The band's place as one of the earliest innovators of music videos proved useful in keeping Freddie Mercury front and center in what Adam Lambert described as a "celebration" of the music he made with Queen. The images from these videos played during "It's a Kind of Magic" and "Bohemian Rhapsody". Old concert footage was also used to allow Brian May the 'magic' of a duet with his old singer at the end of "Love of My Life" and to include the musical call and response with the audience that is an internal part of a Queen show.
As my family left after Saturday's show, my sister asked if I felt that it was still a Queen concert with only two remaining original members. My response was that the band answered the question itself by tagging the project "Queen+Adam Lambert." It is a different band, but one that could not exist without the first. As a stand-in for Mercury, Lambert makes it clear the debt he owes to the band's original singer, not only for the spot he occupies on stage but for his development as a performer in his own right.
While much was done to keep Mercury's flame alive, it did seem strange to me that original bassist John Deacon is never mentioned. If not for his appearance in the Bohemian Rhapsody video and the cartoon version of him during "It's a Kind of Magic!" it would seem that he did not exist at all. Perhaps the famously reclusive bassist wants it that way, but it seems to diminish his massive contributions to the band.
Along the same lines, I longed for a picture of David Bowie to be flashed on stage after "Under Pressure." It would have made for a nice tribute to an integral part of the original recording. How strange it must be for Taylor to sing that song every night knowing that the other two voices have been extinguished.
As I left BMO stadium on Sunday I could not help but feel a little sadness at the thought that this could be the last time I would see my favorite band perform. This was the last date of the North American tour, but I hear a venue is opening up in Vegas after U2 completes their residency. The possibilities are endless for a band like Queen performing in a technologically advanced space like the Sphere. After a triumphant weekend by a band that was written off by the public long ago, anything seems possible.
(1) My Mom says that it was Diana Ross in Vegas, but a Vegas Showroom does not provide the proper atmosphere to be considered a proper Rock Concert. Besides, a Queen Concert at Madison Square Garden provides a much better narrative.
Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for public education, particularly for students with special education needs, who serves as the Education Chair for the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him "a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.
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