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Post by thesirhc on Oct 8, 2023 2:07:21 GMT
I remember mentioning somewhere on this forum before the tour started that it would be difficult for Roger to play the drums for SCC now. In fact, many of the songs on last year's tour were slightly slower tempo, and many of the songs he sang vocals on were dropped, suggesting physical limitations. But this performance reminds me how disrespectful that was. Sorry Roger... Not only that but, if you watch Tyler, he's not doubling Roger as much as I think he has in the past. It's most notable during IILWMC. He's playing, for sure, but not as much as I'd expected. SCC was definitely surprisingly fast.
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Post by thesirhc on Oct 8, 2023 2:15:32 GMT
Shame they dropped the extended intro to Hammer to Fall. I quite liked that! That said, if that was unplanned on the first night, it shows how bloody good they are! I like variations too but this didn't work for me so early in the show. It was only the second song and the momentum, in my opinion, needed to be kept. There were other "mistakes" too that weren't disruptive (missed last couple lines of TSMGO, double KQ lines, no "tonight" at the end of TYMD) but, you're absolutely right, they handle them like nothing and they're having a noticeable blast while doing it! I've never been able to watch their faces so much before and it feels like I'm being let in on little secrets .
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manymilesaway
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Post by manymilesaway on Oct 8, 2023 7:43:07 GMT
My unorganized impressions: -ITTWWC and Stone Cold Crazy are awesome new additions. No complaints there.
-The removal of Innuendo is really sad, but I don't take any points off the show for not having it.
-Machines and Radio GaGa being reprised inbetween WWRY and WATC is stupid. WWRY and WATC have been split up before, so that's not what I take issue with, but the fact is that splitting up Radio GaGa makes each instance of it worse. The first part suffers from not having less opportunities to clap along, the second part suffers from "Wait, why are they playing this again?"
-Save Me being cut is unfortunate, but I've never liked Q+AL's renditions of the song, so maybe it's for the best. (Seriously, why the fuck did Adam say "caught up in a glam it seems" every time? Those lyrics make no sense.)
-NO Queen I material for its 50th anniversary is disappointing as hell. NOTW got so many awesome songs returning for the 2017 tour, so it sucks to see QI get shafted here. Sure, I wasn't expecting something like Great King Rat or Jesus, but not even Keep Yourself Alive?? Liar and Keep Yourself Alive would be awesome. Doing All Right would be a good one too, solely for its inclusion in the movie.
-Now I'm Here being cut is sacrilegious. Get that shit back in ASAP. -This Tie Your Mother Down SUUUUUUUUUUCKS get rid of it asap -Brian, Roger, and Adam are all in TOP form. Roger must have seriously been working out or something, he's in great form compared to the last tour. -LOVE to see Roger drumming and singing IILWMC at the same time again. Didn't think he would after the Outsider tour. -Why is Adam still singing Somebody To Love in the George Michael key? He can and HAS nailed the original key many times. Lastly, whoever's job it was to plan the tour locations can go to hell for not putting a Vancouver date.
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manymilesaway
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Post by manymilesaway on Oct 8, 2023 7:58:30 GMT
My fictional setlist, changes in bold and highlighted:
Radio Ga Ga / Machines (full) Hammer to Fall Stone Cold Crazy Another One Bites the Dust I'm In Love with My Car Bicycle Race Fat Bottomed Girls I Want It All A Kind of Magic Killer Queen Don't Stop Me Now Somebody to Love (Ab major key) Love of My Life '39 Keep Yourself Alive (Until drum solo) Drum Solo (Let There Be Drums) Liar Under Pressure Tie Your Mother Down (ORIGINAL arrangement) Crazy Little Thing Called Love I Want to Break Free Who Wants to Live Forever (+ audio intro You Take My Breath Away) Now I'm Here (Until "I'd love to leave my memory with you") Guitar Solo (incl. Dvorak's New World Symphony No. 9) Brighton Rock (ending) Is This The World We Created? The Show Must Go On Bohemian Rhapsody (Original arrangement with Montreal '81 Freddie duet) We Will Rock You We Are the Champions
The 2023 set is apparently 20 minutes shorter than the original 2019 set, so I felt I could get a little wild with the additions. To me, this setlist is the perfect balance between hits and the deeper stuff for the huge fans. I also believe the Montreal '81 Freddie duet is just emotionally so much more interesting than having Adam do the whole song. That song is Freddie's baby, and I give all the respect in the world to Adam, but it just feels right to see him pop up to sing the second verse. Plus, the audience goes nuts for it.
