Concert Review: Queen with Adam Lambert - Wellington - 5th February 2020

/ Sky Stadium, /

Queen with Adam Lambert | All Photos by Reef Reid

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL QUEEN GALLERY BY REEF REID HERE

By: Dixie Reid

Artist: Queen with Adam Lambert

Date: Wednesday 5th February 2020

Queen + Adam Lambert are currently performing the "Rhapsody Tour" 2020. Leg 3 (Oceania) opened last night here in Wellington at the recently renamed Sky Stadium (previously Westpac Stadium) to a crowd of circa 30,000 people. Hosting events such as concerts in the Sky Stadium can be risky if the wind gets up and carries the sound away; however, that wasn't the case on this night, with just a mild and welcomed breeze made for a more than pleasant evening.

Queen + Adam Lambert formed back in 2011 and have performed here twice before in 2014 and recently in 2018, so their last performance for some, may still be somewhat fresh.

The first sign of life on stage to open the show is a huge graphic with their crest/badge while Innuendo plays in the background. After roars from the crowd, the graphic lifts to reveal Brian May behind the drum riser with a "BMG Super" to begin "Now I'm Here". Lambert appears soon after (in the same spot) and adds the vocals that when the harmonies kick in, you realise that even without Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, the foundations of Queen are present.

I wasn't a huge Lambert fan prior to last night, however, after witnessing the nearly ten years collaboration coupled with his outstanding voice and onstage presence; I can't think of anybody else that would be more suited to Queen. As hit after hit was performed, this was further reiterated.

The stage setup was huge with screens and cameras everywhere along with a bunch of fortunate VIPs who got to watch the show from backstage. I'm not sure I'd want to watch a whole show from the back of the stage, but none of them appeared bothered by that!

This "production" was huge, on a scale that isn't common in Wellington. During Brian May's guitar solo, he ascends into the air on an asteroid surrounded by other asteroids, planets and moons. I don't know the significance of the theme, but it looked cool!

Later in the show prior to "Who Wants to Live Forever", laser lights flood the front part of the stadium in a light show that would have pleased all the Pink Floyd fans in the house. As you'd expect, Lambert dons a crown during "We are the Champions".

All but just one member of this line-up were formed originally in 2011. Rounding out the band are Spike Edney on keyboards and backing vocals, Neil Fairclough on bass and backing vocals and Tyler Warren on percussion, additional drums and backing vocals. Tyler replaced Rufus Tiger Taylor recently in 2017.

There was an air of "comfortableness" from the performers on stage who also lively performers. At nearly 72, Brian May looked every bit as good as he sounded.

Live music performances in 2020 have already kicked off with a huge amount of tours. It's only February, but I suspect this will be one of the highlights for me in 2020.

Again, if you still haven’t bought tickets, just don’t miss out on seeing this show, there are tickets from $108.00… any fan of a solid rock show that ticks all of the boxes, a guaranteed concert that will appeal to all Queen and Adam Lambert play Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium on Friday February 7th, and Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium on Monday, February 10th. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster

Queen + Adam Lambert Set List - Sky Stadium, Wellington, Feb 2020
Innuendo (Intro)
1. Now I'm Here
2. Seven Seas of Rhye
3. Keep Yourself Alive
4. Hammer to Fall
5. Killer Queen
6. Don't Stop Me Now
7. Somebody to Love
8. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited
9. I'm in Love With My Car
10. Bicycle Race
11. Fat Bottom Girls
12. Another One Bites the Dust
13. I Want It All
14. Love of My Life
15. '39
16. Doing All Right (Excerpt)
17. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
18. Under Pressure
Band Introductions
19. Dragon Attack
20. I Was Born to Love You
21. I Want to Break Free
(You Take My Breath Away)
22. Who Wants to Live Forever
23. Guitar Solo
24. Tie Your Mother Down
25. The Show Must Go On
26. Radio Ga Ga
27. Bohemian Rhapsody

Encore:
(Ayo's)
28. We Will Rock You
29. We Are the Champions
(God Save the Queen)
(Heroes)

 

 

Review Edited By: (Ben Doy)