GUEST CONCERT REVIEW: Queen + Adam Lambert 7/13/2014

QUEEN +

GUEST REVIEW by “Boppin”

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – Live, July 13 2014 at the Air Canada Center, Toronto

I have to start off this review by saying I love Queen. I have listened to more songs by Queen than almost any band ever. I am told when people I know hear Queen, Steve Miller Band, Black Sabbath or 80’s metal, they think of me. So the review you are about to read really pains me to write. But I have to be true to myself and review the band as I saw them last night.

I went to this concert expecting to hate every little bit of Adam Lambert. I hated him on American Idol. Yes, I know. I hate to admit it, but for a while I did watch that show. How, you say, can a died-in-the-wool metal head and 70’s hard rock lover watch American Idol? Well. To answer that question, my family time TV viewing was limited to the type of shows we could watch together. Having a young pre-teen in the house meant only watching family type shows when she was awake. And she loved American Idol. At first I liked Adam Lambert. He was not your typical contestant on that show. But then he started showing off his pipes too much, and it got annoying. All of the viewers knew precisely when he was going to wail, and we got sick of him.

Then I heard the news that he was going to be the next lead singer for Queen.

Queen and American Idol. That is sacrilege. This would be like Gary Cherone in Van Halen. It wouldn’t work. It couldn’t work.

However, it did.

I hate to say this, but the three shining spots of the concert last night really had nothing at all to do with the original line up of Queen.

First, Adam Lambert was actually great. If Freddie Mercury was incredible, then Adam Lambert was great. He was spot on. He was campy, in a Freddie kind of way, and his voice was in top shape.

Second, Neil Fairclough, the bass player they hired to replace the retired John Deacon was amazing. His stand up electric bass was the biggest bass I have ever seen. It sounded sweet. And then he let Roger Taylor use drumsticks to play the bass (a first for me).

Third, Rufus Tiger Taylor. He is the son of Roger Taylor. And he has some serious chops. I didn’t realize how good he was until my wife pointed out to me that he was better than his dad. And last night, he was.

The concert was going along great, and then Adam Lambert left the stage, and the show for me mostly fell apart.

Please don’t get me wrong I love Brian May, but he was mostly off last night. His entire night sounded about a half second behind. His finger work was slow. His guitar solo (which was roughly 30 minutes) was about 28 minutes too long. It started out with a few minutes of Pink Floyd , then onto some Zeppelin, back to Floyd. I don’t think he was trying to copy David Gilmour or Jimmy Page, but the elements were there. At least I hope he wasn’t trying to copy them because he was doing a piss poor version if he was. For a guy that has seen many guitar virtuosos over the years, this was like watching a Junior High guitar talent show. The worst part for me was when Brian May screwed up in “Bohemian Rhapsody”. It was a real fingernails on the chalkboard moment for me.

During the song “Love of My Life”, Brian moved down to the front of the stage alone with an acoustic guitar. He admits he is not a singer. Well, Brian we quickly figured out why. Your voice was awful. God awful. And you chose to have the audience sing the other half of the lyrics of the song. You could have heard a pin drop when the 100 or so people in the entire audience of 15,000 that actually knew the lyrics were singing (whispering?). Here’s a hint. Choose a song most of the audience knows if you want them to sing the lyrics for you, or put the lyrics up on a screen.

Coming from the area of the world where Neil Peart is from, and having seen Rush in concert many times (and more recently seeing how good Tommy Clufetos can bang the skins), the drumming of Roger Taylor was another let down. It wasn’t bad. It just didn’t wow me. But in 2014, solos really are passé unless you are really amazing, and Roger Taylor was not. He does not have a great singing voice either, which really showed when he tried to fill in for David Bowie during “Under Pressure”.

His son is a real up and comer though, and I hope he finds his own way in the music industry. It seems especially tough on children of famous musicians.

After the horrible “Love of My Life”, Brian May talked about space travel and how we were all going on a journey and we may never come back, then all of the musicians(other than Lambert) went to the front of the stage and did “’39”. Pardon me while I yawn.

