Today in Music History: 1991, 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives' is released in the USA

'The Show Must Go On': Remembering The King, Freddie Mercury

Over the years, Daltrey inspired respect with his singing. Jim Morrison inspired mystery. Paul McCartney inspired affection. Janis Joplin inspired quest. Mick Jagger inspired lust. Bob Dylan inspired thought. Grace Slick inspired cool. Bruce Springsteen inspired faith.

But Freddie Mercury inspired awe. To see him in full throat—the bazooka-length microphone held with a lover's grip; the deep dark eyes giving him a boy-next-door demeanor (if you lived next door to a coffin in a cellar in Transylvania); the tendon cords popping out the sides of his neck like red springs; the voice hitting notes so high, they came out with ice caps on them—was to witness not just excellent ability, but epic.

Freddie Mercury didn't perform, he feasted. He used a microphone as if he were tasting wine out of it. He didn't sing rock 'n' roll, he decanted it.

His charisma was enormous. Charisma is the difference between a singer you wouldn't cross the street to see and a singer you'd cross an ocean to see.

When Mercury took a stage, it was Gable beating down the door to Scarlett O'Hara's bedroom. When he got off the stage hours later, he left you with a dramatic yet subtle sense of cliffhanger, like the latest installment of a Dickens' novel heading into a foreign 19th Century port.

Mercury was the precursor of stadium rock because it took stadiums to hold him. It got to the point where seeing him sing in anything smaller than stadiums would be like seeing Rembrandt paint fingernails.

As much as anyone who ever grabbed a microphone, Freddie Mercury was a trail blazer, a standard-bearer. He sang every form in the business—rock, pop, blues, country, soul, disco, opera—without disgracing any of them.

Music loves to dance in the voice of a great singer and Mercury had a superlative voice—a voice so classical, you figured it was on touring loan from the Bettman Archive, the Smithsonian, or the Louvre. The guy had to stifle his sneezes because of the stained glass in his throat.

It was as if he didn't really "hit" notes: he would more or less sweep them. His voice could go from teddy bear to bear in a millisecond. For your average singer, the only way a throat could drop that suddenly would be if it fell through a trap door.

Leave it that, as rock 'n' roll landmarks go, the Mercury voice had the range of the Matterhorn and the complexity of the Eiffel Tower.

Singing seemed natural to him. You got the feeling that if he hadn't been singing Wembley for a living, he would have been a singing waiter. Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, raised in India, metamorphosed in England, beloved by millions, headed for immortality, he taught himself the arcane principles of singing. He was as obviously as right for music as Pele was for soccer, Monroe for movies, Churchill for politics.

During his twoscore and five years on Earth, Mercury was often called "flamboyant." But his lifestyle would have had to have simmered down quite a bit before he could merely be called "flamboyant." Calling Freddie Mercury "flamboyant" is like calling The Wizard of Oz "nonfictional," or like saying the Johnstown Flood was "wet."

He was, by report, a man with a ripping laughter—a guy who said and did outrageous, eccentric, ostentatious, unpredictable, havocsome things. Mercury came on strong—had a character of many facets, and none of them dripped.

He was one-of-a-kind, but not selfish. As Queen's field general, he didn't use his rock music skill as a self-glorifying pas seul that would lead to better things. Rather, like Jim Morrison before him, he was proud to be part of a rock 'n' roll team.

Not for nothing (and not just for rock 'n' roll senior citizens, either), think back to some rock masterworks and consider what they reveal about their creators.

The Stones sent a red-hot sympathy card. Springsteen hit on running as a birthright. Dylan rolled back a stone and wanted you never to forget how it does feel. John Lennon just imagined. Zep climbed a stairway beyond the stars. Clapton pictured a guy on his knees and pleading.

No surprise, then, that Freddie Mercury rhapsodized bohemianly. 'Tis said he was magnificent to watch but impossible to figure out. No one could get a thermometer on Mercury.

His bearing could go from Machiavelli to Mary Poppins in a finger snap; from Lord of the Flies to Lilies of the Field. He was reputedly as vain as Napoleon, yet as generous as Santa Claus.

