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| Image: Arquivo Sonoro |
Queen & Paul Rodgers
SECC
Glasgow
11th October, 2008
4/5
Queen, led by Paul Rodgers but without retired bass player, John Deacon, and of course, the late great Freddie Mercury, came on stage to a boisterous Scottish welcome. Two and a half hours later, and after a gig of epic proportions, they left a large Glasgow crowd satisfied and chanting for more.
The set included something for everyone, and was clearly designed to appeal to the greatest hits brigade as much as the older generation, with a wide ranging selection of numbers occasionally played and sung by Brian May and Roger Taylor.
The central theme revolved around Queen’s early days and meteoric rise, from when Mercury was still a fresh-faced upstart parading his way onto the British music scene, to the heights of their success and sudden ending with Mercury’s passing. Due respect was paid, with a touching speech by Brian May on introducing Love Of My Life, and a backdrop scene that pulled the crowd in through the pupil of an eye to where Freddie was seen to be singing in front of a packed Wembley crowd 22 years earlier.
On a stage designed with the wow factor in mind, spreading out to each side with raised platforms, and a walkway stretching through the centre of the crowd, the energetic Rodgers thrilled the audience with classic Queen songs like Tie Your Mother Down, Radio Ga Ga, Another One Bites The Dust, I Want It All, the legendary Bohemian Rhapsody, and an encore that concluded an explosive version of We Are The Champions. Complimented by a set of overhead light stanchions that extended and lowered like snakes reaching out from the stage, Rodgers commanded the performance but was unable to steal it.
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| Image: Olympia |
One of the highlights was the three remaining members of Queen playing at the end of the walkway alone, among the crowd instead of in front. At one point leaving Taylor alone with only a cymbal and bass drum, and he began to play a small solo. A roadie came on with a snare drum and he upped his pace. Then the roadie was back with another drum – the solo increased, this time with more passion – another drum, more rhythm – and with each addition of a new section of the drum kit slowly growing around him, Taylor increased the fervour and pace of his drum solo. It was true genius.
Brian May’s not a bad guitar player either. I forgave him for his public spat with Madness front man, Suggs, earlier in the year, and enjoyed watching the big-haired man do his thing. But it was really a night about Mercury, and while Paul Rodgers is a singer of extreme confidence and strong vocals, Freddie Mercury always seemed to be in the back of most people’s minds. It’s unavoidable, but hats off to the band for pulling off something so spectacular without him.
There’s something to be said for any band that can play a gig in Glasgow and finish the act off with a rendition of God Save The Queen without meeting with any hostility. But Queen and Paul Rodgers did; a sign of the awesome greatness and quality of unity they hold, even in the most divided of cities.
The Man In The East 