Queen and Paul Rodgers The Cosmos Rocks Tour The O2 Arena
A LOT of things happened in the summer of 1970; had they not, the music scene today would be quite different and this review would not have been written. In London, three men - namely
Roger Taylor, Brian May and 'legend in waiting' Freddie Mercury - were putting the finishing touches to a rock group which was to set the world alight in ways not seen since the Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
At the same time a group created two years earlier, featuring in its line-up one Paul Rodgers, was falling narrowly short of the top spot with asong called All Right Now.
The latter was Free and the one composed of Messrs Taylor, May and Mercury was, of course, Queen. Flashing forward 38 years and both bands have fused together and are touring under the name Queen and Paul Rodgers.
This stellar line-up has already spawned a new studio album, The Cosmos Rocks, and the concert at The O2 was one of a series organised, ostensibly, to promote it; if you ask me, it is more likely to have been an excuse for a damn good party.
Of all the bands ever to rock a stadium, Queen undoubtedly do it better than most and the expansive surroundings of The O2 certainly gave them the perfect venue.
There was no danger of the people seated way up in the rafters not being able to hear the music and a gigantic screen made sure everyone could see them clearly as well.
The show began with a bang (literally) as recorded effects of thunderstorms were played over a video reel of the solar system being shaken by the power of the music about to be produced.
Suddenly there they were, on stage, ripping into the opening track, Tie Your Mother Down, with as much energy and passion as if they were performing it for the very first time.
Rodgers is certainly no Freddie look-a-like (in fact, with his short hair and goatee beard, he looks more like Chris Rea) but from the moment he opens his mouth, he proves he sure can sing like him.
Most of the numbers performed came from the later period of Queen's recording career, although there was still room for massive anthems like Fat Bottomed Girls, Radio GaGa and Another One Bites The Dust.
Both May and Taylor also got a chance to showcase their individual talents.
First Brian paid an emotional tribute to Freddie and led the crowd in a number of tribute songs. This was followed by Roger beginning to play a big bass drum as technicians slowly added more bits of the kit until he was creating the most electric sound and engaging in a demonic display of precision skins work.
Rodgers returned with acoustic sets, both on guitar and piano, and received a rousing reception for his performance of several of the songs from the new album.
A trio of back-to-back smash hits marked the encore as first We Will Rock You boomed out, with the crowd providing the obligatory fist pumps, then All Right Now (putting Rodgers on a very familiar footing) and finally We Are The Champions.
Comedian Al Murray made a cameo appearance, suddenly there and dancing around on stage, then disappearing without having said a word.
It was an incredible show and the pleasure was topped off by me having fullfilled a long-standing dream to see Queen live, having been a fan since the early 1980s.
The only thing that spoiled it was the hour-and-a-half Tube journey home!