In his life's work, he sang songs and performed shows and wrote music and lyrics just how he wanted to. He never sold out. There was more chance of seeing a "For Sale" sign on the Mona Lisa than there was of seeing one on Freddie Mercury.

His lyrics—like his voice and stage show—unveiled stunning vision. The man's written words are about as different from most rock lyrics as broken English is from Queen's English.

To listen carefully to "March of the Black Queen," for example, is to meet someone who knows more secrets than Merlin the Magician. The late singer's writing furnishes one more key facet of his blue-chip talent...

"My God, when I'm dead, are they going to remember me? I don't really think about it... When I'm dead who cares? I don't!" - Freddie Mercury

Happy Birthday Freddie Mercury!!! ♔♔♔

Today in Music History: 2014, Queen perform with Adam Lambert & Lady Gaga at the Allphones Arena, Sydney, Australia

A woman with terminal cancer has been granted a wish - to meet her singing idol, Adam Lambert.

A Rotorua woman with terminal cancer has been granted a wish - to meet her singing idol, Adam Lambert.

Lyn Hepburn met the touring American singer last night as part of radio station The Hits segment Polly to the Rescue after her daughters Jodi Hepburn-Le Comte and Casey Kiernan wrote in saying why they believed their mother deserved it.

Mrs Hepburn was diagnosed with cancer in January and suffered heart attacks in February and June. Her daughters wrote she had been given three months to live.

Lambert performed an iHeartRadio concert in Auckland last night where tickets could be obtained only through a competition.

"She [Mrs Hepburn] is absolutely obsessed with Adam Lambert and right now we are thankful for the fact he is coming to New Zealand, as it is giving mum something to focus on and fight for. She thinks it is fate as not only is he coming but the timeframe makes it possible for her dream to come true," Mrs Hepburn-Le Comte wrote.


"As a family we are trying to do everything in our power to make her dream come true and we are pleading that if you are able to help she is the most deserving woman. My mum Lyn Hepburn is an amazing, loving and generous lady who has done everything for everyone her entire life. .

"Currently every day, all day, she is listening to the hype and buildup of Adam coming to New Zealand, and I mean it when I say it is giving her a will to live.

"Even her doctors and hospice nurses have been bombarded with Adam Lambert and although most didn't know who he was they are all experts now haha. Mum calls Adam her modern-day Elvis."

The Hits host Polly Gillespie called Mrs Hepburn on Tuesday to tell her she and her daughters would be flown up to Auckland, given tickets to the concert, accommodation and a meet-and-greet with Lambert.

Before the concert yesterday, Mrs Kiernan told the Rotorua Daily Post it all felt surreal.

"If Mum could meet one person in the world, he is the absolute number one. It's an absolute dream for her and we're grateful we're able to share in this with her."

Rotorua The Hits host Paul Hickey said it was great to see a local recognised and acknowledged throughout the country on a nationwide show.

Today in Music History: 1980, Queen perform at the City Myriad, Oklahoma, USA

08.08.1980 - Concert: Queen live at the Myriad, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA

Artist	Queen
Date	08.08.1980
Venue	Myriad
City	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Country	USA
Support band	Dakota
Attendance	12000
Video recording	doesn't exist - if you have any footage, please contact me
Line-up	Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano, tambourine, acoustic guitar), Brian May (electric guitar, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano), Roger Taylor (drums, lead vocals, backing vocals, timpani), John Deacon (bass guitar)
Program
Tour T-shirts	,  ,   ,
Ticket stub	(the ticket is resized and might look strange - but if you save it to your harddisk, it will look fine :-)
Ticket in my collection?	yes
Photos	Photos supplied by: www.photosets.net

WATCH: Adam Lambert Absolutely Killed It On ‘The Voice’ Australia With ‘Ghost Town’

Queen’s Brian May is a member of NASA’s New Horizon team

This is common knowledge to many, but still really cool. Brian May, the famed guitarist from Queen, finished his Ph.D. in astrophysics in 2007. He began work on the degree 36 years ago, but it was put on hold when his band blew up and made him a world-famous rock star.

Well a few weeks ago when NASA’s New Horizon space probe flew past Pluto, May was on hand to help NASA interpret the data.