Please Adam, come back and save us from this snooze fest. As the lights go down and the audience sees Adam there is a huge cheer.

However, after a couple of classic Queen songs, they forced him to sing a remix of a little known Freddie Mercury disco song called “Love Kills”. He announced Queen was using this version in an upcoming album. In my opinion, they should do a new album with new material, perhaps throwing in a few B-sides of old material, or do a live album. They could include Freddie, Paul Rodgers, Freddie Tribute Concert songs and Adam. Just my two cents. Also in my opinion, the band had plenty of time to come out with this new album before the tour, but they didn’t. And all they had for sale at the swag booths were $40 T-shirts. I have enough T-shirts thanks. Not one CD or vinyl. Nothing.

The entire show for me was like “backwards day”. I assumed Brian May and Roger Taylor would be the highlight of the show. I told my wife the only reason I am going was to hear Brian May. But the cast of nobodies were better.

I should end the review by stating the whole is better than the sum of its parts for Queen + Adam Lambert. When they are together doing classic Queen songs, they sound great. When they do solos, and off-key singing, it didn’t work.

If they had included 8-10 more songs, and skipped a lot of the solos, I would have rated it higher.

My wife summed up the concert when we got back to the car by stating she liked The Lady Gaga concert a few nights before better (No, thankfully I did not attend that one). I told her “Don’t say that!”

For me, Adam Lambert was 8.5/10, the band without Adam 4/10, so together the show was 7.5/10. Too bad. It could have been much better.

[This works out to 3.75/5 on the five-point LeBrain scale.  Thank you Boppin for this amazing review! — LeBrain]

SETLIST:

  1. Now I’m Here
  2. Stone Cold Crazy
  3. Another One Bites the Dust
  4. Fat Bottomed Girls
  5. In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited
  6. Seven Seas of Rhye
  7. Killer Queen
  8. Somebody to Love
  9. I Want It All
  10. Love of My Life
  11. ’39
  12. These Are the Days of Our Lives
  13. Under Pressure
  14. Love Kills
  15. Who Wants to Live Forever
  16. Guitar Solo
  17. Tie Your Mother Down
  18. Radio Ga Ga
  19. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
  20. The Show Must Go On
  21. Bohemian Rhapsody
  22. Encore: We Will Rock You
  23. Encore: We Are the Champions

More QUEEN at mikeladano.com:
QUEEN – Queen’s First E.P. (1988 EMI, originally 1976)
QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS – The Cosmos Rocks (2008, iTunes bonus tracks)
QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS – ”Fire and Water” (2008 Amazon.com bonus track)
BRIAN MAY & FRIENDS – Star Fleet Project (1983 Capitol Records)

38 comments

  2. Dear Boppin,
    Thanks for this amazing post. You are of many hard Quinn fans who changed their minds, but are among the few who genuinely recognize it.
    May and Taylor called Adam ‘the voice of a billion “,Rob Geldof, Nikki Sixx, Meat and others have the same opinion.
    I’ve been following the career of Adam, and I’m “bewitched fanatic”.
    No other contemporary vocal phenomenon, so charismatic, artistic and accomplished showman. Natural tuning, 15 seconds note, screams from the stratosphere – live Adam sounds better than studio. I get up every night to watch the live stream of the tour.
    I love Adam here, at the other end of the Earth.
    My English is a weak, but my heart is happy.
    Implementation of STL is amazing, right? 10:10 !

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    1. I have to admit that after reading this review, and checking out some live video from the Toronto show, I have been very impressed with Adam Lambert. His solo music isn’t something I’m into (too pop) but his stuff with Queen has been pretty impressive!

      Thanks for posting!

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      1. Ahem … who predicted this before this review? This guy. You remember the conversation on the way up to the Fest. Not that I am an Adam Lambert fan myself, however the chops are there in a big way. I told you it would be a way more relevant representation than Paul Rodgers was. Especially vocally… and with the pomp too.

