Half-QUEEN is better than no-QUEEN! North American tour announced at last!

[SwordLord]

From BLABBERMOUTH.NET, the land of a thousand nay-sayers...

------

Some of rock's greatest anthems are to be heard performed live again across America after more than 20 years, as rock legends QUEEN, now joined forces with Paul Rodgers, singer and songwriter of BAD COMPANY/FREE fame, announce they are to play a 23-date tour of the USA and Canada this coming spring.

The tour announcement comes only a matter of weeks after QUEEN and Rodgers ignited sold out box office and strong media attention with two showcase performances at Meadowlands, NJ, and the Hollywood Bowl on a stop-off along the way to their recent sold out Japanese tour.

Away from the North America concert circuit for more than two decades — an enforced retirement brought on by the tragic loss of lead singer Freddie Mercury — QUEEN with Rodgers will launch into their coast-to-coast tour Friday March 3 in Miami, Fl at the American Airlines Arena.

Spending six weeks on U.S. soil, the band will closely re-route it's triumphant '82 North American tour, bringing it back to the QUEEN heartlands: Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, Portland, among other US cities, plus Canadian stops in Toronto and Vancouver, where the tour winds up on April 13, 2006.

Tickets for these much-anticipated shows go on sale earliest December 3 with on sales across the country at different dates up until December 17.

Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster with a Special Presale starting November 30th at www.queenpluspaulrodgers.com, www.queenonline.com, or www.paulrodgers.com.

For the spring 2006 tour dates Brian May (guitar & vocals), Roger Taylor (drums & vocals) and Paul Rodgers (vocals, guitar & piano) are joined by Danny Miranda (ex-BLUE ÖYSTER CULT) on bass, Jamie Moses (former BRIAN MAY band member) on second guitar, and Spike Edney (longtime QUEEN sideman) on keyboards. (QUEEN bassist John Deacon has retired from touring.)

QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS North American tour 2006:

Mar. 03 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
Mar. 05 - Jacksonville, FL @ Veterans Coliseum
Mar. 07 - Duluth, GA @ Gwinett Center
Mar. 09 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center
Mar. 10 - Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
Mar. 12 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
Mar. 14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Spectrum
Mar. 16 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Mar. 17 - Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena
Mar. 20 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena
Mar. 21 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
Mar. 23 - Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
Mar. 24 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace at Auburn Hills
Mar. 26 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
Mar. 27 - Milwaukee, WI @ Bradley Center
Mar. 31 - Glendale, AZ @ Glendale Arena
Apr. 01 - San Diego, CA @ Cox Arena
Apr. 03 - Anaheim, CA @ Arrowhead Pond
Apr. 05 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion
Apr. 07 - Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden
Apr. 10 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
Apr. 11 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden
Apr. 13 - Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum

 

[SwordLord]

To say that I am excited about this tour would be a gross understatement! I am a raving, lunatic QUEEN fan -- been listening to them since I was 15. I know every song lyric, every album, everything. They were the best ...

R.I.P. Freddie, teach those angels how to sing!

 

[The_Q]

no offense Swordlord but IMO Queen is just not Queen without Freddie!

 

[King Lek]

Longtime Queen fan, and while it should be an interesting show, it is surely not worth $128.00 a ticket for decent seats. Saw them back in the day, and back in the day it will remain.

 

[TBJ]

Did you all hear about ticket prices? OMFG, no band deserves $200 unless it had returned-from-the-dead-not-zombified bandmembers.

 

[Ruthven]

I thought about catching this until I saw the quoted prices. I love Queen, and would give them a chance with Paul Rodgers, but no way would I shell that kind of money out for this.

Man I love me some "News of the World."

 

[rockyracoon]

I would probably pay the cost to check this out. But defintely NOT with Paul Rogers. I should be payed to listen to him. Seems like Queen could have gotten someone better.

 

[kittybeast]

I caught the show in October at the Hollywood Bowl. All in all it was a great mix of Queen and Bad Company songs. I'm shocked to hear you all talk about ticket prices in the areas you live in.... I paid $60 bucks for my ticket and it was completely worth it! On a few songs Paul just couldn't belt it out anymore but the tributes to Freddie, the vintage film footage and the good feeling vibe of the whole show was what made it great!