“The Gods of the Underworld must have been with me, because I was there when the first…full-planet picture was downloaded from the probe,” May wrote on his blog.

According to the Smithsonian, the images you see everywhere of Pluto is the work of May himself.

In addition to sifting through some of the images and information gleaned from New Horizons, May compiled the first high-quality stereo image of Pluto. Single-lens cameras produce images that look as if you just covered up one of your eyes, but a stereo photograph can appear to be three-dimensional with the help of a stereoscope.

“Of course the New Horizons guys were already doing serious science on this image as it arrived,” May wrote. “But I was able to assemble the two images to make the most satisfying stereo view I can ever remember making.”

While at first this just seems like a story of someone having it all, no level of rock-star fame by itself qualifies someone to be an astrophysicist. May had to put in some serious work to reach the level he did, especially after leaving academia behind over 36 years ago.

This story should be seen as inspirational and serve as a reminder that it is never too late to go out and reach your goals.

Queen's Roger Taylor Drum Solo 2015

Queen Rock Band News - Studio Collection Vinyl Box Set

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A Stunning Six Foot High Portrait of Rock Legend Freddie Mercury is About to be Unveiled in Shrewsbur

A stunning six foot high portrait of rock legend Freddie Mercury is about to be unveiled in Shrewsbury. 

The picture, which gives a Tudor twist to the former Queen front man, has been commissioned by Henry Tudor House, a restaurant, bar and music venue in the centre of town and is the latest in its collection of amazing artwork. 

There are already portraits of some of the world’s most famous rock and roll names in the establishment, situated just off Wyle Cop.

 Owner Graham Jenkins said that he was delighted with the new painting, created by Shrewsbury artist Adam Birch.
 “It is an amazing piece of artwork which will shortly be gracing the walls of our bar, joining portraits of Amy Winehouse, John Lennon, Marc Bolan and Sid Vicious, who are all also painted in period style,” he said. 

Graham explained that when he carried out an extensive refurbishment project on the historic half-timbered building he wanted to give it a contemporary feel and the paintings added a startling twist to its interior design.

 “Henry Tudor House has developed into a thriving venue for some leading singers and bands and what better way to pay tribute to some of this country’s most renowned musicians than by portraying them with some Tudor style and swagger.

 “The half-timbered interior of the premises has been carefully preserved and the décor complements its heritage but in a quirky way.

 “Customers absolutely love the paintings…they look so authentic that people often do a double take when they realise the subjects are famous rock stars. We are sure the Freddie Mercury picture will cause quite a stir.

” Shrewsbury artist Adam, a graduate of Wolverhampton University, undertakes commissions all over the world from his studio in The Square and was short listed for the final selection of this year’s prestigious international BP portrait award. 

He specialises in ecclesiastical work and has had commissioned portraits of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis and is now working on commissioned portraits of the Archbishop of Westminster and the Archbishop of Luxembourg. 

“I am very pleased with the way the Freddie Mercury painting has turned out. I have created him in the dark and stately manner of the Tudor aesthetic and included his famous lyrics ‘I want to break free’ in Latin scripture in the picture.”

Sacha Baron Cohen Won't Be Returning to the Queen Biopic After All

Wait a minute, only yesterday you were saying Sacha Baron Cohen was playing Freddie Mercury?

That's right. Yesterday it was widely reported – including on this website – that Sacha Baron Cohen had resolved his "creative differences" with Brian May and Roger Taylor and would be doing the biopic after all.

Early April Fools' Day prank?

Nope. Queen's manager Jim Beach said as much in a speech as the Artist & Management awards. He told the audience:

"You have probably followed the saga of the famous Queen-Freddie Mercury biopic which has been developing in Hollywood for the last seven years. An important breakthrough is that we have now managed to persuade Sacha Baron Cohen to write, produce and direct this movie, and he has also agreed to star."

So was the manager lying?

He was joking – or at least that's what Brian May says. On his official website he says it was a "small joke that Jim threw in":

"He said that, in response to enquiries about the progress on the Freddie feature film, that Sacha Baron Cohen had been re-engaged to write, produce and direct the film, as well as starring in all four major roles! I'm afraid some folks might have taken it seriously!"

