I saw Queen + Paul Rodgers yesterday!

Vinny · 03-29-2005, 10:58 AM

I went into Brixton Academy expecting a sort of "at least we tried" show, but it kicked major ass. Paul Rodgers has a great voice and charisma seeping out of him, and the combination definitely worked. Say what you want, but I think they couldn't have picked a better man to fill in Freddie's shoes.

Brian May is GOD. His solo jam was incredible, absolutely genius use of the echo effect. He'd play a song using the echo by doing things like making scratching noises on the guitar and then playing a melody over it. He's an incredible guitarist all around. "Tie Your Mother Down" was the perfect song to kick off the show, and the crowd almost drowned Paul out on "I Want to Break Free." "Love of My Life" was just plain beautiful. The only song that wasn't that great was "I'm in Love with My Car," but it was followed by "I Want It All," "A Kind of Magic," and the legendary "Bohemian Rhapsody," so no biggie.

And of course, "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" both ruled. I wish they had played "Don't Stop Me Now," though .

Truly one of the best shows I've ever been to. Brian May rules all.

Setlist:

Tie Your Mother Down
A Little Bit of Love
I Want to Break Free
Fat Bottomed Girls
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Seagull (Paul Rodgers by himself with Roger Taylor on percussion)
'39 (Brian May alone)
Love of My Life (Brian May alone)
Brian May solo jam
Hammer to Fall
Brighton Rock
Last Horizon
These Are the Days of Our Lives (Roger Taylor singing in front of Queen video clip)
Radio Ga Ga (Roger Taylor on vocals for half the song, Paul Rodgers on for the other half)
Can't Get Enough of Your Love
I'm in Love with My Car (Roger Taylor on vocals and drums)
I Want It All (Brian May on vocals)
A Kind of Magic
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Show Must Go On

Short encore

Feel Like Making Love
All Right Now

Long encore

We Will Rock You
We Are the Champions

Koga · 03-29-2005, 04:26 PM

I'm glad to hear you liked it! I will be going in little under a month towards the end of the tour, so I hope they get even better then, and maybe sneak in some more/other songs.

I read on a Queen forum that Brian only wanted to play the opening chords of '39, and that the audience immediately took over and he had to play the whole song.

Vinny · 03-30-2005, 12:40 PM

I'm not entirely sure, but that's definitely possible. He was sitting by himself on a stool with a 12-string guitar, and he just said something like "so I'm alone here with this guitar... that means I can do whatever the hell I want, right? Even this:" then he played the chords for it and the crowd took over, and he just said "hold on" cause he wasn't prepared to sing it, but the crowd kept on going and he caught up at the chorus. He said when he finished playing that that song wasn't originally on the setlist, so that might have been the case.

Brian May has a surprisingly good voice, actually. I didn't expect that from him.

Oh, and the vocal harmonies at the beginning of "Fat Bottomed Girls" were completely spot on. I was taken aback by that.

The Doctor · 03-30-2005, 01:21 PM

Yeah, My boss told me about this, I was sceptical about Paul Rodgers beening vocals. Glad to hear it was good.

Koga · 03-30-2005, 06:03 PM

I was glad to hear the vocal harmonies were good. I think all 6 who are on stage have a (reasonably) good singing voice.

03-29-2005, 10:58 AM	#1
Vinny Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The Fletcher Memorial Home for incurable tyrants and kings Posts: 7,262 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Points: 15,956.86 Bank: 500.00 Total Points: 16,456.86 Donate	I went into Brixton Academy expecting a sort of "at least we tried" show, but it kicked major ass. Paul Rodgers has a great voice and charisma seeping out of him, and the combination definitely worked. Say what you want, but I think they couldn't have picked a better man to fill in Freddie's shoes. Brian May is GOD. His solo jam was incredible, absolutely genius use of the echo effect. He'd play a song using the echo by doing things like making scratching noises on the guitar and then playing a melody over it. He's an incredible guitarist all around. "Tie Your Mother Down" was the perfect song to kick off the show, and the crowd almost drowned Paul out on "I Want to Break Free." "Love of My Life" was just plain beautiful. The only song that wasn't that great was "I'm in Love with My Car," but it was followed by "I Want It All," "A Kind of Magic," and the legendary "Bohemian Rhapsody," so no biggie. And of course, "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" both ruled. I wish they had played "Don't Stop Me Now," though . Truly one of the best shows I've ever been to. Brian May rules all. Setlist: Tie Your Mother Down A Little Bit of Love I Want to Break Free Fat Bottomed Girls Crazy Little Thing Called Love Seagull (Paul Rodgers by himself with Roger Taylor on percussion) '39 (Brian May alone) Love of My Life (Brian May alone) Brian May solo jam Hammer to Fall Brighton Rock Last Horizon These Are the Days of Our Lives (Roger Taylor singing in front of Queen video clip) Radio Ga Ga (Roger Taylor on vocals for half the song, Paul Rodgers on for the other half) Can't Get Enough of Your Love I'm in Love with My Car (Roger Taylor on vocals and drums) I Want It All (Brian May on vocals) A Kind of Magic Bohemian Rhapsody The Show Must Go On Short encore Feel Like Making Love All Right Now Long encore We Will Rock You We Are the Champions

03-29-2005, 04:26 PM	#2
Koga Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: The Netherlands Gender: Posts: 17,093 Thanks: 104 Thanked 173 Times in 116 Posts Points: 105,204.41 Bank: 18,107.46 Total Points: 123,311.87 Donate	I'm glad to hear you liked it! I will be going in little under a month towards the end of the tour, so I hope they get even better then, and maybe sneak in some more/other songs. I read on a Queen forum that Brian only wanted to play the opening chords of '39, and that the audience immediately took over and he had to play the whole song.

03-30-2005, 12:40 PM	#3
Vinny Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The Fletcher Memorial Home for incurable tyrants and kings Posts: 7,262 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Points: 15,956.86 Bank: 500.00 Total Points: 16,456.86 Donate	I'm not entirely sure, but that's definitely possible. He was sitting by himself on a stool with a 12-string guitar, and he just said something like "so I'm alone here with this guitar... that means I can do whatever the hell I want, right? Even this:" then he played the chords for it and the crowd took over, and he just said "hold on" cause he wasn't prepared to sing it, but the crowd kept on going and he caught up at the chorus. He said when he finished playing that that song wasn't originally on the setlist, so that might have been the case. Brian May has a surprisingly good voice, actually. I didn't expect that from him. Oh, and the vocal harmonies at the beginning of "Fat Bottomed Girls" were completely spot on. I was taken aback by that.

03-30-2005, 01:21 PM	#4
The Doctor Timelord. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: In my Tardis Gender: Posts: 11,921 Thanks: 404 Thanked 350 Times in 244 Posts Blog Entries: 1 Points: 72,990.97 Bank: 1,289,431.72 Total Points: 1,362,422.69 Donate	Yeah, My boss told me about this, I was sceptical about Paul Rodgers beening vocals. Glad to hear it was good.

03-30-2005, 06:03 PM	#5
Koga Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: The Netherlands Gender: Posts: 17,093 Thanks: 104 Thanked 173 Times in 116 Posts Points: 105,204.41 Bank: 18,107.46 Total Points: 123,311.87 Donate	I was glad to hear the vocal harmonies were good. I think all 6 who are on stage have a (reasonably) good singing voice.