This is being (relatively) realistic, but if I'm going for a DREAM setlist, I'd throw these in somewhere (Not sure where) -It's Late -Spread Your Wings -It's a Hard Life -ANY representation from Queen II, ideally White Queen or Father To Son, but would probably be Seven Seas of Rhye -White Man/The Prophet's Song medley -Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy inbetween KQ and DSMN (GOFLB is REALLY REALLY popular with younger Queen fans, for those old-heads out there.)
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Post by Khashoggi on Oct 8, 2023 19:30:55 GMT
Ehm.. George Michael sang STL in the original key..
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Post by brightonrock on Oct 8, 2023 22:23:05 GMT
My fictional setlist, changes in bold and highlighted: Radio Ga Ga / Machines (full)
Hammer to Fall Stone Cold Crazy Another One Bites the Dust I'm In Love with My Car Bicycle Race Fat Bottomed Girls I Want It All A Kind of Magic Killer Queen Don't Stop Me Now Somebody to Love (Ab major key)
Love of My Life '39 Keep Yourself Alive (Until drum solo)
Drum Solo (Let There Be Drums) Liar
Under Pressure Tie Your Mother Down (ORIGINAL arrangement)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love I Want to Break Free Who Wants to Live Forever (+ audio intro You Take My Breath Away) Now I'm Here (Until "I'd love to leave my memory with you")
Guitar Solo (incl. Dvorak's New World Symphony No. 9) Brighton Rock (ending)
Is This The World We Created? The Show Must Go On Bohemian Rhapsody (Original arrangement with Montreal '81 Freddie duet)
We Will Rock You We Are the Champions The 2023 set is apparently 20 minutes shorter than the original 2019 set, so I felt I could get a little wild with the additions. To me, this setlist is the perfect balance between hits and the deeper stuff for the huge fans. I also believe the Montreal '81 Freddie duet is just emotionally so much more interesting than having Adam do the whole song. That song is Freddie's baby, and I give all the respect in the world to Adam, but it just feels right to see him pop up to sing the second verse. Plus, the audience goes nuts for it. This is being (relatively) realistic, but if I'm going for a DREAM setlist, I'd throw these in somewhere (Not sure where) -It's Late -Spread Your Wings -It's a Hard Life -ANY representation from Queen II, ideally White Queen or Father To Son, but would probably be Seven Seas of Rhye -White Man/The Prophet's Song medley -Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy inbetween KQ and DSMN (GOFLB is REALLY REALLY popular with younger Queen fans, for those old-heads out there.) I like the idea of transitioning from Now I'm Here to the guitar solo. Personally, I have no complaints with the current arrangement of Somebody To Love, but when it was done in the original key (until 2016?) I liked the 4-beat ending of the song, and I hope they do it again.
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Post by brightonrock on Oct 8, 2023 22:45:04 GMT
Great! The performances, visual effects, everything is better than it used to be. It's been a long time since QAL did this song, but Adam has been doing it all along in his own solo shows? I think it's a difficult song to just sing, but it's much more polished. Yes, Adam performed SSC on his solo concerts throughout the past years. If you’re curious about how this sounds, check this video out. It’s from his concert in The Royal Albert Hall in London in J7ne, earlier this year. The sound is pretty good on this and his band wasn’t too bad, I might say. youtu.be/EkCcNDO0A9k?si=_49QIZu1kcc6V1aY It is amazing. This song and AOBTD seem to be Adam's own specialty. I think the opening medley was quite sophisticated when these two songs were lined up early on. Both in terms of the slowness of each song, and also in terms of showing off Adam's singing ability. I am very happy to see this medley back again this time 😀.
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Post by brightonrock on Oct 8, 2023 23:14:09 GMT
Two Fux, Ghost Town Please... But I don't think Adam will ever play his own songs on QAL again. He knows very well what it means to work with Queen now, and he's more concerned about continuing to deliver Queen songs than his own songs. I think he is probably that kind of person.
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Post by inuliger on Oct 9, 2023 7:15:51 GMT
Wow, Brian absolutely shat the bed with the guitar solo on “Killer Queen” at the Toronto show. That was in all likelihood the biggest fuckup I’ve ever heard him do at any of the shows I’ve seen them at.
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vh
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Post by vh on Oct 9, 2023 12:41:42 GMT
How was the rest of the 2 hour gig either side of those 20/25 seconds?
