Absolutely brilliant!!! No downers for me. Amazing light show - PR (when he was on) excellent, and Brian and Roger still have the magic. Anight to remember!!!
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This was the first concert I have ever been to, and it was AMAZING. I didn't know how Paul would be, but any doubts I had were gone in the first 10 seconds! They were all fantastic!!
Btw, loads of people have mentioned that Feel Like Makin' Love was not played. I don't know this song, but I did hear these words during a song, so I guess that was it...
The only down point of the best evening of my life was when Brian's guitar string broke. Everyone went quiet, because they know how Brian hates anything happening to his beloved guitar... :( poor Brian!
Aside from that, this concert rocked, and I want to see them again straight away! How can people say that Paul Rodgers is crap, or that he cannot try and replace Freddie? Paul doesn't try to imitate Freddie in any way, he just sings their songs in his own way - and his own songs were recieved just as well if not better than the Queen songs!!
Freddie was with us all in that arena, in our hearts and in the music, and if anyone is not going to see Queen + PR because "it isn't Queen", I feel SO sorry for you, because you have missed out on something incredibly special.
Thankyou to everyone who was at the Newcastle gig for making it a night to remember!! :D
Oh and I was very pleased to see Spike Edney there - he's more a member of Queen than Paul!! GO Spike!
Btw, loads of people have mentioned that Feel Like Makin' Love was not played. I don't know this song, but I did hear these words during a song, so I guess that was it...
The only down point of the best evening of my life was when Brian's guitar string broke. Everyone went quiet, because they know how Brian hates anything happening to his beloved guitar... :( poor Brian!
Aside from that, this concert rocked, and I want to see them again straight away! How can people say that Paul Rodgers is crap, or that he cannot try and replace Freddie? Paul doesn't try to imitate Freddie in any way, he just sings their songs in his own way - and his own songs were recieved just as well if not better than the Queen songs!!
Freddie was with us all in that arena, in our hearts and in the music, and if anyone is not going to see Queen + PR because "it isn't Queen", I feel SO sorry for you, because you have missed out on something incredibly special.
Thankyou to everyone who was at the Newcastle gig for making it a night to remember!! :D
Oh and I was very pleased to see Spike Edney there - he's more a member of Queen than Paul!! GO Spike!
WOW ! 17 years old, first ever gig of any sort and that was asbolutely mind blowing, in my mind all the way through, i couldnt believe i was going to see some true music legends. The lights were fantastic, the music was brilliant.
I dont really know Paul Rodgers old music that well ... but its clear to see hes got a terrific voice, not as good as freddie's but the closest possibility. Brilliant, Roger was unreal on the drums, how come his arms dont fall off? Brian was brilliant, all three were brilliant singers, and well done to moses and miranda .. and the umm spike.
Brilliant!
I dont really know Paul Rodgers old music that well ... but its clear to see hes got a terrific voice, not as good as freddie's but the closest possibility. Brilliant, Roger was unreal on the drums, how come his arms dont fall off? Brian was brilliant, all three were brilliant singers, and well done to moses and miranda .. and the umm spike.
Brilliant!
WOW ! 17 years old, first ever gig of any sort and that was asbolutely mind blowing, in my mind all the way through, i couldnt believe i was going to see some true music legends. The lights were fantastic, the music was brilliant.
I dont really know Paul Rodgers old music that well ... but its clear to see hes got a terrific voice, not as good as freddie's but the closest possibility. Brilliant, Roger was unreal on the drums, how come his arms dont fall off? Brian was brilliant, all three were brilliant singers, and well done to moses and miranda .. and the umm spike.
Brilliant!
Your exactly the same as me mate, same opinions, and for those who are still asking if Brian shed a few tears, yes he did, After Love of my Life, he went down on one knee, thanked the crowd, looked up and gave the thumbs up towrds the sky, as in "thank you Freddie!" and he turned round, and wiped those tears away, very emotional!
I'm 17 and this was the first Queen gig I've ever been to...obviously. I thought it was amazing! I thought Paul had an amazing voice and the songs they did suited his voice. Brian's guitar solo was amazing as usual. His face when he snapped his guitar string just before Last Horizon cracked me up, bless him! I loved Roger's drum solo, very tuneful! Spikes shirt cuffs and collar at the end were soo class! and I agree I loved the giant disco ball, the lighting effects were soo good. I've kinda lost my voice now from singing...and my arms ache from clapping. I'm guessing they're signs of a good night.
It's amazing how many people I've seen at work who were there last night, mostly casual fans. They all had a fantastic time and were completely blown away by the band as a whole. Not one gripe about the setlist, no-one wished they'd played something else, they had a whale of a time.
As for me, I was so knackered by the end, I had to limit my hand clapping to the "big moments" as I had sore arms! My voice is shot, I've got a bad back and sore feet. But last night Between 8.30 and 10.30 I didn't have a care in the world. Pure, unadulterated joy was what I experienced.
The suprising high point for me was Radio Ga Ga. Roger sang really well all night - mind, I've always thought he had a good singing voice.
Other high points for me were Love of My Life (always a tear jerker)and We are the Champions. Got to mention I'm in love with my car as well - Roger seemed to go for more high notes than on the bootlegs I've heard.
