♪☥ Petrichor ♡ 19/02 · @aintbroken
28th Jan 2015 from TwitLonger
Paris Match article, english translation
Queen and the singer Adam Lambert were in concert at the Zenith on Monday night.
On the paper, it was a little scary. Queen without Freddie Mercury will never be Queen again, even if Brian May and Roger Taylor kept the flame alive for more than 20 years. Last night, in a Zenith quite not full, Queen comes on stage like they used to, with a dantesque "One Vision", very close to the 1986 version. Wearing hobnail leather, Adam Lambert has the charm and the voice of the youth. Comfortable in his new role, the boy clearly puts his feet into Freddie Mercury's steps. And he would be wrong to not assume his queer side.
Adam roars, Adam dances, Adam sings, Adam provokes, Adam does the job, one thousand times better than Paul Rodgers between 2005 and 2008. Draped in a look-alike nightdress, Adam lays on a boudoir in the middle of the audience to sing "Killer Queen". Like Freddie, he rolls his eyes, and sways his ass, but all of this is done with humor, a smile on his lips. "Do you love Freddie" he says to the crowd? Because I want you to know that I love him just as much as you do". No need to say more. Adam is here to pay tribute to his idol and doesn't care about comparison.
At the back, Brian May and Roger Taylor look dashing. Brian's grey hair are still long, Roger has a white beard, but the passion is still intact and to see them have fun like kids, one behind his guitar, the other behind his drums, is a exhilarating pleasure. Main thing is, in 2h20, this Queen's formation plays an impressive setlist which remind you instantly how the band forged the contemporary rock identity. Yes, Queen is as important as David Bowie or Led Zeppelin. They haven't, alas, left the same mark.
But the lining up of classics gives you chills. Brian May and Roger Taylor put together a setlist which mixes cleverly the eras, from the first rock songs ("Seven Seas of Rhye" efficient, "Tie Your Mother Down", abrasive) to the wonderful ballads at the end ("Who Wants To Live Forever", magic, "The Show Must Go On", obviously). Utmost luxury of the "big" rockers, they can give themselves solos without emptying the room. Taylor plays drums like his life depends on it, while May tries one more time to bring his guitar to the stars.
All of this is done happily, without giving the impression of an overplayed concert. Who would have thought that in 2015, Queen, who haven't compose a new song in more than 20 years, would sound so fresh? Who would have thought that, one day, Brian May and Roger Taylor would find someone who would fit in Freddie Mercury's shoes? Even the purists were pinching themselves, last night in Paris, there was a "kind of magic" in the air.