Has Sacha Baron Cohen taken it seriously?

He's been very quiet about the whole thing – which is suspicious in itself.

Remind me when and why he stopped being involved in the first place.

Back in July 2013 because of "creative differences".

Later that year Brian May explained that they thought he would be "distracting."

"In the end, we felt that his presence in the movie would be very distracting... He makes outstanding performances but they're very much Sacha Baron Cohen performances. And we thought there has to be no distraction in the Freddie movie — we didn't think that could really happen with Sacha."

So who will play the Queen frontman?

Well, Ben Whishaw was supposed to Baron Cohen's replacement and was officially confirmed way back in December 2013. But he's also been keeping schtum and his filming schedule for 2015 looks awfully busy.

I won't hold my breath then.

It does seem more like a farce than a film at the moment but you never know – perhaps this is an early April Fools' Day prank and Brian May is the one having a "small joke".

Sacha Baron Cohen Back on the Freddie Mercury Biopic, Now With Total Creative Control

A biopic based on the life of legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury has been in the works for years, with Sacha Baron Cohen previously attached to star before he was forced off the project by surviving band members who disagreed with his vision. Since then, the project has fumbled, with various actors and directors rumored for the biopic, which has made negligible progress since Cohen’s departure. Now it appears that the surviving bandmates have had a change of heart, pulling Cohen back onto the project, this time granting him complete control.

The Daily Mail reports that Cohen is once again attached to the Mercury biopic, not only to star, but also to write and direct. During the Artist and Management Awards this week, Queen manager Jim Beach made the announcement:

"An important breakthrough is that we have now managed to persuade Sacha Baron Cohen to write, produce and direct this movie, and he has also agreed to star."

Previously, the surviving band members were hesitant about Cohen’s involvement in the project — specifically, Brian May was concerned that Cohen’s prevalence as a comedic talent would not translate well to a more serious effort. Not only does Cohen have the near-perfect appearance and physicality required to play Mercury, but a more serious project would allow him to showcase a wider range to audiences more familiar with his various alter egos. It’s just the kind of role he needs — think Adam Sandler in Punch Drunk Love.

Since Cohen initially departed the project, actors like Dominic Cooper and Ben Whishaw have been linked to the role of Mercury, while directors including Tom Hooper, Stephen Frears and David Fincher (yeah, sure) were also rumored candidates at various times.

The surviving Queen members have made a complete 180, switching from having a lack of faith in Cohen to giving him total control. The biopic will mark Cohen’s directorial debut, which means these guys are placing a lot of trust in the actor to pull this thing off.

Quotes about Queen & Freddie Mercury...

Freddie Mercury - 5 Sept. 1946 – 24 Nov. 1991

"When we lost Freddie, we not only lost a great personality, a man with a great sense of humour, a true showman, but we lost probably the best. The best virtuoso rock 'n' roll singer of all time. He could sing anything in any style. He could change his style from line to line and, God, that's an art. And he was brilliant at it." - Roger Daltrey

"My lifetime role model and hero is Freddie Mercury of Queen." - Psy

"Freddie's voice has so much texture to it. It’s supersexy. He kind of grabs at everything, he squeezes it. He was completely over the top in the best possible way. " - Adam Lambert

“There is only one Freddie, and it is impossible to replace him.” – John Deacon

“We constantly hear about what kind of a great showman Freddie was. And sometimes it infuriates me. No, he was not a showman – he was a great musician! – Roger Taylor


"There's so few people behind the glamour who really make it as true performers. It's very strange thoroughbred condition to be a successful musician and still be able to project it with confidence. Freddie had that, and there's not many people who have had it." - Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin

"There are people these days who can do things on the guitar which are beyond my reach. There's one guy who plays with Queen who can do things I would dream of doing. I sincerely mean that." - Eric Clapton

"Rumor has it that Queen shall soon be crowned "the new Led Zeppelin," which is an event that would certainly suit this observer just fine. There's no doubt that this funky, energetic English quartet has all the tools they'll need to lay claim to the Zep's abdicated heavy-metal throne, and beyond that to become a truly influential force in the rock world. Their debut album is superb... They're the first of a whole new wave of English rockers, and you'd best learn to love 'em now 'cause they're here to stay. Regal bearings aside, Queen is a monster." - Rolling Stone Mag. (1973)

