REVIEW: Queen deliver on promise to rock Sheffield

Rock gods Queen, with relative newcomer Adam Lambert as frontman, again proved they are the champions of Sheffield's FlyDSA Arena.
Brian May. Picture: Glenn Ashley.Brian May. Picture: Glenn Ashley.
Brian May. Picture: Glenn Ashley.

From their opening number last night, a teaser of their anthem We Will Rock You, it was clear the band meant business, and rock the venue they did.

Their 26-song set showcased the highlights of a remarkable career, with the power and incredible vocal harmonies the band built their reputation on.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And the man at the centre of it, the incomparable Freddie Mercury, even made an appearance.

Guitarist Brian May urged the crowd to participate in the poignant ballad, Love of My Life, to “make some magic happen”.

It worked, with Mercury singing the final verse “alongside” May, as well as interacting with the crowd in that iconic vocal exercise footage ahead of the encore.

Queen’s other original member, the brilliant drummer Roger Taylor, also had the chance to shine.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A drum solo introduced his 1975 hit I’m In Love With My Car, before Taylor handled David Bowie’s vocal parts for the iconic Under Pressure.

Adam Lambert. Picture: Glenn Ashley.Adam Lambert. Picture: Glenn Ashley.
Adam Lambert. Picture: Glenn Ashley.

Taylor stepped out from behind the kit to sing It’s a Kind of Magic halfway through the two-hour set.

I Want to Break Free followed, but, unlike in the film clip, there were no drag outfits to be seen.

He’s no Mercury, but Lambert isn’t trying to be, either.

In Lambert, Queen have a charismatic and brilliant showman keen to build on the legacy of the world’s greatest front man.

Adam Lambert with Queen drummer Roger Taylor behind. Picture: Glenn Ashley.Adam Lambert with Queen drummer Roger Taylor behind. Picture: Glenn Ashley.
Adam Lambert with Queen drummer Roger Taylor behind. Picture: Glenn Ashley.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lambert’s amazing vocal range and on-stage antics – complete with a pink trike which he rode during Bicycle Race – make him the perfect man to continue to bring Queen to the masses.

He nailed Killer Queen and Somebody to Love.

Fat Bottomed Girls, with the unforgettable lines about larger ladies, was another highlight.

The encore of We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions is surely one of the best going.

The band took their applause to God Save the Queen, but they don’t need saving. Lambert and his elder mates are doing a fine job.

Freddie would be proud.