 

[Petethedrummer]

$60 is reasonable. $127-$200+ is not

 

[TheWhisper]

But defintely NOT with Paul Rogers. I should be payed to listen to him.

 

[Pellaz]

$60 is reasonable. $127-$200+ is not

Concur.

I had already marked out the Atlanta date on my calendar....and then I saw the ticket prices.

 

[Unca Kev]

Yeah I thought that it was great that they were kicking off the tour down here. But no way would I see them for those prices. They'd have to have make that into something more to cost that much. For example, if Russell Allen or Damien Wilson were singing for Queen and, on the same bill, have a reunited Led Zepplin with Mike Portnoy on drums. That would be worth those ticket prices!

 

[Barking Pumpkin]

I know very little about Queen and their music, but from various things I've heard, Paul Rodgers is a horrible singer to take out on tour singing the Queen songs, and he's just there because Brian May knows and likes him. There are certainly people who could do an awesome job singing the songs originally sung by Freddy Mercury, but Paul Rodgers is not one of them. The few songs I've heard of his live performances with Queen reek of belted high notes and disrespect for trying to convey vocally the song's meaning, most likely due to lack of ability. There's putting your own spin on it and there's not having the skill to attempt to sing it right. Definitely a testament to what I think of most "classic rock" singers, sorry.

And I'll pay $200 for the next J.S. Bach tour, but not to see washed up classic rock singers do lackluster renditions of classic rock songs.

 

[dargormudshark]

Paul Rodgers is a great fucking singer BUT has no business in Queen

 

[Bryant]

Paul Rogers is a vocal God in his own right, but his style and vocal range don't click with Queen. I can't imagine the combination.


Bryant

 

[Formerly known as Chris F5]

Piss poor choice for vocalists

my first choice(laugh at me but just listen to some of his solo stuff) would to have done anything to get George Michaels.
why
1.His main vocal influence was Mercury
2.Has the range
3.On that Queen tribute concert,listen to his version of Someone to love
Queen + George Michaiels=Me traveling and paying the $$$ to see this

I'll pass

 

[Ruthven]

my first choice(laugh at me but just listen to some of his solo stuff) would to have done anything to get George Michaels.

Agreed. My brother, who is a huge Queen fan, said the exact same thing, and I sneered because I despised Wham! and what I have heard of his solo material. But my brother told me to forget Michaels' image and especially Wham! So the next time I heard something by George Michaels, I concentrated on the voice, and was pretty amazed. I've never heard the songs he performed with Queen, but I think he would be a good fit for a tour.

 

[kittybeast]

Wow, tickets in San Diego taken from Ticketmaster site :US $45.00 - US $130.00
Las Vegas : US $47.25 - US $131.25

 

[King Lek]

I may be wrong but i believe that at one time Micheals was a consideration in conversation. The Paul Rogers thing happened more by chance, if i remember correctly, as he did a few songs one night with May which appearently was well received by fans and critics.

I more agree with Micheals at the vocal helm. While never a fan of his music he does have a kick ass voice...and while i would have liked to see this show, Micheals on vocals would have intigued me more-so to maybe...pay more, though.....quite steep pricing for a good seat, and May's justification just doesn't work for me.

 

[TheWhisper]

Whether, or not, anyone thinks Paul Rodgers voice fits with Queen's music is personal opinion, and valid. Though, for someone to question his vocal abilities is retarded at best. I had the same reservations about the combination of Queen/Rodgers, being huge fans of both parties, but once I heard some live songs...I was sold.

Sure, they could've gotten someone who more resembled Freddie Mercury, but why? No one...NO ONE, could ever replace Freddie and to try would've been the wrong move, imo. The decision to go with a sort of oddball choice works best here - the songs don't come off as a poor imitation of Freddie era Queen. That's why they aren't touring as Queen, but as Queen + Paul Rodgers.

As for ticket prices, the Rolling Stones were charging upwards of $400 for the most expensive tickets to their show here recently. The ticket prices for arena shows are high these days.