"Someone told me that I might have the chance to sing with Queen... and I was like: Don't ask me twice, mothe*':#ker. I'll be there!" - James Hetfield of Metallica

"They've been the biggest influence on my life." - Gary Cherone

"The worst day of my life was once that my mom didn't allow me to go to a Queen concert because I was grounded." - Lars Ulrich of Metallica

"When I was with Kansas, we toured with Queen on their first visit to the States and became good friends. They profoundly influenced us." - Kerry Livgren of Kansas

“He had theatricality, he was larger than life, new, fresh, cool. This is a god that walks as man.” - Mike Myers

"I hope Freddie will be looking at me from up there." - Garth Brooks

"I have seen the future of pop music and it is a band called Queen." - Jac Holzman, Elektra records.

"The biggest band ever." - Joe Elliot of Def Leppard. 

"The bright light of Freddie's talent has been so cruelly extinguished... it needn't have happened, it shouldn't have happened. Please let's not let it happen again." - Elizabeth Taylor

"Playing with Queen was the biggest moment of my career. It was like living a childhood fantasy." - George Michael

"As Freddie loved a spectacle. I think he would have enjoyed it. Freddie was to me the ultimate performer." - Paul Young

"The best band in the world is Queen, definitely." - Matthew Bellamy of Muse

"There's not a single day where I don't miss Freddie Mercury." - John Taylor of Duran Duran

"Freddie was such a big personality. Queen had record out throughout my whole life, and it's a part of us that everyone's lost." - Lisa Stansfield

 “I was deeply saddened when I heard Freddie passed away. A great performer, a great voice, a great musician was lost to the world. Thank God we have the music to listen to forever.” - Rob Halford of Judas Priest

"All I've got on my iPod is every single Queen song and every single Judas Priest song. Queen were an incredible heavy metal band. I saw them on their first ever tour, at Birmingham Town Hall. They just blew me away." - Rob Halford of Judas Priest

“I watched him, and I watched him die, and it was so painful for me, because I really loved Freddie Mercury, the way that he just truly went with his voice.” - Dave Mustaine of Megadeth.

"If I didn't have Freddie Mercury's lyrics to hold on to as a kid, I don't know where I would be. It taught me about all forms of music. It would open my mind. I never really had a bigger teacher in my whole life." - Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses

"Choosing my favourite Queen song is like choosing my favourite time to breathe air." - Matt Heafy of Trivium

"Freddie Mercury was my all-time favorite vocalist and consummate frontman" - James LaBrie of Dream Theater

"I adored Freddie Mercury and Queen had a hit called Radio Gaga. That's why I love the name. Freddie was unique - one of the biggest personalities in the whole of pop music. He was not only a singer but also a fantastic performer, a man of the theatre and someone who constantly transformed himself. In short: a genius." - Lady Gaga

“Freddie, if you’re out there and you want to choose any artist to channel your work, please give me an album, or at least a middle eight.” - Robbie Williams

"The difference between Freddie and almost all the other rock stars was that he was selling the voice." - Montserrat Caballé

"Freddie Mercury was and remains my biggest influence. The combination of his sarcastic approach to writing lyrics and his 'I don't give a fuck' attitude really inspired my music.” - Katy Perry

"Every band should study Queen at Live Aid. If you really feel like that barrier is gone, you become Freddie Mercury. I consider him the greatest frontman of all time. Like, it's funny? you'd imagine that Freddie was more than human, but ... You know how he controlled Wembley Stadium at Live Aid in 1985? He stood up there and did his vocal warm ups with the audience. Something that intimate, where they realize, 'Oh yeah, he's just a f***ing dude." - Dave Grohl of Nirvana & Foo Fighter

