My review and pictures of the O2 Concert on Friday 7 November 2008!

Back to the O2 for my fourth and last Queen + PR concert and I had not reckoned on the superb location of my seat - right on the edge with a clear view across the stage and the prospect of Paul and Brian coming up close! Even before the start, I could witness lots of goings-on - techies moving here and there, the testing of the guitars as well as the dry ice!

When the concert got underway, I realised that I had quite a panoramic view of everyone on stage - except for Roger, who was hidden from view behind a pile of speakers. So I had to be satisfied with seeing him on screen, and later on, when he emerged to do his stint on the catwalk. 

So, early on, I had a clear view of a broken guitar string, then, as time went on, a dropped sixpence (or so it appeared), and I could see how Spike, Jamie and Danny were completely immersed in their respective contributions.  

Here are two shots of Paul, who sometimes wore a broad smile, when he came near in the early stages of the show:

'C-lebrity' was now so well known by the audience that Paul could sing "they may say I'm dumb" and leave the "But I..." to us! 'Surf's Up...School's Out' gave us another chance to witness an innovation that Paul has brought to Queen gigs - the harmonica. 

At the start of the B stage section, Brian sang us a rendition of 'Maybe It's Because I'm a Londoner' to celebrate being back home - after playing local pieces all over Europe, like 'The Blue Danube' in Vienna. 

Of the songs performed on the catwalk, three are from 'A Night At The Opera'. These are my songs, from an album I'd possessed once upon a time and lost to death. Yet, over 30 years on, they are being played live in a concert. Why? Because this is the music of life, and it really never stopped pursuing me, leading me to certain places at key times, and only now has all this become so significant. During 'Love Of My Life', the screen was showing some Japanese ladies close to the front, singing along to Brian's crystal clear acoustic, and I found myself thinking how appropriate that was.

Brian introduced the next number by saying that a critic of a recent gig had described their harmonies on 'Fat Bottomed Girls' as "suspiciously perfect". He introduced "The Rev. Jamie Moses", an epithet used in other concerts, and  the "suspiciously perfect" Roger and Spike and said, "I'm telling you it won't be perfect because it's just us here!" As if to prove the point, he made mistakes on some of the lyrics on the two next numbers for which he had singing parts, but what do we care? Just before singing ''39', it Brian announced that there might be a "problem" (it had to do with Spike's piano accordion). Then Roger said: "Problem? The Daily Mail - that's a problem for me - The Mail On Sunday..." But whatever Spike's problem was it was sorted quickly!

This time I particularly noticed the persiflage of Roger's double-act with Danny for the 'drum and bass' solo. As he later sat at the drums, I had a view of Roger's back. That makes sense as I've already spent quite a bit of time watching the band's backs. There was no mistaking that posture that is also visible in the 'back' shots of Roger during the footage of the band playing 'Liar' on the 'Greatest Hits' DVD, despite the fact that it is well over 30 years on, and his back has gained the corresponding additional width! When he launched in to 'I'm In Love With My Car', he was surely singing about his drum kit - "the machine of a dream, such a clean machine..." , as much as anything else - the way it glittered and sparkled with every beat.

There followed 'A Kind of Magic' with a guitar solo as rich as a chocolate cake. Roger and Brian were running full hammer together with an additional turbo boost from the audience. They had picked up on the smooth fluffiness of the duet and so provided the momentum to keep it going.

Then I saw 'Voodoo' performed live for the first time; Roger returned to his main stage drums, doing a little 'soul move' on the way as the introduction was played. Here again, was a novelty introduced by Paul - a blues number, and a chance to show off how good his voice sounds in this genre. Brilliantly, and it may be said miraculously, he has adapted this voice to Queen's history too, sounding more than ever as if the songs could be his own in a shared legacy.  

Coming close during the guitar solo...

...and again!

The shot I've been trying to get since Glasgow - did it this time!

'We Believe' was performed with a particularly joyous spirit - with the idea that its message might genuinely not be the pipe-dream that cynics might take it for.

Paul in the home straight - with Brian on the screen behind!

They could've cleared off at this point - but the audience called for an encore - wonder why?

'Cosmos Rockin'',  like 'C-lebrity', is no longer such a stranger to the crowd, and  I could join in without thinking I was the only person in an entire stand who knew it. Indeed, I already felt I was in good company at the last O2 concert in this respect, being surrounded by fellow fan club members! During this song as well I really noticed what a non-static musician Spike actually is - when not having to play, he was dancing along, completely involved. 

At the end of 'We Will Rock You', Jamie was looking over in my direction for a few seconds and our movements seemed to be mirroring each other's. I tried to find out from him via his myspace site if there had, indeed, been the remote possibility that he'd seen me across the stage, but I have received no reply - he's probably a bit too busy so I'm back in his 'trash' again...

An 'action shot' during 'We Are The Champions'!

It was during 'We Are The Champions' that I noticed the roadies assembling to start moving equipment - there would be no time to waste with Wembley happening only the next evening!

So the three of them came to the end of the catwalk, Roger casting  his drumsticks into the audience. When I look back on the show, I was taking everything in - absorbing it as if by osmosis - the intensity of Brian;  how he rallied audience participation, how he considered and contemplated every note of his guitar-playing and how, now and again, like at the end of 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love', he smiled a light-hearted smile.

'Group hug' at the end - and yet another ovation!

It has been asked, "Why are they doing it?" but the evening showed what they can still achieve on this new tangent - they  did not have a material need - it is clearly just for the joy, the fulfillment and the love of music.

Before the last O2 gig, I was walking past North Greenwich station when I overheard two transport workers having a discussion, one saying to the other: "I don't think they'll ever replace Freddie Mercury". I recently stumbled upon a 'Get Ready To Rock' review of the Jacksonville concert in 2006, and found Paul's own answer to that: "I am not replacing Freddie, I am celebrating his music". Indeed he does, so that we all can! 

© 2008 bohemia-place.net