Jo T. Hi. That’s so cool that you went!!! Great job getting tickets! I agree it’s great to get different viewing perspectives. How did you like the United Center? When did you go to Boystown? Before or after the concert?
I was rendered absolutely speechless and emotional after that extraordinary experience. So glad you tipped us off. I thought Brian’s solo was “out of this world” I am sure I have never witnessed anything like it before.
I get why you started looking for the next show. We talked about trying to go to Minnesota tonight. Haha. Don’t think we will pull it off but so tempted. Hard to sit still and stay contained after that.
I knew we were close but didn’t expect to be THAT close. Was in section 3, to the right as you are looking at the stage, just 5 seats away from and exactly parallel to where Brian sat. Extraordinary!
Think I feel every emotion possible. Didn’t you love the impromptu We Will Rock You before the encore.
Where there many / any differences between the two shows?
When Freddie was on screen....even though I knew it was coming....so emotional, captivating and powerful
Emdee! Reel-to-reel. Wow!!! I thought I was cool/vintage recording live aid on cassette tapes. :-)))
Hello to all the newcomers!! You All seem to have great insights and shared mutual love and admiration for Freddie!!! I want Queen As it Began....so very badly.
Blenkolove- Thank you for the welcome. I have really loved reading the conversation here over the years and witnessing bonds form. It’s so nice to get to “talk” with and learn from this group of like-minded.
Can’t wait to hear if you locate a copy of as it began. I am patiently (er anxiously) awaiting my loaner copy. :-)
Emdee,Who is Ed Sullivan?
Chevy.....
You're a funny girl!!!!!
Lsgp. I also thank you again for that documentary. As we have talked about Rose’s insight and after watching it again. It stood out to me that she said she had also gone to boarding school and they talked about their experiences together. Did that strike anyone else? Since sounded like he didn’t do that too much.
It was nice tho hear he had someone to talk with and about it. And having Peter there, who also understood.
That’s all for me for now. :-)
JB, I think it helped them connect to each other they were both art students both went to boarding school.It really helped him having that friend that understood so many areas that he was struggling with at the time.I just wish she could've been a positive female friend for him for the remainder of his life every man needs a strong woman even if it's just a friend.
Oh Lgsp, I keep forgetting to thank you for the video link. It seemed very similar to Days of Our Lives vid but with some extra people I haven’t seen before, so very interesting!
I don’t know if this is allowable so I’m not putting out an actual offer per se....I do intend to make a copy of the As It Began book as it is out of copy and so hard to find. SInce it is out of print, does anyone know if I’d be violating any rules by offering to share? Please don’t yell at me for being stupid lol!
Also, thanks to everyone for sharing details of the concerts. You have all really convinced me to check it out....sounds like such a wonderful and emotional experience. Now, hopefully I won’t have to drive too far to see it!
Hi everyone...back from vacation,
Thor and Lee...looking forward to any sneak preview that may be coming...maybe even a glimpse of the cover! :)
I had to laugh to myself after reading the posts regarding CD's and cassettes. My husband's new car (our travel car) does not have a CD player. My husband downloaded all my Queen music onto a flash drive, but we haven't tried it yet. Not sure if using a USB allows us to skip around or replay a song? Maybe it is controlled through the touch screen...I am totally lost. I am glad my car has a CD player so that I can listen to my Queen music in the manner I am accustomed to...fumbling around for my two CD holders and quickly scanning for the CD I want.
I recently heard several 70's songs on the radio that I loved singing to as a teen...on my parent's 8-track tape player! They also had a Johnny Cash 8-track tape that I listened to a lot. That makes cassettes look modern. There might not be too many people here who remember using those.
Love hearing everyone's experiences at the Queen + AL shows. JB050....I, too, was very moved when Freddie came on the big screen...it truly was emotional and powerful like you said...I had more than a few tears! I would love to have been sitting as close as you were. I desperately wanted to go to the Madison Square Garden show a couple days later, but that didn't happen. I could easily watch the concert several times and never get bored. I love a recent pic, taken at the MSG show, with Brian wearing a Freddie tee-shirt.