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  3. I haven’t paid attention to Queen’s activities really since Mercury died. This seems like a really good straight-up, honest review though, kudos to Boppin for calling it like he sees/hears it!

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    1. I bought the Paul Rodgers stuff as you probably recall, and I was a fan of Queen + Paul Rodgers. Some didn’t think the mixture worked…I was just pleased they weren’t trying to copy Freddie.

      Although The Cosmos Rocks wasn’t a totally Queen-like CD, I love it for what it is.

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      1. I saw some of the live stuff with Paul. I thought it was a good combination. I liked that they went for something different and not just a Freddie-clone too. Similar to the review here, it was when Rodgers was off-stage that things went downhill.

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        1. I haven’t played the live albums in a while…I have two of them. I’ll have to check them out in detail again. I remember really liking Return of the Champions.

          Perhaps Queen + Lambert should consider a live album.

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        2. Return was the one I watched. Stuff with Paul was really good but when it was May doing stuff and Taylor doing stuff I thought it got really dull. And all their bits were grouped together if i remember right so it just put this massive lull right in the middle of the set.

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        3. Interesting because I don’t recall that. I really need to dig out those albums. I find double live albums hard to feel motivated to listen to. It’s an endevour.

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        5. I have another live one…live in Ukraine I think? It has both the CDs and DVD in one set, at a low price…that was cool. So on that one you get some new songs too, like C-lebrity.

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  4. Why I became a Glambert? Perhaps with this in 07:17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAZ7b-s9Flw I love too the versions from Moscow and Fantasy Springs.
    Gradually after Ема’s 2011, Kiev, London and I Heart 2013 Adam’s & Quinn collab became chemistry. I wonder who else today can sing Queen’s repertoire in the original key?
    We expect by the end of 2014 / early 2015 third “rock” album. In it Adam works with Max Martin in Stockholm.:)

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    1. There’s no question this guy has an incredible voice. I wasn’t a believer before, but now I am.

      I’m not a Max Martin fan though — at all. I remember the album he did with Def Leppard. Just terrible!

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  6. It has been 6 years since Queen released new material. I think they should have used the whole American Idol theme to gain new fans. They could go on the new season of Idol, hawking the new album, to get fans back into Adam Lambert. Young fans are fickle, and most have probably forgotten who he is. Perhaps they could have given a free downloadable song to everyone that buys a ticket to the concert. And had the album released in time for the tour. Had new songs made with Adam Lambert. Or everyone that buys a ticket gets 5% off the purchase of the new album. I think a live album with new and old material from all of the different singers, and some from the Freddie tribute would be great. I would buy it. I was at the show in Toronto, and I feel they left a lot of money on the table, as I would have bought some music if it was available, and the person that did the setlist and the entire layout of the solos etc., and left many songs off should be fired.

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    1. Well Brian, I don’t know what to say…I assumed Brian May and Roger Taylor picked the songs.

      I know in some bands’ cases (Poison) they have to take long solos so that Bret Michaels can take his insulin. In Queen’s case I don’t know. We’re definitely in an era now where people want more songs than solos. But maybe Adam just plain needs a break? Or they felt like they needed some time up front as just the ORIGINAL members? I don’t know.

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    2. I think part of it is that they did a lot of Freddie on screen, and during that time Adam was often backstage. I suspect they want the audience to feel Freddie is still there in spirit and that Adam is not trying to replace him. I don’t suspect Adam needs the break, and that he is the type of personality that wants to be in front of the audience the entire show, but he is told that he needs to know his place.

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    3. From all of the reviews I am reading Brian May wipes away a tear during Love of My Life when Freddie is on screen at every city during this tour. It seemed touching while I was there watching it live, but now it seems a little like crocodile tears to me.

