Tonight, Queen rocked it in front of over 50,000 adoring fans (not including me, unfortunately, since I had a prior engagement).
But Brian was there, and he captured this great video of a certain band’s song being played before Queen came on stage..and after the Arab winner of the Voice performed!
https://www.facebook.com/brianoflondon/videos/10153878480006716/
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That certainly set the scene for a great night, which also contained the songs we know and love, enhanced by Adam Lambert wowing the audience with his personality….and Hebrew.
https://youtu.be/7zc_JxDA-8o
Brian May also got in on the act.
This from Ynet’s account of the concert:
Exciting tributes, a new lead singer with plenty of charisma, and some affection for Hebrew were just part of Queen and Adam Lambert’s concert in Tel Aviv on Monday night, attended by over 50,000 delighted fans at the Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv. Lambert was, of course filling in for late band lead singer Freddie Mercury, who passed away in 1991.
During the show, which lasted over two hours, the legendary rock band performed its greatest hits, accompanied by impressive light effects and video clips of Mercury, who would have turned 70 last week.
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Lambert called for the Tel Aviv crowd to get its “buts on bicycles,” preparing those in attendance to hear a performance of Bicycle Race, but instead pivoted to sing Don’t Stop Me Now, another one of the band’s greatest hits.
Then, a giant chair was placed on stage, and the band went on to sing Killer Queen. Lambert then showed some Hebrew knowledge, saying “Lechaim” (cheers) to the crowd before taking a drink of water. “Erev tov” and “Toda raba” (“Good evening, and “thanks very much”), he continued.
Lambert continued to hold the crowd in the palm of his hand, asking how many of them were in love. He then said he had no life partner, asking if anyone could find him ‘Somebody to Love.’ Guitarist Brian May then gave some affection to the Israeli audience, crying out “Shalom” and ” Salam alaikum ” (“Hello” in Hebrew and “peace be upon you” in Arabic). He even took photos with some excited fans.
He then said he heard that Israelis were quite good at singing, and began a solo rendition of the ballad Love of My Life.
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May then transitioned to a long instrumental verse, which eventually morphed into a rock version of Hava Nagila. The band then performed Who Wants to Live Forever and The Show Must Go On. Lambert excited the crowd by inserting the words “I’ve fallen in love with Tel Aviv” into the sond I Want To Break Free.
Brian says he will write a review tomorrow – I will add it to the post then.
In the meantime, I’ll leave with you some more video from the concert, which gives those of us who could not make it a glimpse of what we missed.
https://youtu.be/nNONCHxSfSo
https://youtu.be/VweH3SjJ34M
https://youtu.be/ZZ-ABFbFe4E
https://youtu.be/QiJ9VEMuaSA
https://youtu.be/fTmq90h-p8c
https://youtu.be/ygFM2NCT2jE
https://youtu.be/3IFUP9bgCwU
https://youtu.be/ZncFJih5zf8
https://youtu.be/QNToBCYA0BA
Update: Brian writes about his experience at the concert here.