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Ri
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Post by Ri on Oct 9, 2023 12:49:38 GMT
Wow, Brian absolutely shat the bed with the guitar solo on “Killer Queen” at the Toronto show. That was in all likelihood the biggest fuckup I’ve ever heard him do at any of the shows I’ve seen them at. Oh yes this... I listened to his insanely good AKOM, posted a hyperbolic praise about it, and the next second turned out it jinxed his next song. 😭 Still hope you had fun regardless!
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georg
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Post by georg on Oct 9, 2023 13:42:07 GMT
I’m not surprised Cool Cat isn’t in the set list – it’s not exactly a song built for arenas and stadia – but the absence of Tear It Up is a surprise, simply because it’s a quite effective intro paired with Machines – more so than the weird Radio Ga Ga split – and it was also in a commercial, last year I think? (I don’t remember the product, so that aspect of advertising is a failure.)
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Post by deathtoming on Oct 9, 2023 14:36:30 GMT
Machines, Radio Ga Ga (in the opening) and Is This The World We Created... Why this? Maybe next release will be about the Works? 27th februrary 2024,will be the 40th anniversary of the works... who knows... For sure, there are a few hints at some sort of release connected to The Works, but I'll throw in another angle. At one point during the show on this tour, there is a prominent reference to Starmus VII, which is coming up in May 2024 and connected to Brian. About Starmus: "In 2024, Starmus will turn its gaze closer to home and analyse how we can tackle the challenges that most threaten Earth’s future, from the threats facing our environment and climate to far-reaching technologies like artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and cybersecurity – as well as the humanitarian crises caused by armed conflict around the world." So, it could be that thematic elements of The Works happen to fit another one of Brian's projects/thoughts that's at the forefront of his mind. (Photo of Brian promoting Starmus not related to the concert.)
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Post by inuliger on Oct 9, 2023 15:48:47 GMT
Wow, Brian absolutely shat the bed with the guitar solo on “Killer Queen” at the Toronto show. That was in all likelihood the biggest fuckup I’ve ever heard him do at any of the shows I’ve seen them at. Oh yes this... I listened to his insanely good AKOM, posted a hyperbolic praise about it, and the next second turned out it jinxed his next song. 😭 Still hope you had fun regardless! Sure did. I filmed the whole gig. Won’t be back in Edmonton until the 17th, so it’ll be a while yet until I can work on that or the bootleg audio recording (which IMO turned out even better than the last 2019 Toronto recording).
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Post by inuliger on Oct 9, 2023 15:53:05 GMT
How was the rest of the 2 hour gig either side of those 20/25 seconds? It was great otherwise, thank you for asking Freaking loved the transition from the guitar solo section going into “Is This The World We Created,” and having Machines/RGG mashed up together was an unexpected way to open the show (as was having them reprised right in between WWRY and WATC). Can’t wait to see how the setlist holds or changes when I see them in Japan.
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manymilesaway
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Post by manymilesaway on Oct 9, 2023 20:48:55 GMT
Ehm.. George Michael sang STL in the original key.. No he didn't, he sang it in G, Freddie sang it in A flat.
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Post by brightonrock on Oct 9, 2023 22:01:18 GMT
I think last night's A Kind Of Magic is the best take of the tour at this point. It's only the third show though 🤐.
The guitar solo after the fireworks was amazing, but the way Killer Queen's guitar solo fell apart right after that was disastrous. But that's the fun of a live show.
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vh
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Post by vh on Oct 9, 2023 22:10:42 GMT
How was the rest of the 2 hour gig either side of those 20/25 seconds? It was great otherwise, thank you for asking Freaking loved the transition from the guitar solo section going into “Is This The World We Created,” and having Machines/RGG mashed up together was an unexpected way to open the show (as was having them reprised right in between WWRY and WATC). Can’t wait to see how the setlist holds or changes when I see them in Japan. Hey glad you enjoyed it. Yes it will be interesting to see how things change, even in the coming weeks. Somehow I can see them changing Gaga and Hammer To Fall around, using HTF as the opener. Although having said that I actually like it the way it is. Some people have questioned not opening with something heavier or at least riffy as is the Queen tradition. However I seem to remember in 1982 during the US tour they started with Rock it with its slow vocal intro. Enjoy Japan next year!
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Post by brightonrock on Oct 10, 2023 5:35:37 GMT
The Baltimore rehearsal setlist had Save Me on it, but if you were to play Save Me on this tour, what would the arrangement be?
When it was included in the setlist in 2015, it started with Adam's a cappella, and after the chorus, the other parts gradually joined in and added sounds. Brian's 3D photo biography tells us that that was Adam's idea.