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  8. Decent review! And if the video is any indicator, Adam Lambert has a good set of pipes! (I missed the American Idol he was on, so I don’t know that much about him)

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  9. Lambert seems to be doing fine in his own right. Not as famous as say Lady Gaga but success is measured in many ways. He has several million fans worldwide and sells out his own solo gigs all over the world, collaborates with other artists, 2nd album was critically acclaimed, gets tv gigs both here & OS, has songs being used in commercials and movies and is generally in demand for many projects so I’d say he’s doing just fine. I dont know that all the Idol viewers “got sick of him” LOL – after all, the obviously gay theatrical rock dude WAS runner up in a tight finish against a nice Christian WGWG so he cant have upset too many fans. Maybe YOU did but everyone else…. not so much LOL. I dont know tho – I dont watch reality tv talent shows. But anyway- as for the Queen + adam concerts, the vids I’ve seen of him fronting them seem amazing. The boy definitely has some vocal chops. I’ll see them in Australia so I can make up my own mind. Bit concerned about the boring bit in the middle tho. :( Maybe I can go get drinks at that point ;)

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    1. Hey Terry thanks for the comment!

      I’ve never watched American Idol so I don’t know. I always find it funny how many of the runners-up find more success than the actual winners. If I were on that show I’d want to come in second place, that seems to be a luckier spot!

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  10. Thoughtful review Boppin’. I attended the Detroit show, which was a rockin’ good time. The crowd was engaged and on fire all night! I’m a long-time Queen fan and have been wow’d by Adam Lambert ever since he hit the scene in 2009. I didn’t dislike the solos by Brian and Roger as much as you did, which was helped by the fact that I was about 10 seats out from the B stage; my experience would likely have been very different without that close proximity. I do think it was a major missed opportunity. My sense is that Brian and Roger think they are appeasing long-time Queen fans with that segment of the show as an homage to Freddie and the old days, but once people hear Adam’s vocals and see how dynamic he is and how well they all work together, we really want this current energy for all of the songs. Keep Adam on stage more to capitalize fully on his vocal prowess and innovation and the energy/fun of the group dynamic. I’d like to see Neil get into the act more … seems like he could be a fun guy and could maybe do some funky blues version of a couple of Queen songs with Adam, with Rufus lending complementary drums or percussion.

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    1. Hey, thanks for your post!

      What you say makes sense. Having a section of the show as an homage to Freddie and the original Queen makes sense. I for one am now hoping that they write some new songs and make an album to follow The Cosmos Rocks, with Adam.

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    1. Yeah I’d definitely be willing to check out his future music, now. Just because I don’t respect the place he came from (American Idol) doesn’t mean he’s not good. He clearly has that “rock star” persona that is needed with a big band like Queen.

      Here is a clip of Queen with Paul Rodgers singing, from a couple years ago. I’m curious what you think of this.

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      1. I love Paul Rodgers. I think he versed the songs so well you could tell what every word to every song was better than Freddie. I watched a bunch of Youtube clips of Queen and Paul Rodgers and felt the band seems to sound a little harder to suit Paul. The band sounded harder and he sings lower so it was different, in a good way. Just like going to see many bands that have an aging lead singer, as he gets older and can`t hit the high notes anymore, they play to his strength, or he skips the high notes. This clip is not my favourite, as it is one thing to sub in for Freddie, but Freddie and Bowie is impossible. But I like other songs. I might even buy a cd or dvd of this era. Thanks for posting this. I think the live show back then could have(should have) included some Paul Rodgers songs. That for me would be worth the purchase price.

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      2. Paul Rodgers certainly does a good job here. I would have to see more to make a true comparison. I was just really surprised at how good Adam Lambert was, as I haven’t listened to him at all.

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  12. In 2014 solos are passé unless you’re Tommy Clufetos

    As godawful as Brian May may sound singing Love of My Life, he and Kerry Ellis do a pretty good Since You’ve Been Gone

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      1. Tommy’s is just under two minutes on Live…Gathered in their Masses and it’s probably my favourite drum solo of all time

        30 minutes however, is a tad too long, Rainbow and Purple would do a whole jam in that time

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  13. Would LeBrain like to hear Brian May play on the same stage as Bruce Dickinson and Alice Cooper? If so, The Sunflower Superjam CD is the way to go. I highly recommend it. Bruce owns Emerald and Black Night

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