Jo T...I'm also curious if you noticed any difference between the two shows. I have seen pictures of Brian wearing the mask and cyborg suit, but he did not wear that for the show I saw. I am wondering if it was due to being so hot on stage...even Adam commented on how hot it was. The crowd energy was quite different for this recent show compared to the ones I saw in 2017. It was much better this time. Even the parking lot was exciting. People came early to have tailgate parties. We passed many fans who had chairs set out, a table with food and drink, playing Queen music. There was definitely a party atmosphere. I met a couple of young folks who now love Queen music and listen to it all the time because of the movie...they were attending their first Queen show.
Regarding Freddie's parents. I can only imagine how pained they were to see the deterioration of their son. Freddie was obviously quite guarded in who he told about his illness. It was not a topic he wished to dwell on, even with those he shared that info with. Maybe Freddie and his parents communicated in other ways that didn't involve talking about his situation aloud, but signaled that they were aware...things that we would never know about such as an extra long hug or kiss when saying good-by, telling Freddie to call if he needs anything, maybe his mother giving him an extra large tin of the cheesy biscuits he loved. They could have cried every time he left their house. The possibilities are endless. Peter Freestone tells us in his book that Freddie's parents and sister, her husband, and children came over during that last week to visit with Freddie and that they wanted to come over again later that week. There were not many people Freddie let visit him during those final days...It says something about their relationship that he wanted them there.
Chevy...you mentioned that every man needs a strong woman...even if only as a friend...that you wish Rose could have been that person for him. In this instance, I simply rely on Freddie's own words on multiple occasions...by his own admission, Mary was that female friend for him.
emdee...I'd like to attend a Breakthru conference. I'm hoping it's closer this coming year. I wonder if Peter goes every year?
Amidds...I'm not sure copyright restrictions end because a book is out of print. I'm guessing they don't. Nice of you to want to share, as copying would be a lot of work on your part, but you might want to check on the legalities of that first. :)
Rainbow, I meant to say having another strong female friend is a healthy balance for your female friends to mingle .One female friend that still may hold a romantic interest for you is shaky ground and unhealthy.It seems Mary had a problem with any woman that got near him .Even any man he got serious with like Jim for instance.Thats not a healthy balanced friendship I'm talking about that's controlling that's just my take on things.
If Mary still harbored any romantic interest, she covered it well by dating and giving birth to one child and getting ready to have a second child with the same man during the last couple years of Freddie's life. In one of his "Ask Phoebe" columns, Peter Freestone was asked about Freddie and Mary's partners. He responded that Freddie got on well with her partners and was on "very good terms" with the father of her children. (Blog 76) Peter also said that much has been written about Mary, both good and bad, and like most reported stories, they don't bear much relation to the truth. (Blog 7) As far as how Mary felt about Barbara...maybe she was concerned about Freddie, just as other friends were during that time period. That Freddie respected Mary's feeling and opinions is obvious from all that has been said...that Freddie was controlled by Mary's feelings is not documented as far as I know.
Barbara was a bit of a free spirit I think I realise she wasnt the best influence but until she started telling those terrible lies I think she accepted him as he was.
Didn't Peter say that Mary became more "demanding" once Barbara came into Freddie's life? I don't know if she felt her status as Number One Girlfriend was threatened, or if she was alarmed that Barbara enabled his wild, free-wheeling lifestyle. Perhaps both.
DC, I dont know about that one in my opinion like I was trying to explain I feel any relationship that took attention away from her threatened her.I dont think she recovered from their separation she appeared to move on but I think she still had strong emotional feelings for him stemming from their relationship.Womens emotions are alot different than mens.Men move forward easier than women.I can't say I can blame her for loving him you can't control who you love but her actions moving forward weren't the best in my opinion.I think this subject we should be able to talk about without conflict I know on fb we do and they are the same ladies that post here that i have grown to care for.They know way more than i do doughnut i wish they would stop by more.
Rainbow, good point! I certainly didn’t think of that and believe you are correct, thanks.
Just came across this article regarding Bo Rhap:
https://www.cbc.ca/arts/an-open-letter-to-the-many-fans-of-bohemian-rhapsody-from-a-concerned-queer-1.4892284. I think it is a rather fair assessment ( that I agree with) and reminded me strongly of something that was brought up here. Can’t possibly find the page I am referring to but thought it would interest some. Fair warning, it is a slightly negative review about how they portrayed FM’s sexuality and Aids diagnosis.
