Why Queen are boring live (in 2017)

The Real Wizard wrote:

Michael Allred wrote:

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.

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.

While I'm totally against these tours without Freddie and John, it's only my opinion and if people enjoy Queen + AL well good for them, I agree that mainly during the 80s Queen were a single and greatest hits band and that more so today in 2017 people who go see them want to hear the Greatest Hits songs. Casual fans don't care about It's Late, Misfire, The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke. I'm saying random name songs, I don't know what are the songs played on the tour.

I might hurt some people, but it is what it is, I have to get it out my chest. Brian May on the guitar is only the shadow of his former self. He's not tight anymore playing guitar and solos, he has forgotten most of the things he used to play, he's plain awful in my opinion. Anyway, for me this whole Queen + thing is a complete farce.

Legacy mode is a polite way of saying them resting on their laurels - don't get me wrong, they earned it. But look at Paul McCartney: he's still very much into touring and making new music and working with new and different producers. I respect B & R still touring at their age, but wish they recognize that if they are serious with their legacy, they should play the songs -for this tour- that celebrates the NOTW Anniversary and then incorporate the well-known hits into the setlist. If they are so into pandering to the crowd, they should have taken a consensus on social media before the tour announcement. *rolls eyes*

RafaelS wrote:

I might hurt some people, but it is what it is, I have to get it out my chest. Brian May on the guitar is only the shadow of his former self. He's not tight anymore playing guitar and solos, he has forgotten most of the things he used to play, he's plain awful in my opinion. Anyway, for me this whole Queen + thing is a complete farce.

Maybe you could enlighten us as to what Brian can't remember? As for Queen+ being a farce. . . Only to some of those who don't like it. Remember the Queen + "farce" began in 92 at the Freddie tribute so you're making a huge statement!

Vocal harmony wrote:

RafaelS wrote:

I might hurt some people, but it is what it is, I have to get it out my chest. Brian May on the guitar is only the shadow of his former self. He's not tight anymore playing guitar and solos, he has forgotten most of the things he used to play, he's plain awful in my opinion. Anyway, for me this whole Queen + thing is a complete farce.

Maybe you could enlighten us as to what Brian can't remember? As for Queen+ being a farce. . . Only to some of those who don't like it. Remember the Queen + "farce" began in 92 at the Freddie tribute so you're making a huge statement!

Go look numerous video on Youtube of Brian's poor guitar playing over the last few years. He misses notes, he doesn't remember how he played the solos of a lot of songs. It was okay to do the '92 Tribute Concert but everything after was not necessary in my opinion. But anyhow, they are touring, I can't change a thing about it, so those who enjoy it, it's all fine with me.

They are NOT boring! Go see them in Europe and the UK. They are magnificent!

you are saying stupid stuff

RafaelS wrote:


Go look numerous video on Youtube of Brian's poor guitar playing over the last few years. He misses notes, he doesn't remember how he played the solos of a lot of songs. It was okay to do the '92 Tribute Concert but everything after was not necessary in my opinion. But anyhow, they are touring, I can't change a thing about it, so those who enjoy it, it's all fine with me.

bucsateflon wrote:

you are saying stupid stuff

RafaelS wrote:


Go look numerous video on Youtube of Brian's poor guitar playing over the last few years. He misses notes, he doesn't remember how he played the solos of a lot of songs. It was okay to do the '92 Tribute Concert but everything after was not necessary in my opinion. But anyhow, they are touring, I can't change a thing about it, so those who enjoy it, it's all fine with me.

Yeah like I care what you think. It's the same shit everytime someones voices another opinion. It's like we should all think the same thing like sheep. Shove it man, really, shove it.

RafaelS wrote:



Go look numerous video on Youtube of Brian's poor guitar playing over the last few years. He misses notes, he doesn't remember how he played the solos of a lot of songs. It was okay to do the '92 Tribute Concert but everything after was not necessary in my opinion. But anyhow, they are touring, I can't change a thing about it, so those who enjoy it, it's all fine with me.

By the same token there are plenty of gigs were he gets it right too. To say he doesn't remember how he played solos from a lot of songs is an opinion but isn't fact as he doesn't continually make the same mistakes.

If he couldn't remember what he played all he'd have to do is back to the recordings and re learn things.

If you go back to the 70's and 80's shows, yes the band were younger and played with more energy but the mistakes or forgotten parts you seem to think are a recent thing happened from time to time back then too.

I think the biggest criticism that could be levelled at the band would be that at times some things sound a little under rehearsed, but to say Brian's forgotten how to play is unfounded criticism.

If I can give my humble opinion I think it's been a long time, and it's no wonder that Brian wrong in playing and he misses notes.
Younger musicians also wrong in playing and singing sometime and so what?
It's not the same 45,50 and 70 years and he's 70 years old.
But it still sounds good (how much I could hear on You Tube) and I admire him and I respect that he still performing live.

When I saw the show in Cleveland in July I was completely mesmerized by Brian's solo. And how clever was it that they had him perched up high in the palm of the robot's hand and then slowly brought him back to ground level right in front of the fans at the end of the catwalk!

Don't get me wrong people, Brian is one of the greatest guitar of all time, if not the best, but like Vocal Harmony has pointed it, I think the best way to describe Brian's performances nowadays would be under rehearsed.

RafaelS wrote:

Don't get me wrong people, Brian is one of the greatest guitar of all time, if not the best, but like Vocal Harmony has pointed it, I think the best way to describe Brian's performances nowadays would be under rehearsed.

I don't think its under rehearsed, I just don't think hes as flexible as he once was and maybe a bit slower. He definitely missed more than a few notes at the Toronto show, but having said that I thoroughly enjoyed the concert and thought the guitar solo was enjoyable. Lets be honest, Brian and Roger are both getting on and neither are as good as they used to be, but they haven't become terrible. If Freddie was alive and touring as a 70 year old man, he wouldn't be hitting the notes he used to either, but I'd still want to go.

There's a local singer plays shows at retirement homes round here, his name is Jumping Jimmy. He's been performing for 60 years and is in 80's now. His voice is shot and he no longer jumps except at the very end of the show when he makes a valiant attempt and gets at least 6 inches off the ground. I'm not sure what my point is, but artists like to keep performing even when they know they aren't what they used to be.

I'd say Brian's playing on this tour is more focused and polished than it has been in years, he seems to do much better when he's really enjoying himself. He never played the same solos each time anyway, in fact he can't he has always admitted that he plays whatever comes to mind rather than a perfect clone of the night before, on eof the reasons a Queen track doesnt repeat itself in each verse / chorus is because he just doesn't play like that and never has.
Lets be honest when you get to 70 try playing guitar exactly the same way you did when you were 20...