I would love to hear them play that arrangement again, but I doubt they would do the same thing. Will it be with piano accompaniment from the beginning like it was with Freddie?
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manymilesaway
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Post by manymilesaway on Oct 12, 2023 3:41:20 GMT
The Baltimore rehearsal setlist had Save Me on it, but if you were to play Save Me on this tour, what would the arrangement be? When it was included in the setlist in 2015, it started with Adam's a cappella, and after the chorus, the other parts gradually joined in and added sounds. Brian's 3D photo biography tells us that that was Adam's idea. I would love to hear them play that arrangement again, but I doubt they would do the same thing. Will it be with piano accompaniment from the beginning like it was with Freddie? Would much rather hear the original arrangement, would be really cool to see Brian playing piano again.
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Post by merplot on Oct 13, 2023 6:38:15 GMT
I was at the MSG show tonight. They were all in top form, I was suprised to hear Stone Cold Crazy played as fast as it was. Roger seems to have more stamina than I remember in the recent past, too. Overall everyone sounded wonderful! Unfortunately the girl in the seat next to me was so drunk and annoying that I wasn't able to always be present because I was too busy trying to tune her out. She actually punched me in the face while dancing during the encore and I finally broke and laid into her. Luckily I'm going to tomorrow's show too, hopefully with more respectful seatmates. The trade-off is that I happened across Pete taking a smoke break outside the employee entrance and he was willing to take my 1975 Japanese Queen Times fanzine backstage for Brian to sign =)
I had kept myself away from most spoilers because I wanted to be surprised. I was disappointed there was no Days of Our Lives, but not surprised since that wasn't a hit here in the US. Actually, US setlists seem relatively bland just cuz all the populace mostly knows are the huge household name hits. The US shows feel less intimate to me. To be honest, I'd be fine if they left out Bohemian Rhapsody or Killer Queen and put Keep Yourself Alive back in instead. Or It's Late or Save Me or.... But I thought the Killer Queen "Adam singing at his vanity" setup was fun. It's striking how powerful his voice is in person... whether you think it suits Queen or not, he's got quite a set of pipes.
Even though I had expensive floor seats I felt like almost everyone around me were pretty causal fans. It would be nice to somehow only have a gig full of hardcore fans... the vibe would be so much different I think. A few people were clapping out-of-sync on Radio GaGa, which I was almost impressed with... I agree with whoever said they were thrown by the reprise of GaGa. I was like Didn't we hear this one already tho? I didn't hate the slower Tie Your Mother Down (Brian played it that way on VH1 Storytellers in 1998 or so and it went on FOREVER) but I was very happy when they switched to the regular fast version.
Brian was very emotional during the acoustic set tonight since he mentioned on his IG that his friend/driver died suddenly yesterday. His left ring finger was all bandaged and taped up too, wonder what happened.
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Lord Fickle
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Post by Lord Fickle on Oct 13, 2023 8:26:49 GMT
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Nicki
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Post by Nicki on Oct 13, 2023 20:42:46 GMT
Last night in New York they dropped TSMGO from the setlist. Let’s see, if it will be back tonight for the second show.
After I‘ve seen some videos from this tour, I‘ve to say, that I really enjoy this new arrangement for Killer Queen. Adam‘s acting is hilarious. I don’t know, what the boys have done, but Roger is playing even better than last year and Adam somehow seems to be more free and just enjoying himself on that stage this year.
A good, complete video from Toronto (unfortunately that’s the one time that Brian didn’t play his solo correctly)
Another (incomplete) video of just Adam with all his facial expressions. 😂 From MSG last night.
In addition: During this performance (I think it’s from Baltimore‘s second show?) Adam sang the wrong lyrics in the first verse and repeated them in the right place later in the second verse: “Met a man from China -again- went down to Geisha Minor - again…“ 😂😂
I love live shows.
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Ri
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Post by Ri on Oct 13, 2023 22:09:19 GMT
The wrong lyrics was Baltimore #1 and looking back at my own live tweets there were a ton of mess-ups in that show lol. Very signature of Queen shows I guess.
Additionally TSMGO hasn't returned to the show tonight (MSG #2).
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Post by merplot on Oct 14, 2023 8:30:42 GMT
Aww that's sweet that they showed him some love after botching that KQ solo. Hope he took it in stride. He nailed it both nights at MSG. I dont think he made any noticeable mistakes either night, actually.
I was so bummed they dropped Show Must Go On, I was hoping to hear it.