"Freddie Mercury was one of those guys who didn't care. That's extremely rare, I think, When you couple that with his musical abilities, well, I wouldn't say he was the greatest piano player in the world, but he was certainly intensely musical. And his vocals; there's a guy I wouldn't want to have a cutting contest with as a singer. He had just silly ability. When you listen to his vibrato, it's erratic. That's just talent, straight-up talent and creativity. That's ridiculous. Imagine what he would have been able to do if he had been trained. It wouldn't have affected his spontaneity or creativity. I think that's a big myth, this idea that when you become educated, it takes away from the soulful part. That's just once-in-a-century talent." - Harry Connick, Jr

"Of all the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the rest... he took it over the edge. And of course, I always admired a man who wears tights. I only saw him in concert once and as they say, he was definitely a man who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand." - David Bowie

"Freddie made the last person at the back of the furthest stand in a stadium feel that he was connected. He gave people proof that a man could achieve his dreams--made them feel that through him they were overcoming their own shyness, and becoming the powerful figure of their ambitions. And he lived life to the full. He devoured life. He celebrated every minute. And, like a great comet, he left a luminous trail which will sparkle for many a generation to come." - Brian May 

“This man (FreddieMercury) truly possessed the greatest voice in the history of rock. Journalists, culture experts and analysts have already made several hundred comments on this topic and nothing can be added here.” – Brian May

“For me, Freddy is the brightest representative of the era of rock, when people were not afraid to live life to the full. This would hardly ever be repeated. ” -Annie Lennox

“Freddie is great. At a time when everybody around was doing God knows what, Queen was making music. ” – Ozzy Osbourne

 "There are some singers that have great technique and then there are those that have a certain quality or style in their voice. Some have both, like Freddie Mercury, but to me, I prefer style over technique."– Ozzy Osbourne

"I lost somebody who I thought was my eternal love ... When he died I felt we'd had a marriage. We'd lived our vows. We'd done it for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health. You could never have let go of Freddie unless he died - and even then it was difficult." 

-  Mary Austin

(The Beatles) Paul Mccartney talk about Freddie Mercury.

Queen, Adam Lambert rock the United Center in tour kick-off

BY JEFF ELBEL 

One thing’s certain: Thursday night’s concert at United Center by Queen and Adam Lambert was the only show in Chicago to include both a physics lesson and a singer in a diamond-studded leopard skin suit. It was the perfect pairing of brainy and challenging rock music with outrageous and glamorous attitude.

Since the death of beloved Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in 1991, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor have tended the eternal flame of the band’s legacy. During the 2000s, the pair partnered with Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers. Rodgers’ pipes were well-matched to full-tilt rockers like May’s “Tie Your Mother Down,” but perhaps lacked a measure of the flamboyant flair to fully inhabit the grand, romantic sweep of Mercury’s “Somebody to Love.”

As he struck a decadent pose atop a purple-and-gold chaise lounge during a very glam “Killer Queen,” it was clear that Lambert possessed the charisma to pay maximum tribute to Mercury’s larger-than-life persona. It helped that he had skill to match the theatricality. Rafter-raising showstoppers including “We are the Champions” and “The Show Must Go On” displayed Lambert’s pop sensibility and dizzying range while simultaneously showcasing May’s unparalleled rock soloing technique.

“We played to some of your mothers and fathers, I’m sure,” said May after crossing the catwalk with his acoustic guitar to the center of the room. Dr. May then gave a brief description of Einsteinian relativity while introducing “’39,” a tale of tragic love and time travel.

Taylor paid tribute to Mercury while singing “These are the Days of Our Lives.” The video screen flashed nostalgic images of Queen’s younger days. Next, Taylor performed a drum duet with his son. Taylor brought the house down with bombastic precision during “I Want It All.”

The players offered little evidence of opening-night jitters on their North American tour’s debut. The technical side exhibited a few minor bugs including microphone trouble during “Now I’m Here,” occasional synchronization glitches with the video, and a missed cue on the steam jets.

Although the band was somewhat loose during “Love Kills,” Lambert’s empathic delivery and soaring vocal flight were spine-tingling. The deep cut was taken from the score for Giorgio Moroder’s 1984 restoration of the film “Metropolis.” “Metropolis” footage also rolled during “Radio Ga Ga,” while the crowd mimicked the unified hand-clap motions of the MTV-era video.

