry. I understand the cuts.
Iron Butterfly · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]SweetCaroline wrote:[/b]
That's right! They are not Queen! They are Queen + Adam Lambert which is anything but boring! Whatever they decide to include in their future shows is fine with me because they know best![/QUOTE]
Genuine question. Would you rather hear something new or at least different n these Q+AL shows? I know I would. There's so much in the Queen catalogue. I actually hope they will add or return some songs for the overseas tour. They have time to work on it, at least I hope.
Personally I wouldn't care or miss SCC, FBG, Bicycle Race. Those songs did nothing for me during the this recent tour.
No kidding. I loved It's Late. For me that was the best and most surprising add of the NA tour. Really a shame they dropped it.
JomaDuckSoup · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
These guys are smarter than most people on forums like this will ever give them credit for.
[/QUOTE]
That's true!
cmsdrums · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]JomaDuckSoup wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
These guys are smarter than most people on forums like this will ever give them credit for.
[/QUOTE]
That's true![/QUOTE]
But equally, a lot of fans aren't as stupid as those guys seem to think we are!!
Sunshine · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
Name one artist commercially successful in 1975 who survived the 1980s by making albums instead of singles.
Hell, we can't even name five artists commercially successful in 1975 who survived the 1980s at all.
[/QUOTE]
I understand what you are saying but when you look like an artist like U2, it isn't true what you are saying. They are very much an album band and have been doing so during their entire career. They even have the guts to play a whole 30 year old album with many obscure tracks on the B side. It is a huge success.
And of course there are many artists that survived the 70's. Just a few who come to mind are Stevie Wonder, Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Rolling Stones, Paul Mc Cartney and probably more.
It has all to do about guts and not the easy way out.
If you do it, then do it well.
2017 is the year to celebrate News Of The World and it is just plain sad they don't have the guts to play SYW and IL.
Then they should make it more interesting for the audience with visuals, audience participation or new arrangements.