All in all a superb night's entertainment enjoyed by all. Thanks lads!
As for me, I was so knackered by the end, I had to limit my hand clapping to the "big moments" as I had sore arms! My voice is shot, I've got a bad back and sore feet. But last night Between 8.30 and 10.30 I didn't have a care in the world. Pure, unadulterated joy was what I experienced.
The suprising high point for me was Radio Ga Ga. Roger sang really well all night - mind, I've always thought he had a good singing voice.
Other high points for me were Love of My Life (always a tear jerker)and We are the Champions. Got to mention I'm in love with my car as well - Roger seemed to go for more high notes than on the bootlegs I've heard.
All in all a superb night's entertainment enjoyed by all. Thanks lads!
Staging/sound: Newcastle Telewest arena is pretty good as far as big concreate barns/ warehouses go. Plenty of room to move around in the foyer and decent acoustics.
The sound mix was nice, with each instrument being clearly audible, except for the bass on occasion. And for once, they didn't overdo it on the reverb (unlike many gigs I have been to).
The stage set is a marvellous piece of design - just the right size and free of unecessary clutter (no uneccesarry props and ramps, just instruments, amps and players). The same goes for the lighting rig, which gave just the right amount of dazzle without becoming overwhelming. I was to the right hand side of the mini-stage, just 1 row behind the barrier (near where the acoustic guitars were being stored), which was a right result even though it meant stading for 4 hours non-stop (bear in mind that I had got up at 5.30am just to travel to Newcastle).
The video images actually worked much better than I anticipated. The use of the 8mm footage of Queen's 1975 visit to Japan (seen before in 'the magic years' and a couple of other docs)for 'Those were the days' was surprisningly poignant. So too was the audio/video of Freddie at the piano for the first section of Bo Rhap. I actually cringed when I first heard that this was to be included in the show, but in practice it was the best way of paying respects to Freddie - leaving him to sing his most celebrated work. However, I did cringe when Brian was hoisted to the top of the palace.
The backline: As tight as you could wish for. Gave the whole performance a solid backbone and fleshed out the sound as a whole (especially the vocal harmonies). Spike looked typically unflappable off to the side of the stage, and the keyboards were not as high in the mix as I had feared. He also pulled off the piano flourish just after the rock bit of Bo-Rhap perfectly (something that even Freddie couldn't always do). Jamie was a superb foil for Brian, really nailing the basic riffs and trading licks with him superbly on 'I Want It All' and others. And yes, Danny does look like he is struggling with the weight of his bass sometimes! But he did a good job of all the parts, particulalrly the slap bass bit in 'Gaga', even though he was buried in the mix for much of the time.
Paul: Like Brian has siad repeatedly, he ins't a Freddie type singer and never tries to be. His bluesly semi-howl worked a treat on the rockier songs, and he kept the annoying ad-libs to a minimum. HE was less good on 'A Kind Of Magic' and 'I Want To Break Free' though (I reckon he should have be given 'I Want It All' and 'Hammer to Fall'). Interracted well with the crowd and frequently came to the front of the catwalk. Interestingly, he seemed to tacitly acknowledge that this was Brian and Rogers thing throughout, for example by standing aside during the solo's (oh, and by dissaperaing for the middle third of the show).
Roger: Yes, he is showing his age(he was staring to look tired by 'Say It's Not True'), but his singing and playing is good as ever. Didn't miss a beat during his 'Let there be drums' and 'I'm In Love With My Car' showcases, or anywhere else for that matter. The old growl/croak is still in good shape too. Was genial and relaxed throughout, despite his obvious tiredness.
Brian: Boy, did he look pleased to be back! Handled the vocals surprisingly well, (loved that long high note during 'Love Of My Life'). At times he skipped around the stage like a man half his age, at other times he had that look of studied concentration on his face. He also showed plenty of good humour, at times displaying mock stage fright and even chiding the locals ('do they speak English up here'?). His playing, of course was exemplary, and he can still wrench all manner of sounds from that guitar (from gentle strums to full on blowout rock riffs).
Setlist: Just as I expected, but with a couple of surprises thrown in ('Sunshine Of Your Love', 'Wishing Well'. It was also
The sound mix was nice, with each instrument being clearly audible, except for the bass on occasion. And for once, they didn't overdo it on the reverb (unlike many gigs I have been to).
The stage set is a marvellous piece of design - just the right size and free of unecessary clutter (no uneccesarry props and ramps, just instruments, amps and players). The same goes for the lighting rig, which gave just the right amount of dazzle without becoming overwhelming. I was to the right hand side of the mini-stage, just 1 row behind the barrier (near where the acoustic guitars were being stored), which was a right result even though it meant stading for 4 hours non-stop (bear in mind that I had got up at 5.30am just to travel to Newcastle).
The video images actually worked much better than I anticipated. The use of the 8mm footage of Queen's 1975 visit to Japan (seen before in 'the magic years' and a couple of other docs)for 'Those were the days' was surprisningly poignant. So too was the audio/video of Freddie at the piano for the first section of Bo Rhap. I actually cringed when I first heard that this was to be included in the show, but in practice it was the best way of paying respects to Freddie - leaving him to sing his most celebrated work. However, I did cringe when Brian was hoisted to the top of the palace.