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Nicki
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Post by Nicki on Oct 16, 2023 19:25:40 GMT
This is a new review from the 1st Boston show last night. I agree with most of it, apart from what the author is saying about Adam singing WWTLF too much like Freddie. link: www.bostonherald.com/2023/10/15/queen-adam-lambert-a-killer-collab/Queen + Adam Lambert = a killer collab
Adam Lambert strikes a pose atop a spinning motorcycle that’s half Harley-Davidson, half disco ball singing “Bicycle Race.”
Lambert is at peak Glambert. He’s cheeky, charming, swagger stuffed in leather, and absolutely crushing an insanely difficult song to cover on stage Sunday at the TD Garden in front of a packed house.
Adam Lambert is very good at his job. And at the same time, no one can replace Freddie Mercury. And everyone knows this. Especially Adam Lambert.
The thing is Brian May and Roger Taylor are still perfect — note for note perfect! — at their jobs, even at 76 and 74, respectively.
Rock has entered an interesting, odd phase. John Mayer can stand in for Jerry Garcia with members of the Grateful Dead. Axl Rose can fill in for Brian Johnson in AC/DC. Eagles tour with Glenn Frey’s kid, Phil Collins tours with his own kid playing his drum parts, Michael Sweet of Stryper actually logged time singing for Boston.
What are we to do? Scream “cash grab?” Skip the show? Mock the revolution for being televised, commodified, commercialized? In the case of Queen + Adam Lambert, so popular they booked back-to-back Garden parties, maybe we can miss Freddie and shout along to “Bicycle Race,” “Somebody to Love,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and rest of the hits and stone cold classics.
May and Taylor should get to play these songs (many of which they wrote) if they can still play them. And it’s shocking what they can do five decades into rock ‘n’ roll. Taylor still plays so deep in the pocket while tossing out fills that are both subtle and virtuosic. May has a bigger role to play — his guitar was always the second most distinctive thing about Queen.
May needed a few songs to heat up, but, my word, he eventually became pure fire. He took his time building up an epic groove on the extended outro of “Fat Bottomed Girls.” He showed off his delicate and lyrical side on the haunting “Who Wants to Live Forever.” He blitzed through the furious, glorious tangle of notes that made up the climax of “I Want It All.”
Of course, ears and eyes often return to Lambert (how could they not? see “disco ball Harley,” “leather swagger”).The most dramatic, bombastic, histrionic voice to come from “American Idol” can sing every note in the Queen catalog. Sometimes Lambert can sing too much like Freddie — notably on “Who Wants to Live Forever.” But over the past dozen years he’s been doing this, he’s become wonderfully confident. Maximum commitment, eyeliner and ego, costume changes and charisma, glitter and glam packaged with the staccato attack of “Stone Cold Crazy,” the eerie and ethereal intro to “I Want It All,” and the pomp and preening of “Killer Queen.”
Label this rock star fantasy camp or karaoke with a million dollar budget. Queen + Adam Lambert have managed to build something unlikely, imperfect, amazing, endlessly entertaining, and worthy. Skip it — skip anything that isn’t a classic line up — if you want. But know what you’re missing.
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Lord Fickle
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Post by Lord Fickle on Oct 16, 2023 20:52:21 GMT
I'd argue Adam sings it better live than Freddie did, although, on that first night in Baltimore, I noticed he didn't overstretch himself on that one, and some of the more stratospheric notes I was expecting were avoided.
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Nicki
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Post by Nicki on Oct 17, 2023 12:35:25 GMT
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Lord Fickle
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Post by Lord Fickle on Oct 17, 2023 12:54:20 GMT
They really do seem to be at the top of their game.
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vh
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Post by vh on Oct 17, 2023 15:38:28 GMT
They've changed the start of AKOM a bit. I thought they were going to do the Highlander version until it kicked in. Is the lighting not quite so spectacular as on the last tour? Also, an observation - Brian seems to be using a different guitar. Perhaps one rigged for the rockets? They seem a little 'bigger' than on the previous tour, so perhaps it wasn't practical to use his normal guitar? I’ve had the same conversation with number of people regarding the lighting on this tour. Admittedly I’ve only seen video footage and not seen one of the current shows live. However there certainly seems to be something missing visually. Because the production is so video based someone may have taken the decision to light the stage in a more understated way, the screens would certainly have more impact in a less lit setting. Having said all that even in the sections of the show where the lights are the main production focus I feel the the general effect is rather lame given the amount of lighting power on offer. Re the guitars. Fryer RS as backup to Brian’s main guitar Fryer RS for drop D ( FBG ) Guyton Green RS back up for drop D guitar. Guyton RS for AKOM. (with rockets)
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