The camaraderie and mutual love between Queen and Lambert was evident. May and Lambert frequently rubbed shoulders and struck heroic poses together. Taylor and Lambert high-fived after assuming the roles of David Bowie and Mercury for “Under Pressure.”

“You know, love makes me feel a little cray-cray, too,” said Lambert as the band launched “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” Lambert channeled Mercury and Elvis Presley in equal measure.

By the time the band finally reached the show’s centerpiece with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” anticipation had built to fever pitch. The crowd roared as Mercury’s image sang the second verse via projection screen. Lambert threw May briefly off balance by bowing down to him, causing May to laugh and miss his last solo entrance. Rather than derail the moment, it seemed endearing and joyful.

The performance wasn’t flawless, but the spirit was right for Queen. It was both openly human and majestic.

Queen’s next move will be to release “Queen Forever” later this year, featuring outtakes from previous Freddie Mercury studio sessions. It is unknown whether May and Taylor will record with Lambert, as they did with Rodgers for 2008’s “The Cosmos Rocks.” The show at United Center suggested that it could be a powerful collaboration.

SET LIST:

Now I’m Here
Stone Cold Crazy
Another One Bites the Dust
Fat Bottomed Girls
In the Lap of the Gods
Seven Seas of Rhye
Killer Queen
Somebody to Love
I Want it All
Love of My Life
’39
These are the Days of Our Lives
Drum duet (Roger Taylor and son)
Under Pressure
Love Kills
Who Wants to Live Forever
Guitar solo (Brian May)
Tie Your Mother Down
Radio Ga Ga
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
The Show Must Go On
Bohemian Rhapsody
Encore:
We Will Rock You
We are the Champions

Queen & Adam Lambert To Make Announcement Thursday

Queen and Adam Lambert are scheduled to make an announcement next week.

According to ABC Radio, the announcement will be made Thursday morning at New York City's famed Madison Square Garden.

“It's safe to assume that this will serve as a kickoff for some kind of concert event or series,” the outlet reported.

In an interview earlier this month with BBC Radio 2, Queen guitarist Brian May discussed upcoming plans for the band and hinted at a possible reunion with Lambert, who fronted for the British band in a series of highly successful European shows in 2012.

“We are ongoing, because we can't help it,” May said. “I think we all protested too much in the sense when Freddie [Mercury] went and we didn't want to talk about it and didn't want to be Queen for a while. But after a while you realize that people wanna hear the songs and see us do things. So, no matter what you call it, Roger [Taylor] and I do do stuff and I think we'll be doing some more stuff this summer in fact, probably in the States.”

“We've been talking to Adam Lambert,” May said of a possible frontman. “You know we've already done some gigs with Adam, who's amazing.”

Brian May has described the "joy" he feels at hearing former bandmate Freddie Mercury's voice as he works on releasing previously unheard Queen material.

Brian May revealed that he and drummer Roger Taylor were close to announcing new tour dates for the band.

Mr Taylor has previously hinted that Queen were planning to reunite with former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert for a project this year.

And, speaking in London today at the launch of a campaign to raise money for a badger vaccination initiative, Mr May said that the group were close to announcing new dates.

He also confirmed that a biopic of Freddie Mercury's life, starring Skyfall actor Ben Whishaw, was getting underway.

Mr May has previously revealed that he is working on a new Queen record which will feature at least three previously unheard tracks featuring Freddie Mercury on vocals.

Describing how it felt to be working on the material, he said: "When I hear Freddie's voice coming off the recording, it's 35 years ago but it feels as if it was yesterday, and he's full of beans and naughtiness. It's a joy.

"You can't live in the past, but I think it's important to keep an awareness of it, and a connection to it.

Mr May, who was given the all-clear for prostate cancer after a scare earlier this year, said that he was "busier than ever".

As well as continuing his campaign work for animal rights, he is also planning to tour with longtime collaborator Kerry Ellis in February for a series of concerts in the UK, Russia, Belarus and Malta.

Joking that he was struggling to find "time to sleep", he said: "We're incredibly busy right now. Forty years since Queen were formed, and over 20 years since Freddie died and we are busier than ever. 

"We're about to press the button on some touring, which I'm very excited about, and we have a film to make.