The backline: As tight as you could wish for. Gave the whole performance a solid backbone and fleshed out the sound as a whole (especially the vocal harmonies). Spike looked typically unflappable off to the side of the stage, and the keyboards were not as high in the mix as I had feared. He also pulled off the piano flourish just after the rock bit of Bo-Rhap perfectly (something that even Freddie couldn't always do). Jamie was a superb foil for Brian, really nailing the basic riffs and trading licks with him superbly on 'I Want It All' and others. And yes, Danny does look like he is struggling with the weight of his bass sometimes! But he did a good job of all the parts, particulalrly the slap bass bit in 'Gaga', even though he was buried in the mix for much of the time.
Paul: Like Brian has siad repeatedly, he ins't a Freddie type singer and never tries to be. His bluesly semi-howl worked a treat on the rockier songs, and he kept the annoying ad-libs to a minimum. HE was less good on 'A Kind Of Magic' and 'I Want To Break Free' though (I reckon he should have be given 'I Want It All' and 'Hammer to Fall'). Interracted well with the crowd and frequently came to the front of the catwalk. Interestingly, he seemed to tacitly acknowledge that this was Brian and Rogers thing throughout, for example by standing aside during the solo's (oh, and by dissaperaing for the middle third of the show).
Roger: Yes, he is showing his age(he was staring to look tired by 'Say It's Not True'), but his singing and playing is good as ever. Didn't miss a beat during his 'Let there be drums' and 'I'm In Love With My Car' showcases, or anywhere else for that matter. The old growl/croak is still in good shape too. Was genial and relaxed throughout, despite his obvious tiredness.
Brian: Boy, did he look pleased to be back! Handled the vocals surprisingly well, (loved that long high note during 'Love Of My Life'). At times he skipped around the stage like a man half his age, at other times he had that look of studied concentration on his face. He also showed plenty of good humour, at times displaying mock stage fright and even chiding the locals ('do they speak English up here'?). His playing, of course was exemplary, and he can still wrench all manner of sounds from that guitar (from gentle strums to full on blowout rock riffs).
Setlist: Just as I expected, but with a couple of surprises thrown in ('Sunshine Of Your Love', 'Wishing Well'. It was also
Nice review Wreckage.
We can debate whether this tour is just a pointless nostalgia trip, or a cynical plot by Queen Productions to steal our monay, of whether Paul can hold a candle to Freddie, until the cows come home. But when Brain May is standing two meters in front of you, peeling off the riff to TYMD on the Red Special, none of that is important. Take it from me.
Wreckage, you've done a fantastic review, Thanks for taking the time. Your last statement is just SO TRUE. Well said and I'm so glad you enjoyed the show.
great show, enjoyed it much, was a little apprehensive about PR but (the time he was onstage) he did a fine job, i think hes maybe taken on a little too much with this extensive tour, i hope his voice holds out
rating 9/10
rating 9/10
Sorry pal but you're way of the mark. Didn't you realise a significant proportion of the crowd went BECAUSE of Paul Rodgers not in spite of him.
Don't get me wrong, I love Queen but to compare PR to a pub singer is to display your incredible ignorance.
He's not known as The Voice of Rock for nothing.
Of course, he's not Freddie but he doesn't try to be. He signs in his own imitable fashion and from where I was, the Free and Bad Company material went down as well as any Queen stuff.
Maybe those who saw Queen as a singles pop group were disappointed with last night but true rock fans with an appreciation of the blues were just thrilled to see three musicians of the highest calibre sharing the same stage.
Believe me, Freddie would have been rocking upstairs.
in the us he's not as known as Queen
Agree with newcastle 86 (or is it 05 now)
Paul might have taken a lot more on that he originaly thought. straining his voice with the queen tunes
Paul might have taken a lot more on that he originaly thought. straining his voice with the queen tunes
U wanna talk about security bein a joke why the hell did they take our tickets off us me and my fam had THE 1ST 4 TICKETS after they went on sale and we lost them because of incompitent stewards but hell of a gig bring on the next 1 lol
Hey i loved the whoel dame thing! Radio Ga Ga i didnt know what to think seeign the whole arena with hands in unison! I got the thumbs up from Paul Rogers cos he saw me singing and clappin away! i was front row next to the cat walk, Brian May wiping the tears away as he left after Love Of My Life-that was a little emotional, and how he gave Freddie the thumbs up when he finished it, wow! Anyway more comments come on! My first gig ever and i doubt anything will beat it!
Oh and that camera bit, cos he saw a guy with the video cam out and he sed "fuck the videos and cams this is for all you guys!" and start teh rock version of HTF!
I was only a couple of yards in front of the camera guy and didn't know if it was a video or still, but thought Brian was anoyed because it flashed with multiple flashes.
I'm still in a daze after the show, but I'm sure they did play "Feel Like Makin' Love".
Does any one else agree ? or am I imagining it ?
Does any one else agree ? or am I imagining it ?