"I'm also involved with lots of books and my astronomy work, and campaigning for animal welfare takes up more and more time, so it's important for me to try to keep a balance."

Speaking in December, Roger Taylor implied that Queen were planning to reunite with Adam Lambert for a project, after a series of shows with the singer in 2012.

He said: "He's very theatrical. And he really interprets our songs just brilliantly. I feel he's going away from the pop thing which is good, I think. And he's becoming a serious player." 

"He's got a voice which is pretty unbeatable. I do think we will be working with Adam next year, yeah."

Following Mercury's death in 1991, the band also collaborated with singer Paul Rodgers, but amicably parted company with him in 2009.

Adam Lambert to Rock With Queen Again

Dr. Brian May said: “I think we may do some Queen gigs later on this year. I’m probably not supposed to say this, but we’re looking at doing something.”

“Of course, Adam Lambert is a great frontman and we know already that works, so we’d be looking towards some gigs with Adam, hopefully. I’m excited about that, if it happens.”

Continuing to praise the star who he says has an "amazing range", Brian stated that "If it (a tour) happens this year, it will be with Adam."

Lambert of course is also working on his own new material, and hopes to have his third studio album released at some point this year.

Brian May Talks Freddie Mercury Biopic, Reveals Plans for New Queen Album and Tour

After revealing earlier this month that doctors have found him cancer-free following a recent health scare, Queen guitarist Brian May has now announced some more news that should make the band’s fans happy.  In a lengthy letter May sent out to Queen Fan Club members, and posted at BrianMay.com, the rocker gives an update about the status of several projects relating to the group, including the Freddie Mercury biopic and an album that will feature unreleased Queen recordings.

Regarding the movie, May reports, “[We are] ready to start the engine rolling” on the flick.  He points out that it’s been difficult “trying to assemble the right team to make the film,” while adding that “the lineup is looking very exciting…I think just the announcement will cause a bit of a sensation!”

Brian also reveals that he and drummer Roger Taylor are putting together a new Queen record that will contain “at least THREE previously unheard tracks with Freddie singing.”  He says that he and Taylor are “[w]orking hard on this material now,” adding that more details about the project “will unfold” soon.

Another exciting revelation May announces in the letter is that he and Taylor “have been looking at doing some dates” under the Queen moniker this year.  Noting that “I think we’re up for one more swing out there, he says the lineup will be “Roger and myself, and who knows who else!!”  May also reports that he’s seen “an amazing working list of dates” for the trek.

Meanwhile, May and longtime collaborator Kerry Ellis will be hitting the road in February for a series of concerts that includes stops in the U.K., Russia, Belarus and Malta.

Queen hint they'll work with Adam Lambert again in 2014

Drummer Roger Taylor also discusses the band's unreleased material

Queen are planning on working with singer Adam Lambert again next year, according to drummer Roger Taylor.

The band played a series of show with the former US X Factor contestant in 2012 and, in an interview with Canoe, Taylor said they could reunite for further projects with Lambert in 2014.

"It was a one-off but it went really fantastically well," he said of their gigs with Lambert. "He's really come on even more. He's a real dark force now. And he's very theatrical. And he really interprets our songs just brilliantly. And he has that incredible instrument, that voice, and I feel he's going away from the pop thing which is good I think. And he's becoming a serious player."

He then added: "He's got a voice which is pretty unbeatable. I do think we will be working with Adam next year, yeah."

Taylor also spoke about Queen's unreleased material, following on from news that guitarist Brian May had found a number of tracks featuring vocals from Freddie Mercury. Describing the songs as "very good", he added: "Brian's working more on that than I am at the moment. I've been doing all this other stuff. But I will be getting together with him in the new year to finish what we've got there and then we're going to fashion some kind of album, although the exact shape and form of it I'm not sure yet."

Earlier this month (December 10), it was confirmed that Skyfall actor Ben Whishaw will play Mercury in a biopic of the singer's life. Sacha Baron Cohen had originally been set to star as the singer when the film was announced in September 2010 but this summer he pulled out of the project, reportedly because he and Queen, who have script and director approval, were unable to agree on the type of movie they wanted to make.